Halifax Donair

Peter Gamoulakos, a Greek immigrant, tried selling gyros in Halifax in the early 1970s and found the lamb and tzatziki did not sell; he switched to spiced beef on a vertical spit and replaced the yoghurt sauce with one made from evaporated or condensed milk, sugar, vinegar and garlic, which is sweet, thick and unlike anything in the Greek original. It caught on and became the city's characteristic late-night food, served on a pita with onion and tomato. Halifax council declared it the official food of the city in 2015. Regional variants across the Maritimes exist and the sauce is sold in bottles in supermarkets.

What you actually see

• The sweet sauce - condensed milk, sugar, vinegar and garlic instead of tzatziki.
• The spiced beef spit - a vertical rotisserie of seasoned ground beef.
• The late-night trade - the food's natural setting after closing time.
• The official status - declared Halifax's official food in 2015.

When to go

Year-round; it is a late-night food and most shops are busiest after eleven. Some places serve it all day. Bottled sauce is sold in local supermarkets to take home.

Honest expectations

The sweet sauce divides people sharply and bears no resemblance to a Greek gyro. Quality varies widely between shops. It is heavy food, which is rather the point at that hour.

Nearby

The Halifax waterfront museums are central; Peggys Cove lies southwest.