Ruqayyah Snyder
New Brunswick is a foodie's dream, with its diverse cuisine and fresh local produce, and delicious Maritime specialities. The province offers a unique culinary experience, from fine dining to seaside digs, with the best seafood and produce in the world.
The food culture in New Brunswick is thriving, with exceptional restaurants and talented chefs showcasing the region's bounty. The province is known for its fried seafood and lobster rolls, but there is much more to explore, including innovative dishes that celebrate local ingredients and international flavours.
For seafood lovers, the province's Fundy and Northumberland coasts offer a plethora of choices, from fish and chips to fine dining. The Saint John Ale House in Saint John is a must-visit for its delicious fish and chips and elevated catch-of-the-day dishes. New Brunswick's shellfish, including clams, mussels, oysters, and scallops, are also a highlight, and the province takes its seafood chowder very seriously!
In addition to seafood, New Brunswick offers a variety of culinary delights. The Acadian French of the Northumberland shore have signature dishes like chicken fricot and rappie pie. The Brayon cuisine of the northwestern Madawaska region is also unique and worth exploring.
When it comes to produce, New Brunswick is known for its wild blueberries, bursting with antioxidants and vitamins. The province also produces excellent maple products, including maple syrup, maple butter, and even maple cotton candy. Not to mention, the province's primary crop is potatoes, with NB producing 20,000 hectares of this humble yet versatile vegetable.
Whether you're looking for a quick bite or a gourmet dining experience, New Brunswick has something for everyone. So, get ready to indulge and explore the delicious flavours of this charming province!
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Best restaurants | East Coast Bistro, Gusto Italian Bar & Grill, Italian by Night, Saint John Ale House, Port City Royal, Atelier Gourmand, Les Brumes du Coude, Café Lotus Bleu, Fresco Kitchen, Origines: Cuisine Maritime, Smoke on the Water Restaurant, Taj Mahal, 11th Mile, Chess Piece Pâtisserie, Thandi, [catch] Urban Grill |
| Must-try dishes | Butter chicken, lemon sour cream pie, bagel with smoked salmon, scallops wrapped in bacon, lobster rolls, fried clams and mussels, chicken fricot, rappie pie, Brayon ploye, fried chicken sandwich, steak frites, pan-fried potato gnocchi, chicken vindaloo, herb & mushroom chicken, poached lobster, PEI mussels, seafood salad, Digby scallops, pork black ribs, grilled cheese with roasted spiced squash puree & red onion, lobster bisque, fresh lobster roll, haddock cakes, lamb shank risotto, poutine, sticky toffee pudding, lobster mac 'n cheese, chowder, Gravenstein crumpet, smoked apple old fashioned, nachos, jambon de Bourgogne, calamari fritto, penne con capesante, carni pizza, tiramisu, seafood chowder, curry, fried olives, mussels escabeche, beef tostada, whiskey sour, Peking duck poutine, Million Dollar Breakfast Sandwich, Nutella Creme Brulee, oysters, whole lobster |
| Local delicacies | Lobster, fiddlehead ferns, dulse, blueberries, maple syrup, potatoes |
| Cuisines | Seafood, Italian, French, Indian, Greek, Mexican, Afghan, British, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Spanish, Cuban, American |
What You'll Learn
Local lobster
One of the best places to get your fill of lobster is Whitetail Fisheries (also known as the Lorneville Lobster Shop or the Lorneville Lobster Ladies), just outside of Saint John. They offer both live and cooked lobsters, as well as delicious lobster rolls. If you're looking for a fine dining experience, try the Saint John Ale House, which was featured on Food Network's "You Gotta Eat Here". Their menu includes a variety of lobster dishes, including a lobster roll.
For a more casual meal, try La Terrasse Steve on Miscou Island. This unpretentious, shack-like restaurant serves up a delicious lobster casserole, made with a secret sauce and lots of lobster chunks, topped with melted cheese. If you're in the mood for something different, Tony's Bistro & Patisserie in Moncton offers a unique twist on the traditional lobster roll by serving it on a buttery croissant.
No matter how you choose to enjoy it, the local lobster in New Brunswick is sure to be a highlight of your trip.
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Fiddlehead ferns
When purchasing fiddleheads, look for bright green, tightly wound coils, which may still be covered in a brown, papery skin. This skin should come off easily when rubbed. Only ostrich fern fiddleheads are safe for consumption, so make sure to identify them correctly before foraging or eating. The ferns should be cooked before eating, as they contain a trace amount of toxin. Cooking also improves their flavour by reducing bitterness.
Fiddleheads can be prepared in a variety of ways, including blanching, grilling, steaming, braising, sautéing, roasting, or pickling. They are best when simply prepared and served as a side dish or on top of a main course. They pair well with eggs, pasta, rice, and salads.
Fiddleheads are considered a symbol of New Brunswick and can be found on seasonal restaurant menus in the spring. However, for the full experience, you may want to try foraging for them yourself (with an experienced guide) in areas near water with rich soil and adequate shade.
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Oysters
New Brunswick oysters are becoming known around the world. Oysters are comparatively new to the New Brunswick shellfish scene, but the Beausoleil oysters farmed in the sheltered waters of the Northumberland Strait since 1999 are gaining a global reputation. There are roughly 50 producers on the Acadian Coast working under the Maison BeauSoleil label, and their oysters can be found at seafood restaurants and fishmongers across the province.
Other New Brunswick oysters with excellent reputations include Laméque, Peacock Cove, La St. Simon, Village Bays, and Caraquet. The granite and sandstone coastlines of New Brunswick make for gritty beaches and well-nested bays that warm the cool St. Lawrence waters as the summer sun hits their shallow, sandy bottoms. For a brief stretch, water temperatures climb to swimmable levels, and oysters can spawn. There are only a few places in Eastern Canada where the water gets warm enough to support natural colonies of oysters. Caraquet Bay has been New Brunswick's best for centuries.
The Salt Seafood & Oyster Bar in New Brunswick is a native-owned restaurant with fresh seafood, reasonable prices, excellent quality, and a friendly and attentive staff. They offer a variety of local oysters as well as oysters from around the US.
- Oyster Shooter at Moore Street Oyster Bar
- Oysters Rockefeller at Oyster Rock
- Oyster stew at Oyster Rock
- Fried oysters at Inlet View Bar & Grill
- Steamer's Pot at Castaways Raw Bar & Grill
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Maple products
New Brunswick is known for its maple products, producing 1.8 million kilograms of maple syrup each year. While the province is famous for its syrup, it also offers a variety of other maple treats, including maple butter, maple sugar, maple candy, and even maple cotton candy. The best time to experience the full range of maple products is during the sap harvest in early spring, when several maple producers in the province open their doors to visitors, offering a 'sugar bush' experience.
One such producer is Briggs Maples, a family-owned business in Hillsborough, New Brunswick, that takes pride in producing top-quality maple products. Their website offers a range of recipes and product information, as well as tips on handling and storing their maple products.
In March, New Brunswick celebrates Maple Month, when producers invite visitors to their sugar camps for an authentic maple experience. This is the perfect time to try unique maple treats such as taffy on snow, fresh syrup on pancakes, and maple sugar in drinks.
With over 250 maple producers in the province, maple syrup is a way of life for many New Brunswickers. The industry encompasses a wide variety of businesses and products, and visitors can learn about the passion and innovation that goes into creating these sweet treats by visiting and supporting local producers.
In addition to the traditional maple syrup, New Brunswick offers a variety of maple products that showcase the versatility and deliciousness of maple. From buttery spreads to sugary treats, the province's maple industry is sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.
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Potato products
New Brunswick is internationally recognised as a leader in potato production. The province's climate and topography are ideal for growing potatoes, with the climate even enhancing the flavour of the crop. Over 250 varieties of seed, table, and processing potatoes are grown in New Brunswick, with the humble potato being the province's primary crop. The industry is worth $1.5 billion, with over 200 producers, packers, and shippers directly involved.
New Brunswick produces over 20,000 hectares of potatoes, with more than half destined for processing into a variety of potato products, from fries to chips. Florenceville, known as the 'French fry capital of the world', is home to McCain Foods, one of the world's largest frozen fry producers.
A small family-run company in Hartland, Covered Bridge, produces chips with potatoes sourced from a local farm. Their flavours include Donair, Lobster, Atlantic Canada's Choice Thick Cut, and Sweet Potato and Sea Salt.
In addition to chips and fries, other potato products consumed in New Brunswick include potato salad, as mentioned in the lobster roll dish from Whitetail Fisheries in Lorneville, and potato gnocchi, as seen in the recommended dish from Italian by Night in Saint John.
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Frequently asked questions
New Brunswick is known for its delicious seafood, including lobster rolls, scallops, clams, mussels, and oysters. The province also offers a variety of ethnic cuisines, such as Indian, Italian, and French, as well as unique local delicacies like fiddleheads and dulse (edible seaweed).
There are many fantastic restaurants in New Brunswick, including East Coast Bistro, Italian by Night, Thandi, 11th Mile, Atelier Gourmand, Les Brumes du Coude, and Port City Royal.
Recommended dishes include the ECB Poutine at East Coast Bistro, Butter Chicken at Thandi, Ocean Trout at 11th Mile, and the Lobster Mac 'N Cheese at Reversing Falls Restaurant.
