Field Trip: Tony’s Donair (Halifax)

Sometimes, dear reader, the winds of fate blow you in a strange direction. Sometimes you find yourself in a city not well known for their shawarma, but rather their own unique kebab tradition. Today that city is Halifax, and we’re getting donair.

Tony’s World Famous Pizza and Donair has been around almost as long as the donair itself has, locked in an eternal battle against King of Donair for the title of best in town. While with shawarma in Hamilton, I would generally avoid shawarma places that sell pizza, in Halifax the two are almost inseparable. Tony’s has a shawarma on the menu (4/10 in my books), but we’ve come all this way, we’re getting donair.

Tony’s is clean, classic, and well decorated. You’re quickly greeted by both the gentleman behind the counter, and the donair meat, spinning on its spits (more on that later). The menu is nice and big, and they seem to do a lot with their signature meat and sauce. The gentleman behind the counter was quick to take my order and happily got to work. He wasn’t Tony, but says Tony still works there after 46 years. The gentleman hummed along working on all his orders, all the while taking time to shave off strips of meat when they were sufficiently brown. It wasn’t long before my donair was ready.

Would you look at all that meat? Wow. Donair meat is closely related to gyro, but with all beef. Shaved off the spit when it’s nice and brown, it’s full of flavour. Donair comes with diced tomato and onion, and the star of the show: donair sauce. Donair sauce is a mix of condensed milk, vinegar, sugar, and garlic. It’s sweet, sticky, and delicious. The parts all come together into something even more delicious and tasty.

Donair is an Atlantic Canada specialty, especially in Halifax. If you find yourself in town definitely try it, and consider Tony’s. Or King of Donair, or something from Pizza Corners (google it). But try it! Thank you for joining me on my trip out east. Next week we’re back to Upper James. 9/10.