Old Town Toronto Food and History Tour with St. Lawrence Market
Description
Taste your way through Toronto’s Old Town on a food and history adventure packed with local favourites, iconic market bites, and fascinating stories. From St. Lawrence Market to a classic peameal bacon sandwich and buttery Canadian treats, discover the people, places, and flavours that helped shape the city.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet your local guide in the heart of Old Town Toronto and begin your journey through the city's historic core. Learn how Toronto evolved from a small colonial settlement into Canada's largest and most multicultural city as you uncover the stories, people, and events that shaped modern Toronto.
Walk past some of Toronto's most recognizable landmarks while discovering the city's architectural and cultural evolution. Learn how business, immigration, and urban development transformed Toronto from a frontier town into a major international city. Your guide will share stories that bring these historic sites to life and reveal details many visitors overlook.
Visit a popular local coffee roaster and enjoy a freshly brewed coffee while learning about Toronto's early working-class communities and the role coffeehouses played in the city's social and economic development. Discover how coffee culture became an important part of daily life and local identity.
Explore the historic streets surrounding Toronto's civic and cultural landmarks. Along the way, learn about public gatherings, social reform movements, immigration, and the challenges of life in early Toronto. These sites help tell the story of how the city grew and adapted through periods of rapid change.
Step inside one of Toronto's most celebrated food destinations and discover why St. Lawrence Market has been a gathering place for locals for more than two centuries. Sample Toronto's iconic peameal bacon sandwich, enjoy a classic Canadian butter tart, and learn the surprising story behind Canada Dry Ginger Ale and its connection to Prohibition. Through food and storytelling, gain a deeper understanding of Toronto's diverse communities, culinary traditions, and local history.
Finish your experience at a beloved local pub in the heart of Old Town. Enjoy a complimentary ½-pint craft beer and learn about Toronto's growing craft brewing scene while reflecting on the flavors and stories encountered throughout the tour. Your guide can also provide personalized recommendations for additional food, drink, and sightseeing experiences around the city.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Perfect for food lovers, history enthusiasts, and first-time visitors looking to experience Toronto’s iconic flavours while discovering the stories that shaped the city.
- Do you need to bring ID for this tour? Yes, you do. You’ll need to show a valid photo ID to your guide at the start of the tour. It’s a quick check to confirm that everyone meets the minimum age requirement of 19.
- Is the tour vegetarian-friendly? This tour is designed with vegetarians in mind, and you’ll enjoy a hearty veggie-friendly option so no one misses out. However, we’re not able to accommodate other dietary needs like vegan, gluten-free, or allergies at this time.
- What is the amount of walking involved? The walking distance is approximately 2 kilometers (about 1.2 mile), making it a relaxed and accessible pace suitable for most fitness levels.
- Is this tour right for guests with mobility concerns? We're sorry, but this tour is not wheelchair accessible. It includes walking and a venue that can only be reached via stairs. If you have mobility concerns, please contact us before booking and we'll be happy to help determine if this tour is right for you.
- This tour is operated by a B Corp certified company committed to using travel as a force for good.
Reviews(162)
Such a fun afternoon! Jennifer was a super knowledgeable guide and I learned a ton about the history of the area. Plus, I live for a butter tart. A great way to explore Old Town Toronto for a few hours.
Jennifer was really good, we love being with her in all the tour, i really recommend
My guide Jennifer is very active and positive, and despite of the barrier lenguaje she adapted to us and was very kind with us, i tjink the best part of the experience was interact with our guide.
Jennifer was a great guide! Enjoyed all the highlights and stories of the City
Enjoyed the walk thru Old Toronto with Jennifer. Poutine needs to be added to the itinerary.
We had a wonderful time with Jennifer as our guide. She was very knowledgeable of the area and the history of Old Town. She went above and beyond with a special stop for my love of coffee. Jennifer was very courteous, helpful, and patient with us. We would definitely do another tour with her.
It was a very good tour and a great way to see the markets and remet some goodies. Definitely skip lunch and come with an empty stomach because you get big sizes of food making it excellent value for money. Our guide Kieran was very patient and kind in spite of our group not being the easiest to deal with. I would recommend preparing for all the weather after all Canada seems to be famous for having four seasons in a day. Try food at many of the same places as Anthony Bourdain!
Great tour, guide was very knowledgeable about the city and it’s history sprinkled in with some tasty bites of unique Toronto food.
The tour was great. Joann, our tour guide, had a lot of knowledge about the history of Old Town Toronto. We had some tasty food tastings in the market. We also visited Mystic Muffin (great apple cake!) and took a tour of the old post office.
Joann was very knowledgeable on Toronto history. And recommended great dinner options at the end of the tour. Bring comfy shoes.
