Original Coverage & Source Attribution: eatnorth.com
Substack has been around for a while now, so we’re not going to pretend it’s the hot new thing in town…but it is having a moment.
If you’re unfamiliar, at its simplest, Substack is a platform where writers send newsletters directly to a subscriber’s inbox. Some publish weekly, monthly, or on a more sporadic schedule, while others engage mostly on Notes—the platform’s short-form feed that functions a lot like Threads. However you slice it, the platform is becoming increasingly popular.
When it comes to Canadian food and restaurants, the Substack landscape remains surprisingly sparse — and writers who are actively, consistently publishing about Canadian food culture are rarer still.
With that in mind, here are five great Substacks by Canadian writers that celebrate different aspects of the national food scene, home cooking, Canadian destinations, recipes, and more:
Salty Snacks by Sonia Wong (Toronto, recipes)
If you aren’t already one of the 550K+ people following Sonia Wong on Instagram (@saltnpepperhere), you’re missing out on a fun feed guaranteed to make you hungry virtually any time one of her recipe Reels comes across your screen.
This Substack from Sonia is designed to share those craveworthy recipes in text form. We love her approachable style of cooking and how seamlessly she weaves her family roots and cultural heritage into the dishes she creates. It’s currently free for all subscribers.
Au Gratin by Gabby Peyton (Newfoundland food culture and dining, occasional travel)
Long-time Newfoundland-based food writer and award-winning author of Where We Ate Gabby Peyton is no stranger to Canada’s media realm. When it comes to Substack, her newsletter Au Gratin primarily focuses on East Coast dining, travel, and culture. Based in St. John’s, Gabby is the essential person to follow if you want to know where and what to eat in Newfoundland and beyond.
The Good Side by Dan Clapson (Cross-Canada food culture and dining, travel, culture, recipes)
This fun, new-ish Substack from best-selling cookbook author and food personality Dan Clapson is packed with everything from kitchen hacks and clever recipes to travel tips, pop culture shout-outs, and a little friendly Canadian culinary “gossip.”
As one of Canada’s most active traveling food writers, Dan offers reliable dining recommendations across the country alongside unique, anything-but-run-of-the-mill recipes.
His weekly newsletter is currently free for all subscribers through the end of 2026, while his biweekly weekend recipe newsletter will move to a paid tier starting Oct. 23.
Subscribe to Dan Clapson’s Substack The Good Side here.
Who’s Hungry, Calgary by Elzabeth Chorney-Booth (Calgary dining, occasional travel)
People who live in Calgary (or frequent the city for work and vacation) will deeply appreciate food columnist Elizabeth Chorney-Booth‘s Substack, which zeroes in on everything happening across the city’s booming food and drink scene.
Published regularly, her newsletter offers free restaurant news roundups alongside a paid tier featuring hyper-specific dish recommendations, hidden-gem dining spots, bar breakdowns, and local culinary insights.
Subscribe to Elizabeth Chorney-Booth’s Substack Who’s Hungry, Calgary here.
Lick My Plate by Lesley Chesterman (Montreal, fine dining, pastry, recipes)
This long-time food columnist, best-selling author, and ultimate authority on the Quebec food scene and French-leaning culinary craft needs no introduction!
Lesley Chesterman has been publishing her Substack longer than most—for over two years now—and has built a loyal following for her mix of sharp restaurant reviews, rigorous recipe testing (recently, she tested different squash varieties for pie baking, which is wonderfully timely), and occasional rankings of everyday pantry staples like bouillon.
As a trained pastry chef and seasoned recipe developer, to know a Lesley Chesterman recipe is to trust one wholeheartedly. Her Substack features both free and paid tiers and is largely tailored to serious home cooks and lovers of all the food and drink Quebec has to offer.
Subscribe to Lesley Chesterman’s Substack Lick My Plate here.
