No Ontario road trip is complete without the mandatory, yes – mandatory – chip truck visit. If you’re day dreaming of road tripping this summer, add one of these nine carts/stands/wagons to your list.
Before we dig in though, we need to ask: what makes a great – nay, perfect! – chip truck fry? Well, it’s important to note that these should not be fancy. They should be cut fat and double fried so every portion is guaranteed that smattering of extra crispy bits at the bottom of the box. The only point to argue (and trust me, it’s argued a lot!) is whether these spuds should be skin-on or off before hitting the fryer. Great chip trucks don’t need curds or gravy to shine – but benefit from both.
Have a favorite chip truck not on this list? We want to know!
The Riv Chip Stand
235 Main Street, Sturgeon Falls, ON
Family owned and operated since 1973, Riv Chip Stand serves some of the province’s best fries. They’re skinless, perfectly crispy and just salty enough to keep you coming back for more. They’re also made with 100% Ontario potatoes – one of many reasons they’ve been Feast On Certified since 2018.
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Claude Chip Wagon
1060 Ogilvie Rd, Ottawa, ON
This Ontario chip truck got Justin Trudeau’s seal of approval a few years back, but that’s not the only reason we like it! Their fries are skinless, fat and crispy with a pillow-y, perfect interior begging to be dowsed in gravy. Who are we to deny them?
Side note: want to know more about the Prime Minister’s love of spuds? Check out the @transcanadafryway. 5 years ago, for Canada’s 150th birthday, four friends went across the country looking for the perfect fries.
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Tater’s
660 Eagleson Road, Ottawa, ON
Tater’s is an Ottawa tradition. Their huge portions keep people coming back, again and again and again. Their fries are skin-on and fried until dark. Most opt for their poutine, loaded with local curds.
Shelby’s Chip Wagon
191 Sharpe St E, Gravenhurst, ON P1P 1J2
Shelby’s has been serving up fresh-cut fries in the Muskoka region for more than 15 years. There’s always a line-up of hungry customers waiting to dig into their fully loaded poutine-esque boxes of crispy spuds. You can find Shelby’s on Sharpe Street, near the bike shop.
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Wes’s Chips
198 Madawaska Blvd., Arnprior, ON
Wes’ Chips has been a tradition in the Ottawa Valley since 1960, when Wes and Monique Dodds bought an old Ford truck and began selling fries out of it on old Highway 17. It’s come under new ownership now, but the fries are still deadly (in a good way!). They make fries and more fries but when they’re this good, there’s no reason to diversify!
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Ye Olde Chip Truck
306 2nd St S, Kenora, ON
Ye Olde Chip Truck cuts their fries short and leaves the skin, for maximum crispy edges. Two tactics we can get behind any day of the week. We like their olde timey truck vibes almost as much as their spuds.
The Chip Ship
39 Rogers Ave, Long Point, Port Rowan, ON
We’ve heard from good things from some very good people about how amazing this lakeside Chip Truck is – including the existence of dill pickle fries, a concept we can definitely get behind. Their fresh cut, extra crispy skin-on fries are tossed, dressed and topped with ‘secret ingredients’ including, but not limited to, a mountain of shredded dill pickles!
George’s Fish & Chips
4 Old Portage Rd, Carrying Place, ON
While the tchotchkes, flags and general weird vibes of this place may deter some, those in the know aren’t bothered. The super crispy, fried to order fries and worth pulling over for from this Fish and Chips slash Greek slash burger shack. The fries are skin-on, super crispy and travel well.
Have a favorite chip truck not on this list? We want to know.
Tag us @OntarioCulinary on Instagram with your picks!
