Great Canadian Food Tour- St. Lawrence Market + The Distillery
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Toronto, Canada
- 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Taste your way through one of Toronto’s most popular neighborhoods on a Canadian food tour of St. Lawrence Market and the Distillery District. Gain insight into the eclectic area, see a Banksy, and try a variety of dishes that were born and made in Canada. Bring an appetite: food tastings on the itinerary equate to a hearty meal.
- Explore a trendy neighborhood loved by foodies and locals
- Let a guide choose for you: Taste the best on every menu
- Canadian food tasting tour: All tastings are included
- A small group means more attention form your guide
Sample Menu
Starter
Poutine
A Quebec born dish that has taken Canada by storm and the unofficial National Dish of the country.
Starter
Peameal Bacon Sandwich
Born in Toronto and our tasting is from the birthplace of this iconic sandwich.
Starter
Montreal-Style Bagels
Born in Montreal and a National treasure - Honey water boiled bagels!
Starter
Newfoundland Oysters
A must try - and from our most distant Eastern province of Canada, harvested in cold Atlantic waters. Delicious!
Dessert
Butter Tarts
To have raisins or not, that is the question??? Ours will be without raisins, so let the debates begin!
Dessert
Nanaimo Bar
Born in British Columbia, this non-baked 3 layer chocolate square will delight any sweet tooth.
What's Included
- LunchUp to 13 tastings across six stops, more than enough for a generous meal
- Poutine crowned with Montreal smoked meat, plus a classic Canadian drink (Sweetie Pie)
- Wood-oven Hawaiian pizza — the Canadian original, Ontario 1962 (Old Flame Brewery)
- Scotch butter tart, the Canadian dessert debate settled by hand (Tartistry)
- A sea-to-sea seafood tasting — smoked salmon, gravlax, lumpfish caviar, and oyster (Mike's Seafood)
- Nanaimo bar finale, B.C.'s no-bake legend (Eve's Temptations)
- Gratuities
- Alcoholic Beverages
- Bottled water
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 11 Tank House Lane, Toronto, ON M5A 3C4, Canada
Meeting Spot: Distillery District Sweetie Pie Bakery 11 Tankhouse Lane
End point
- St. Lawrence MarketToronto, ON M5E 1C3, Canada
The tour ends at the St. Lawrence Market.
Itinerary
1
Distillery District
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
2
St. Lawrence Market
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Our friends cook their family recipes as they always have, so we can't accommodate gluten, dairy, or nut allergies, and we don't offer a vegan option. Vegetarian and pescatarian versions are available — just tell us when you book.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
My family of three, including my 12-year-old had so much fun and really loved all of the food throughout the tour. William was an engaging and thoughtful tour guide, who gave a heartfelt overview and cultural context throughout the Kensington Market. Particularly noteworthy is that the vendors were aware that the tour group was coming through and had items ready when we arrived. William’s advance communication with them set up really streamlined and efficient tour flow. The portions from all of the vendors on the tour were also very, very generous and everything was delicious. This definitely enhanced my appreciation for the cultural mix of Toronto and will be a highlight of our trip. Highly recommend!
Reviews
4,9
based on 151 reviews
Sort by: Most recent
William was an excellent guide! We had so much fun learning about the area, the food, the art, and the history. All the food was perfect. It was just the right amount of breaks while walking between tastings. We were left full and excited for all the new things we had learned about Canada and it's contributions to the food world.
Excellent tour and fantastic tour guide - very knowledgable and personable! Tour was a good length and the food was lovely, a lot of it as well! Highly recommend
Fantastic experience and time well spent. Guide, William, excellent! He is very knowledgeable, well organized, friendly and professional. Loved hearing the history to area and foods. Obviously has good working relationship with the vendors, who were ready for us when we arrived at each stop. Great locations, great food, large portions, go hungry! Highly recommend and would definitely do again. Terrific way to see/learn the distillery district and St. Lawrence market areas vs fumbling through on our own.
Response from Host, Sept 2026
Thank you, Karen! Those relationships with the vendors take years to build, and it's great to hear they showed — that's what lets William get you straight to the good stuff at each stop instead of waiting around. Really glad the tour gave you a real way into those neighbourhoods instead of guessing your way through. Would love to have you back. Bienvenue. Welcome home.
William our guide was such a good storyteller & full of so many interesting facts about Toronto history and the local food we were tasting. It was just me & 1 other person on this tour & I was honestly surprised & grateful that it wasn't cancelled! I loved the Distillery district neighborhood, such a cool vibe there with all the shops, restaurants, vendors and events taking place. The poutine we tasted there was great & so was the pineapple pizza (wasn't expecting to like it) but the quality of the ingredients was really good. I really enjoyed the drink that was paired with the poutine. Oh and the butter tart is delicious, I wish I had bought some to take home with me! We walked from there to St Lawrence Market & William pointed out cool art during the walk so that we could take photos. The market was pretty impressive with so many options to try & we had the infamous peameal sandwich which I took back to the hotel with me & I enjoyed it later. The salmon & caviar were a surprise! Definitely come hungry as there were a lot of samples. I definitely recommend this tour, especially if it's your first time in Toronto as it's a great way to see some cool parts of the city & learn about local Toronto cuisine. Thanks for a fun experience William!
Response from Host, Sept 2026
Thank you, Jennifer! William co-created this route specifically to weave the Distillery's history into the walk itself — the art stops along the way are one of his touches. So glad the small group still got the full experience, and that the peameal sandwich made it back to your hotel with you (a very correct choice). Thank you for such a generous, detailed review — this is exactly what we hope first-time visitors take away from Toronto. Bienvenue. Welcome home.
The food tour was amazing! Our guide William was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about the local food and culture. Every stop was delicious! I highly recommend this tour and that you come hungry.
Response from Host, Sept 2026
Thank you, Tamika — "come hungry" seems to be the running theme this week, and William makes sure people take that advice seriously. Really glad the food and the culture behind it both landed for you. Recommendations like this are how most new guests find us, so thank you for that too.
— Jusep, Founder, Chopsticks+Forks
This was an awesome experience! William is an incredible tour guide and food guide, with a warm personality and a wealth of knowledge. The food choices were delicious and the stories behind them were so interesting. Also, the portions are HUGE! Def come hungry.
Response from Host, Sept 2026
Thank you, Robyn — "come hungry" is exactly the right advice, glad the portions lived up to it. William puts as much care into the stories behind the food as the food itself, good to hear that came through. Appreciate you taking the time to write this. Hope to see you again.
— Jusep, Founder, Chopsticks+Forks
William was great - fun and informative! Kept us moving (you’ll be thankful to be burning some calories and you eat your way through!). Thanks for a great experience for my first visit to Canada!
Response from Host, Sept 2026
Thank you, jewelsmith — and for choosing us for part of your first visit to Canada. William works hard to keep the group moving without losing the story along the way, glad that came through. Honoured to have been part of your welcome. Hope you're back soon.
— Jusep, Founder, Chopsticks+Forks
This was such an amazing insightful tour. Loved every bite of it! Our tour guide was great and shared such interesting information.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you, Bailey — glad every bite landed. St. Lawrence Market and the Distillery have so many stories packed into a few blocks, happy you got to taste them. We'll pass the kind words along to your guide. Hope to host you again soon.
— Jusep, Founder, Chopsticks+Forks
So much good food! My boys 12 and 9 had a great time. Great way to explore the area. Our guide William was fantastic!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you, Lacy! Nothing makes us happier than hearing the boys had a great time too — William has a real gift for keeping tours fun for all ages while still packing in the good stuff. So glad you all enjoyed exploring St. Lawrence Market and the Distillery with us.
Bienvenue. Welcome home.
This was truly a fun day. Living just outside the city, it was fun getting to be a tourist and eat yummy food. The history lessons paired with the food was great. Learning which food were invented in canada (London Fog, Butter Tart, Canada Dry Ginger Ale, Pinapple on Pizza, and Nanimo bars) and tasting some of the locations that excel at making it. Truly a wonderful day with delicious food.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Here's a reply for Nancy_C's review (Great Canadian Food Tour — William's tour, not the Express):
Thank you, Nancy! Locals discovering their own city is exactly the reaction we hope for. So glad William's history lessons — Canada Dry, the Nanaimo bar, the butter tart, and yes, pineapple on pizza — landed as well as the food did.
Bienvenue. Welcome home.
My sister and booked this activity as first time visitors to Toronto and this was an excellent way to learn about the various neighborhoods and the history of the city while sampling great food options. Michael was our host - he was very knowledgable but best of all he had a great sense of humor and was entertaining. He allowed us enough time at the food stops which included sampling - poutine, a London fog, Hawaiian Pizza, Canada Dry, a Butter tart - as well as several other s- but did not dawdle so you were were able to stay totally engages the entire time. I have been on many food tours and this one one of the best.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Candace, so glad "William" brought that mix of humor and history to your first visit to Toronto — that balance is exactly what we look for in a guide. Thank you for such a generous review. Bienvenue. Welcome home.
Great way to experience the foods of Toronto.
William entertained us with great stories about the food and the District.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Susan, thank you — William's been part of our story for years, and watching him bring St. Lawrence Market and the Distillery alive for guests never gets old for me. Bienvenue. Welcome home.
The best way to learn about history of a place is to learn about its food. Having never been to Toronto before, I was charmed by the history and beautiful neighborhoods. William was a fantastic guide who kept us engaged and well fed!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Sandra, thank you — you said it better than I could, food really is the fastest way into a city's history. So glad William got to be your first introduction to Toronto. Bienvenue. Welcome home.
This is a great food tasting adventure. We had 3 food and 2 beverage tastings at The Distillery District. Then walked to St. Lawerence market where we had 3 more food tastings. They were good sizes on the samples. We were not hungry until dinner. Our guide William, was very knowledgeable of the foods and very accommodating to questions and history of the area. Highly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you, Renee! So glad the mix of tastings across the Distillery District and St. Lawrence Market left you full and happy — and that William's knowledge of the food and history came through. We'll pass along your kind words to him. Thanks for the recommendation!
Don’t eat breakfast before you go on this tour!! So much information, so much food, so much fun!! You won’t regret this one!!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Tom, message received — come hungry, leave happy! "So much information, so much food, so much fun" is exactly the balance we're chasing: history you'll remember and tastings you'll want to repeat. Thank you for the enthusiasm; it's contagious. William will be thrilled to read your kind words. If you're ever back in Toronto, Kensington Market is a whole different feast waiting for you. Bienvenue, and welcome home!
— Jusep & the Chopsticks+Forks team
William was an awesome tour guide and was very informative about the Canadian history and various foods. The food was excellent and very good portions. Definitely recommend this tour, time and money well spent.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Anthony, thank you — "time and money well spent" is the exact bar we set, so hearing it back in your words means a lot. Leaving guests full is a point of pride around here: proper portions, no polite little samples. And yes, William can trace a plate back a hundred years without breaking stride — Canadian history goes down easier with peameal in hand. Your recommendation is the best thanks there is. Send your friends; we'll feed them properly.
— Jusep, Founder, Chopsticks+Forks
There is so much good food! And we enjoyed learning about the history of the city from our guide, William! Both areas visited were very interesting. We’ll definitely visit them again!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Amy, this is our favourite kind of ending — guests going back on their own. That's the whole idea: once William hands you the stories, St. Lawrence Market and the Distillery District stop being attractions and start being your neighbourhoods. Say hi to the vendors when you return — and when you've eaten your way through those two, Kensington Market is waiting with five continents more.
— Jusep, Founder, Chopsticks+Forks
We had so much delicious new foods on this tour we skipped dinner. Our guide William was a delightful guide and storyteller and very attentive to our dietary needs. Travelers should know there is a 20 minute walk between the Distillery District and the St. Lawrence Market.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Joseph, skipping dinner is the highest star rating we know — thank you! William will be pleased his stories landed and that your dietary needs were handled with care; that attentiveness is a point of pride with him. And thanks for the practical note on the walk between the Distillery and St. Lawrence: we like to think of it as the appetite reset between courses, but it's a fair heads-up for fellow travellers. Come hungry again soon!
I had a wonderful experience on the food tour of St. Lawrence Market and the Distillery Historic District. It was a fantastic way to discover Toronto’s history, culture, and amazing food.
A special thank you to our tour guide, William, who made the experience truly memorable. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about sharing the stories behind the places we visited and the foods we tasted. His enthusiasm and attention to detail made the tour enjoyable from start to finish.
The food selections were delicious, and I appreciated learning about the history and traditions connected to each stop. William created a warm and welcoming atmosphere, making everyone feel engaged and comfortable.
I highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to explore Toronto through its food, history, and hidden gems. Thank you, William, for such a wonderful experience!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for the glowing review! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the Distillery + St. Lawrence Market tour and that William made your experience so memorable — we’ll be sure to pass along your kind words. It’s wonderful to hear the food, stories, and atmosphere hit the mark. We’d love to welcome you back anytime to explore more of Toronto’s culinary and cultural gems. Safe travels and thanks again for recommending us!
It was a great tour! I wasn’t expecting anything this nice.
Willian was an excellent guide and his acting career made his delivery of information very entertaining!
The food was plentiful and was more than enough for a heavy lunch
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review!
We're so happy to hear that the tour exceeded your expectations. The Distillery District and St. Lawrence Market are two of Toronto's most iconic neighborhoods, and we're glad you enjoyed exploring them with William.
William has a unique talent for bringing the stories, history, and culture of the city to life, and his background in acting certainly adds an entertaining dimension to the experience. We're delighted that his enthusiasm helped make the tour both informative and enjoyable.
It's also great to hear that you found the food plentiful and satisfying—we always aim to provide a generous tasting experience that feels like a true culinary journey.
Thank you for joining us, and we hope to welcome you back for another Toronto food adventure in the future!
Great way to see old Toronto. Interesting Distillery district and St Lawrence Market tour. William was a great guide, a lot of walking but totally worth it.
Response from Host, May 2026
So glad to hear you enjoyed your taste of Canada and and glad William led you well for all the sights and eats. Till next time... stay hungry. Till next time... stay hungry.
Great experience! Jusep was a great host and he informed me about all the origins of each food fusion we had. The walk was fairly easily too, about 2-3 mins from each stop. Thanks again!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Shaun_R, Thank you so much for your review! We’re delighted to hear you had a great experience with Jusep and enjoyed learning the stories behind each food stop. Glad the walk and pace were just right too — hope to welcome you back for another tasty tour soon! 🍴✨
Well worth it, nice food portions, excellent presentation on the history of the neighborhood and the food.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much Sherrita, for sharing your experience! We’re glad you enjoyed the food and learning about the history of the neighbourhood. It’s wonderful to hear the portions and presentation hit the mark — hope to see you again for another tasty tour!
So delicious, electic, fun, and informative .
Jusep is so friendly and knowledgeable. All the food is amazing and mind blowing as they develop the fusion energy!!
Loved it
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much Stepha for your fantastic ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the delicious and eclectic foods, and that Josep made the experience so fun and informative. Your excitement about the fusion flavors and energy means a lot to us!
We hope to welcome you back soon for another amazing foodie adventure.
This was an excellent tour of the Kensington Market neighborhood. William was a fantastic guide and taught us so much beyond the delicious foods we tasted. He even turned us on to a new (very old show) about the area called “King of Kensington”. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much Erik_E for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed exploring Kensington Market with William — he really does have a gift for sharing both the flavours and the stories that make the neighborhood so special. We’re glad you discovered King of Kensington too — such a fun piece of local history!
We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another delicious adventure soon.
Fusion food with different countries. The owner was such an amazing tour guide! Really personal and knowledgeable. I would recommend for sure! Hope to be able to have the food passport soon ;)
Response from Host, Sept 2025
Thank you Michael for your ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review. We are so glad you enjoyed our Fusion Food Tour. Jusep is our founder and had taken a lot of pride in selecting each and every family owned restaurant. We hope that will join us on our International Food Tour the next time around.
My family of three, including my 12-year-old had so much fun and really loved all of the food throughout the tour. William was an engaging and thoughtful tour guide, who gave a heartfelt overview and cultural context throughout the Kensington Market. Particularly noteworthy is that the vendors were aware that the tour group was coming through and had items ready when we arrived. William’s advance communication with them set up really streamlined and efficient tour flow. The portions from all of the vendors on the tour were also very, very generous and everything was delicious. This definitely enhanced my appreciation for the cultural mix of Toronto and will be a highlight of our trip. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Wow, thank you Julie_T for the ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review! We’re so glad your family had such a fun and delicious time with William. He truly cares about creating a smooth, engaging experience, and we’ll be sure to share your kind words with him. Delighted to hear this was a highlight of your trip — we’d love to welcome you back next time you’re in Toronto!
The tour guide was passionate and knowledgeable about the Fusion experience. He answered ALL of the group questions and introduced us to each establishment assigned waiter to us. The food portions were more than enough and we received the history of the area.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you so much Mary_W for the ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the tour and truly appreciate your support. Hope to see you again for another delicious adventure!
Jessica was an excellent, helpful, charismatic guide! She was very friendly, perky, fun and shared some interesting facts about Toronto's Kensington Market area! Jessica started the tour with an icebreaker so we could get to know the other family before the tour began, which was fun! :D She allowed me to pop into a store to purchase a tote bag, so she was flexible. The food choices were mostly good, only one of the items wasn't to our liking. I especially enjoyed the Bao sandwich, the fusion taco, the mochi donuts and the gelato! All in all, I would highly recommend the tour! As it was such a hot day, I would have preferred iced coffee, but I'm sure the butter coffee was good.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you so much for your detailed and thoughtful review! We're so glad to hear you had a fun and engaging experience with Jessica—she really loves making each tour memorable, and your kind words mean a lot. It’s great to know you enjoyed the icebreaker, the flexibility during the tour, We appreciate your feedback about the coffee on a hot day—that’s definitely something we’ll keep in mind for future tours. Thanks again for joining us and for the recommendation. We hope to see you again in cooler weather (or with an iced coffee in hand)!
William our tour guide was so enthusiastic! Each food portions were actually more than a tasting. Somehow having 11 people in our group he was able to chat with each group and connect. He wanted to help us make our experience in the tour as well as throughout the city the best it could be. I was beyond impressed with his knowledge of the city and better to use his experience vs google. Definitely worth every dollar!
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you Christin for your ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review. Love to hear that you enjoyed your International Food Tour with William. He is an amazing tour guide who loves to share his passion for the food and cultures represented in Kensington Market. Each menu item and restaurant was hand selected by our founder to represent the diverse culture we enjoy in Toronto and in Kensington Market. We hope we can host you again soon.
Member Pricing
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US$79,01
per personWas US$83,17(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Great Canadian Food Tour- St. Lawrence Market + The Distillery
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