Great Canadian Food Tour- St. Lawrence Market + The Distillery
Description
One route, one builder. William designed this walk himself — the stops, the pacing, the order each story lands in. He didn't inherit a script. Nobody else could hand you this exact afternoon, except maybe his boss, Jusep, his backup. We're not new to these blocks. Jusep's been guiding Toronto since 2017. William's been building and leading routes since 2019 — this one from its first days in Kensington through to what it is now, in St. Lawrence Market and the Distillery District. Every kitchen on this route knows him by name. Storytelling, not a checklist. Over an unhurried couple of hours, we tell you how peameal bacon became a Toronto original, why a Distillery pizza claims to be Canada's own invention, and what finally settles a butter tart argument. Generous, never garnish. Small groups, capped at 14, and tastings that add up to a full meal. First on National Geographic's list of the world's top 10 food markets — you're tasting Canada where National Geographic said to start.
Tour Options
Itinerary
A national historic site and one of Toronto's proudest transformations: once the Victorian-era Gooderham & Worts distillery, today a pedestrian-only village of cobblestone lanes, galleries, and artisan kitchens — often called the largest collection of Victorian industrial architecture in North America. This is where our walk begins, at Sweetie Pie Bakery on Tank House Lane. Over our hour here, recent tastings have included two savoury bites, a signature alcohol-free cocktail, and a sweet treat worth saving room for. Between tastings, your Culinary Storyteller tells the story the buildings can't: how whisky built this corner of the city, why it fell silent, and how food brought it back to life. Cameras welcome — the lanes photograph beautifully in every season.
Two hundred years of feeding Toronto, 120+ vendors under one roof — and first on National Geographic's list of the world's top 10 food markets, ahead of London's Borough Market. St. Lawrence Market is not a tourist attraction that sells food; it is a working market that became an attraction by being excellent for two centuries. Our hour here moves stall to stall the way regulars shop: recent tastings have included a peameal bacon sandwich — the market's signature — fresh seafood, and a second sweet treat to finish. Your Culinary Storyteller knows the families behind the counters, which is the difference between eating at the market and being introduced to it. The tour ends here, in the middle of the market — on purpose. Guests regularly stay to shop, armed with our shortlist of what to carry home. One walk barely scratches the surface of how Toronto eats.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- 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.
Reviews(124)
Highly recommend this food tour. William was fantastic! He provided a great deal of history and local information in a fun and interesting way. We experienced foos we probably wouldn’t have if we were on our own. The portions were gemerous and quite tasty.
Great way to experience the foods of Toronto. William entertained us with great stories about the food and the District.
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!
Great way to spend our first day in Toronto! Learned about Canadian food and Toronto history. William is an excellent guide.
Thank you for kicking off your Toronto trip with us! Starting a first day with food and a bit of history is exactly the idea — glad it delivered on both fronts. I'll be sure to pass along your kind words to William, he'll be thrilled to hear it. Hope the rest of your Toronto visit was just as good, and thanks again for taking the time to write this up.
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.
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!
We did the Great Canadian Food Tour - Distillery + St. Lawrence Market with William on July 22, 2026 and it was wonderful. We had a small group so he really tailored the experience for us and had so much knowledge about the area, its history and, of course, the food. Speaking of, you need to arrive HUNGRY. We ate so much food and it was all very delicious but you definitely want to arrive ready to eat. I would recommend this tour (and William!!) to anyone who is interesting in getting to know the real Toronto through its food and history and also to get a better understanding for Old Toronto and getting around.
Hi there, thank you so much for this wonderful review! William puts his heart into tailoring each tour, especially for smaller groups, and we love that his knowledge of Old Toronto and the Distillery/St. Lawrence area came through so clearly. And yes — come hungry! We'll pass your kind words along to William himself. Hope to see you back for another taste of the city soon. Bienvenue. Welcome home. Jusep Chopsticks+Forks
William led us through some interesting areas of old Toronto, with fascinating historical facts and insights. The food was great, even the pineapple pizza and poutine, which I didn’t think I’d like.
Mary, converting a pineapple-pizza skeptic might be William's proudest work yet — we'll make sure he takes a bow. Old Toronto is his home turf, and he believes the history and the food are really the same story, so it means a lot that both landed for you. Thank you for keeping an open mind and an empty stomach. Next time you're in the city, Kensington Market is a whole different table waiting for you. Bienvenue, and welcome home. — Jusep & the Chopsticks+Forks team
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!!
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.
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!
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
