The Foodie Family Guide to Canada’s Wonderland

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For our family, a theme park is only as good as it’s food offerings. So, on our recent family trip to Canada’s Wonderland we had to find the Best Things to Eat at Canada’s Wonderland – and today, we’re sharing our top picks with you!

What to eat at Canada's Wonderland, everything from the famous funnel cakes to new offerings like their Mac and Cheese Grilled Cheese and Funnel Cake Frappuccino

What to Eat at Canada’s Wonderland

Canada’s Wonderland is a giant theme park located just north of Toronto in the city of Vaughn.

It’s a Canadian tradition to head there in the summer – nearly everyone I know has been there, except for me! Now that my daughter’s old enough to enjoy the park, I decided to surprise her with a day at Canada’s Wonderland.

After scoping out the considerable number of children’s rides and packing our bathing suits for the giant Splash Zone area, I had to find out the food situation.

I initially started where the majority of us start – posting to Facebook and asking friends for their recommendations. Uniformly, everyone said to just stick to the funnel cakes and eat outside the park – either at the provided picnic tables or some nearby restaurants (as the park doesn’t allow outside food or drinks with the exception of medical dietary needs).

However, I didn’t want to have to leave the park to picnic (although I think it’s awesome that there are picnic benches located close by so you don’t have to drive anywhere), so I buckled down and read everything I could about Canada’s Wonderland’s foodie offerings and why my friends were so unenthusiastic.

Canada’s Wonderland came under new management in 2006 and in recent years they have made huge efforts to rewrite their food story. Of course, they still offer standards like Subway, Pizza Pizza, Tim Horton’s, Manchu Wok and Starbucks, but under their Executive Chef Dilup Attygalla, Canada’s Wonderland has emerged with some solid food offerings for those who are not wanting the standard park fare.

As it turned out, while it may have been the case that the food at Canada’s Wonderland used to be unremarkable, our visit proved that Attygalla has really turned that around – although, the funnel cake is still the biggest crowd pleaser!

Family-Friendly Food at Canada’s Wonderland

As Canada has become more diverse and foodie-oriented, it’s only right that our country’s main theme park also gets the foodie treatment.

I avoided the fast food trappings and went for dishes that were unique to the park… except for Starbucks. I was at a theme park with three children – Starbucks was essential.

While at the parks, several of the cult food items that I was looking forward to trying had been replaced – like the Blooming Onion at Roadside Chicken – but there were still so many yummy finds which I’m excited to share with you today. While you are at the park, keep your eyes peeled for new offerings – and be sure to let me know what you find in the comments!

Grilled Mac & Cheese at Alpen Cheesery

I don’t know why I never thought of this – but a Mac and Cheese-stuffed sandwich is a serious game changer. The mac and cheese was delicious, and there was a hint of garlic to the bread. The portion was huge – big enough for sharing.

Tiny Tim’s Donuts

A classic, these cinnamon-sugar mini donuts are a must-do – and are extra-tasty if purchased to enjoy for the ride home.

Fish and Chips at Coasters 

My daughter orders fish and chips whenever possible, so we stopped in and ordered it from this cute 50s-style diner (which was also offering milkshakes). The coating was crisp and tasty, while the fish was tender absolutely melted in our mouths. The fries were crispy, too – which earns double points from me because nothing is worse than soggy fries.

Cookies and Cream Fudge at Sweet Shoppe Fudge

We got a small slice of this to-go and it was a decadent treat that wasn’t overly sweet.

Butter Chicken at Backlot Express

We ate lunch at Backlot Express and everyone was happy. I split a Greek Salad and Butter Chicken (double yum), while the kids had pizza and Spaghetti and Meatballs. The salad was fresh and crisp, while the butter chicken and spaghetti sauce were both well-seasoned.

Skor Cookie on a Stick at Mountainside Bakery

Skor is the Canadian equivalent to Heath’s bars – chocolate-covered toffee candy bars. This buttery cookie is covered with little chocolate-covered toffee bits, and is served on a stick! Ours broke off before we were able to eat it, but it didn’t effect how delicious it was.

(There were also several other dessert on a stick options.)

Muskoka Craft Bison Burger

This burger was really well executed – with delicious toppings (from peppery arugula to X), and the bison was a nice, lean alternative to beef with a rich flavor. The burger was a bit pricey but it came with house made chips which made everything all better.

Purple Splash

Canada’s Wonderland’s exclusive Coke offering, this purple-hued soda is a must-try. They wouldn’t tell us exactly what was in it, but I’m guessing it was a mixture of Berry (or Grape?), Lime and Lemonade.

Funnel Cake Frappuccino

Cinnamon. Vanilla. With a Caramel Topping. You still need to get a funnel cake, but this park-only treat is a must-eat.

Strawberry Lemonade

So, we missed the boat on this one. This location closes at 8pm but can close earlier if the park isn’t too busy – and it closed by 7pm on the day that we were there. We instead grabbed Strawberry Lemonade at Starbucks, but the employees let us know that the real, fresh squeezed version that we missed was amazing. (Way to rub it in…)

Poutine

The food truck offerings change yearly (last year it was the legendary Bistro 81 food truck with it’s pork belly sliders and deep fried buttertarts), and this year it’s a poutine-only food truck. We got the classic which uses shredded cheese instead of cheese curds and had a deliciously spiced gravy. The fries were thick and well-cooked, holding up well to the toppings.

Beavertails

A Canadian classic, beavertails are basically a beavertail-shaped oval of deep fried donut dough coated in cinnamon-sugar and then topped with a variety of crepe-style offerings. We went for the Nutella and Reese’s offering, and it was worth every indulgent bite. (Ella and I may or may not have demolished it in one sitting between ourselves.)

Fruit Smoothies at Medieval Refreshments

Another one that we didn’t get to try out for ourselves as this kiosk was closed when we visited, but it would be a great way to balance out all the indulgent offerings suggested on this list.

Funnel Cakes

Of course, we couldn’t go to Canada’s Wonderland without trying the legendary Funnel Cakes.

There are two types on offer: Cookies & Cream and Strawberry. The International Center location (which is the first location you encounter as you enter the park) only sells the Strawberry version, so that’s what we went with. The funnel cake was perfectly cooked – crunchy, double layered and chewy on the inside, the strawberries were fresh, sweet and drenched in a sweet-and-tart strawberry syrup, and of course, there was a good helping of vanilla soft serve ice cream to help balance everything out.

Every single person in our party LOVED this – even me, the person who thinks fruit has no place in dessert.

While I definitely recommend eating more than just the funnel cakes at Canada’s Wonderland, if you only eat one thing – make sure the funnel cake is it!

 

Pin this Guide to What to Eat at Canada’s Wonderland for your summer planning:

Planning a family trip to Canada's Wonderland? Find out the best things to eat - beyond the funnel cake! Everything you need to know about the food situation at CW

If you’re looking for more things to do in Southwestern Ontario, consider taking a Magical Day Trip to Waterloo or head to the Toronto Island’s for a Pirate Adventure!

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