Canada's East Coast and its love for donair sauce

Burgers, fries and garlic breadsticks—we put donair sauce on everything!

Eat North Donair Sauce

So, what is the deal with donair sauce? I can’t help but hear Seinfeld’s voice. He would most likely go on to joke about its viscosity. Well, perhaps we won’t go there. 

Here on the East Coast, the donair is an institution. You can’t really call yourself a Bluenoser until you’ve stuffed your face with the sweet and savoury pita, most likely at 3 a.m. — exactly when you don’t give a crap about dripping sauce down your chin or all over that hair you spent an hour curling.

While variations of the wrap exist, out here, it is straight up donair: seasoned meat shaved off a spit, diced tomatoes, onions, and the sweetest of sauces, all wrapped in warm pita. I can’t honestly recall the last time I ate a donair, but there was a time when donair sauce and I were BFFs. Back in high school, lunch was spent at a local pizza joint where two-dollar slices were smothered in donair sauce. Now, donair sauce is but a faint memory. Sure, if I happen to indulge in some greasy garlic fingers, there’s always the non-negotiable donair dipping sauce. Garlic fingers without donair sauce is a crime against humanity. Am I right?!

When I took to Facebook to ask folks about their love for donair sauce, they were pretty much staunch supporters. They’d never eat a donair without it and would most certainly turn their noses up at any tzatziki imposter. Donair lovers, this one’s for you.

Garlic Fingers

Again, the obvious answer: eating garlic fingers out east with anything but is pretty much blasphemy. Trust me, you’ll never dip in marinara again.

Falafel

Ditch that tzatiki or dragon-breath inducing garlic sauce and hit your savoury falafels with some sweet. Like the donair, any pita loaded with falafel, shawarma or souvlaki is just asking for a good dose of donair sauce, especially if you've doubled up on the pickled turnips.

Deep-fried Pepperoni

Though it may be another East Coast fave, salty deep-fried pepperoni is perfect with donair sauce instead of honey mustard.

Burgers

Amp up the usual ketchup-mustard-relish routine and take that burger to a whole new level with donair sauce. Better yet, pair that with bacon, garlic pickles, and aged gouda. Best burger, ever.

French Fries

Whether it's the crispy-golden standard or the sweet potato variety, the combination of sriracha and donair sauce creates spicy and sweet synergy like no other.