Under the Surface of Montreal's Chinatown: Guided Food Walking Tour
Description
On this guided walking tour, you'll explore the evolution of of Montreal’s Chinatown, from its pre-Chinatown beginnings to the current mix of people, food and businesses. Learn about the history and impacts of the different waves of immigration and immigration policies, while discovering the food, and stories of local chefs, merchants and colorful characters.
Tour Options
Itinerary
This 4hour tour scratches the veneer and gets beyond Chinatown's facade to taste its best treasures! Visit seven food tasting stops and explore the history of Chinatown and its local characters. After meeting at Place d'armes in Old Montreal, your guide will give a brief overview of the history of Montreal. Then take a short stroll to Chinatown. If there are children in the tour group, you'll make a stop at the water garden at the Chinese Holiday Inn. Head to the largest Chinese grocery store in Chinatown, learn about its history and take time to look around and shop. Afterwards, enjoy a Bahn Mi sandwich and learn how to make this local treat. Next, enjoy a quick bite of szechuan, Dongbei and Hunan food, while tasting some crispy pork, BBQ pork and duck. Then follow your guide to a classic Hong Kong style dimsum. Eat a fortune cookie and learn about the oldest business in Chinatown that makes them! Afterwards, taste Chinese pastries at a Cantonese bakery, try some famous dragon's beard candy and finish off with high quality tea from a Montreal based company with farms in Southern China. You will be very full at the end of this tour. Step into a different world that you may have never found on your own!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- When you go to shops, any purchases you make above and beyond the tour are your responsibility.
- Your local tour operator will provide ponchos in case of rain but you need to dress appropriately for the weather otherwise.
- You'll be provided a bottle of water and a juice in the summer as well as a choice of a dessert or bubble tea at the end and tea
- There is a 30 minutes of walking
- There is also some time outside and in the winter, Montreal weather in winter can be quite cold
Reviews(23)
Great time! Fun group of people and excellent food. We experienced a lot of different types of food in Chinatown.
Yay! Thanks so much Victor. So nice to have you on the tour. You were troopers in the cold. Luckily the restaurants were cozy with delicious food! I appreciate the review! All the best!
Fun time- Great tour! Tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and kind. A good amount of food, we were definitely full :)
Thanks Lisa. :) I'm glad you enjoyed it. All the best.
Excellent tour guide, with extensive knowledge of the city's history, but also culinary details and culture. This food tour isn't just about food, it's about Chinatown's culture and history first, with food to pair with this information. It's a great mix should you like both walking tours and food tours. There is a good quantity of food, in 3 main sit-down locations + a few bites while walking, but it's mainly in the second part of the tour, the first is mainly a historical/cultural walking tour. This is different from most food tours I've been on, so to be noted if you want food, food, food and only food. For me, it was a super balance, so I'm super happy!
Thanks Jennifer! It means a lot from someone so well-travelled and who has toured so extensively!! It also means a lot on a day when all the participants were Montrealers!!! Thanks for coming and reviewing!!
Amazing tour! Food stops were phenomenal and the history added a deeper understanding of the area I had never explored even though my family is still in the area!
Thank you Marielle! I appreciate the great review!
Melissa was a fantastic guide. Her love of Montreal, it’s history and the knowledge of Chinese food and traditions was exceptional. Melissa’s enthusiasm was contagious. Lots of great food, too much by the end. The walk has lots of stops for food, and Melissa was conscious to stop and talk with benches close by, so suitable for people that are not able to walk very far. Best food tour yet.
Wow! Thank you so much for the detailed stellar review Susan. Thank you for taking the time and coming on the tour! Maybe I’ll see you on another one?
The food was so o o good lots of variety and Melissa was an excellent guide. Don't miss this fantastic tour!!!
Thanks so much Susan! I appreciate it! I feel lucky to get to be your guide on our Jewish Food Tour next, which you’ll find is totally different!
Going to a city where you don’t know anyone and not sure what to do so you don’t waste your time, it was nice to have a tour guide like Mélissa. Her smile was so inviting and the tour was amazing. Combining the history and food of Chinatown made it even more special. You got a glimpse into the past, present and future.
Thanks Rene! You and TC were fun, engaged and brought a lot of humour. It was great having you! Thanks for the envelope too. 😉
We toured China town and got a history of it and surrounding areas- we had fantastic food and tried things that I never would have known about. Our guide was charming and informative - the pace was perfect, and we had frequent breaks so it was not too taxing.
Ha! I’m glad you liked it and we’re full at the end of it. You were very pleasant to have on the tour. Glad you tried new things! Thanks for writing a review
We saw things that we never would have discovered on our own. Melissa is a great guide with insights on the history and current events.
Thanks so much! I appreciate that! I try my best!
The Chinese market...would have loved to spend more time there. I would suggest to have the visit at the market at the end of the tour, that way there would be no need to carry our produce etc. for the entire tour.
Interesting idea. I’ll think about it. Thanks for the feedback
