Lonely Planet Experiences Private Canadian Food Discovery Tour

Join a food-loving local guide on a private tour and head to one of the city’s most beloved food markets. Learn all about some of Canada’s best culinary creations – from poutine to the iconic peameal bacon sandwich and in between bites, your guide will share insights into everything you’re tasting, giving you an inside look at how and what Canadians love to eat!

This tour is priced for a minimum group size of two travellers. A solo traveller may still book this private experience but will be charged the base rate for two travellers. 

Experience the best travel stories for yourself. Join a local expert and uncover hidden gems on this city adventure hand-picked by the world's leading travel publisher. Lonely Planet Experiences powered by Urban Adventures bring stories to life in the best-loved cities around the globe.

After a brief introduction to Old Town Toronto (the neighbourhood where this private tour takes place), your guide will walk you past Berczy Park which features a stunning new fountain, on the way to one of their favourite coffee shops for a brew of your choice (coffee or tea), and then to a little sandwich shop nearby which is reputed to have the very best apple cake in the world. You can decide for yourself after a taste of it! It’s a truly local spot we love introducing our guests to. 

From there, you’ll make your way to St. Lawrence Market - National Geographic once declared it the “Best Food Market in the World” - where you will learn about the origin of Toronto’s official signature food: the peameal bacon sandwich, which is a must-try food in the market. Celebrity chefs from Emeril to Anthony Bourdain have bitten into one of these, and now it’s your turn. 

Time will be spent inside St. Lawrence Market visiting vendors on the two retail levels and sampling foods that have played an important role in the cultures of immigrants who settled here over the past two centuries, as well as foods which have become so common in this region it’s often a shock for locals to learn some of their favourites are virtually unknown outside of Ontario! 

Each stop is a chance for your guide to tell you a little piece of Canadian history and about how the food fits into the cultural landscape of Canada and within their own lives. Each stop also offers the opportunity to interact with vendors, ask questions, and learn even more from the experts! Foods on your private tour can include butter tarts, mustard and pretzel sticks, ginger ale, Montreal-style bagels, cheese curds, pierogis, maple candy, and more! 

The final stop on the tour will be a local pub which has been around for decades. This spot not only serves the popular French-Canadian dish known as poutine; they do a variation on it which shows the creativity that comes with being unbeholden to any specific culinary tradition! 

By the end of your private tour, you will not only have a better understanding of what Canadian food is, but also a little bit about what it means to be Canadian!