Walking tours a tasty way to learn about food, community: Jasmine Mangalaseril

If you’re looking for a new place for dinner or drinks, or even just a fun way to explore a new neighbourhood, you may want to take a local guided walking food tour.

Some tours focus solely on foodie finds, others weave in local history, architectural highlights and tidbits about local culture.

It’s a different way of exploring a new neighbourhood or rediscovering your community. Since the itinerary is usually kept secret, it’s an opportunity to break out of a rut to try something new.

There are three local companies offering guided walking food tours. Here’s a sample of what you can expect.

Stratford Walking Tours: York Street Tour

After taking several guided walking food tours in London, U.K., Lauri Leduc returned to Stratford bringing the concept back home with her. She launched Stratford Walking Tours in May of this year and her menu currently includes two food tours: Date Night and York Street.

Lauri Leduc got the idea to start Stratford Walking Tours in 2024 after a return from London, UK where she went on several guided walking tours. (Jasmine Mangalaseril/CBC)

Lauri ‘s York Street Tour mixes specialty retail food shops with food makers. As you walk, she’ll share interesting nuggets of local and architectural history as well as insight into Stratford’s tight knit community spirit.

“Stratford is a small town in many ways. And even though there are many things to do and so many places to visit and see, we still have this sense of camaraderie that we’re in it to support each other and help each other out,” Leduc said.

Stops included:

• Corner Store Candy Co.: A treasure trove of sweets, including handmade candies, imported British candy, and retro treats.

• The Little Kitchen on York: A sandwich bar featuring Asian and European flavours, using homemade ingredients and breads by The Painted Baker.

• Olive Your Favourites: A shop specialising in small-scale, single-source olive oils and infused and aged balsamic vinegars.

• The Painted Baker: A small working bakery and shop where we can see the father-son baking team turn out breads and pastries.

• Bonus stop: Angela’s Gelato and Fine Refreshments: A gelateria with a curated, rotating flavour selection, made by Christopher’s Gelato of Waterloo.

Stroll Walking Tours: Waterloo Food Tour

Juanita Metzger started Stroll Walking Tours in 2019 and now offers half a dozen themed walking tours as well as walking food tours in Waterloo region.

Korean Fried Chicken bites from La La Social House in Uptown Waterloo were on the menu during a Stroll Walking Tour. (Jasmine Mangalaseril/CBC)

“The food tours are themed on the idea that there are food choices to be enjoyed morning, noon, or night,” Metzger said.

“We want people to have a variety and diversity of restaurants that they could choose.”

Stroll offers food tours in the university district, downtown Cambridge, downtown Kitchener and uptown Waterloo.

The Waterloo Food Tour from Sept. 14 featured 10 uptown spots, including:

• Babylon Sisters: A wine and cocktail bar offering tapas. Their wine program highlights female wine makers and features a changing wine selection.

• The Crumby Cookie Dough Company: A small-batch cookie dough maker, offering more than a dozen cookie flavours for baking and eating raw (don’t worry—the flour is cooked, and the eggs are pasteurised).

• The Duke of Wellington: An Uptown institution that’s a traditional British-style pub, with a chef-run kitchen.

• La La Social House: A former private members-only club that’s recently opened their doors to the public, as a restaurant and bar.

For food and drink history buffs: Stroll also offers Drinking in Berlin’s History, which provides an overview of Kitchener’s (formerly known as Berlin) brewing and tavern history, led by Todd Bowman.

Taste Detours: Core Food Tour

Lynn Broughton’s Taste Detours walking tour highlights Guelph and Wellington County’s culinary tourism. Launched in 2015, she leads tours with an eye toward different aspects and areas of local food, while focusing on connections.

Taste Detours’ Core Food Tour in Guelph highlights restaurants with a focus on fresh and local ingredients, like Atmosphere Café + etc. On the tour you can dine on jerk chicken tacos from the upscale café located on Carden St. (Jasmine Mangalaseril/CBC)

“We’re connecting with each other over food, which is something that we do all over the world,” Broughton said. “But also, I’m trying to make those connections between where the food comes from, the makers, and the growers.”

On Taste Detours modified Core Food Tour, Broughton deftly weaved insights into local history, architecture, and local culture.

Stops included:

• Atmosphere Cafe + etc: A casual upscale café with a kitchen that focuses on using fresh, local, and sustainable ingredients.

• Miijidaa Café + Bistro: This spot celebrates Canadian ingredients and the myriad indigenous and introduced cuisines shape Canadian food.

• Wellington Cakes: Guelph’s first storefront boutique cake shop with a display case filled with tarts, cupcakes, and macarons.

• Bonus: Eric the Baker: While it wasn’t a stop, Broughton brought the renowned bakery’s mini sausage rolls as “extra sustenance” on the tour.

What to know before you lace up your walking shoes

• Public tours are generally kept to small numbers (private tours can be arranged for large groups).

• Costs currently vary from $70 to $100 or more per person.

• Declare any dietary restrictions before the tour.

• Discuss accessibility accommodations with the owner before you book—all owners said they should be able to modify tours as necessary.

• Itineraries can vary, depending on schedules and the group.

• Bring an empty stomach