Toronto food tours — Culinary Adventure Co tours
Toronto food tours
There’s a good reason why Culinary Adventure Co tours of St Lawrence Market is the number one choice in Toronto. Consistently present in the list of the world’s best food markets, I went along to see for myself.
On a grey, yet relatively warm Wednesday lunchtime in Toronto, I made my way to the historic St Lawrence Market.
Waiting at the meeting spot was our host Ian, along with a warm and friendly retired couple from Chicago. Originally from the UK, Ian isn’t only a long-time Toronto native, but he’s also a former restaurateur. That said, I knew we were in knowledgeable hands.
After a short exchange among the group, we all dug into some freshly baked buttery chocolate croissants. Melt in the middle, though delicate in flavor, it was just a taste of the other delights coming our way.
St Lawrence market background
Dating to the 1800s, the public market was built to serve the ever-growing population of York.
There are 3 main areas to the complex, each with a different purpose. St Lawrence Market North hosts weekly farmer and antiques markets, while St Lawrence Market South has daily food stalls and restaurants.
Plenty to see — Toronto food tours
The third area, St Lawrence Hall, is an event and office building. It was here, in 1851, that the first meeting of colored freeman took place. The meeting was important because it discussed how to integrate and educate the runaway slaves.
Walk, bike or segway, these tours around Toronto will help you work off any excess calories from your St Lawrence Market experience.
“The bun had a generous serving of the bacon along with some melted cheese in a doughy warm bun. Time to finish: 2 minutes.”
FOLLOWING THE RIVERA
A history lesson before the tour
What I liked about the tour, is that it was as much about the food as it was about the area.
Before entering the mar and doing the tasting, Ian ordered a coffee for all of us before setting off for a brief step back in history.
After telling us about the background to the St Lawrence Market building, we moved onto St James Cathedral and park.
The British connection — Toronto food tours
Here, we came across a statue of Scottish-Canadian writer and agriculturist Robert Gourlay. Unbeknownst to me, Gourlay had led the rebellion against the British to change the law for Canadians to own their own land.
St James Cathedral is a stones throw away and worth a visit. The building’s the home of the oldest congregation in the city, and is a classic example of Gothic-Revival architecture.
Every element, such as the stained-glass windows, allow as much light as possible to enter the building.
Starting the tour at St Lawrence Market
After a lesson in the history of York, it was finally time for the best part of the tour: trying everything.
Our first stop continued the historic theme with a visit to the Carousel Bakery. It’s the home of the world famous ‘peameal bacon’ on a bun, and the lines were building up fast to get one.
Peameal bacon sandwich
Peameal bacon is a boneless cut of back bacon that is wet cured and then rolled in cornmeal. The bun has a generous serving of the bacon along with some melted cheese in a doughy warm bun.
Time to finish: 2 minutes.
Pastel de natas — Toronto food tours
The next stop on the Culinary Adventure Co food tour was something sweet. Feeling like a child at Christmas, I opened the container Ian gave us to find some Pastel de natas inside.
If you’ve never tried these Portuguese tarts before, you don’t know what you’re missing. Freshly baked pastries filled with custard and a little burnt sugar on top, I wolfed mine down fast.
Time to finish: 30 seconds.
Mustard tasting at St Lawrence Market
Admittedly, I’m not one for spicy food or condiments, so I tried this next tasting with caution.
If you do love your food with a bit of a kick, you’ll love thi mustard from Canadian brand Kozlik’s. The maple mustard was my favorite, simply because of the sweetness from the syrup.
Time to finish: 2 seconds.
Mini aperitivo, without the wine
Back to the savory tasting, this time with delectable combination of local cheese, prosciutto and sweet teardrop red peppers.
Ian advised us to try all 3 together — and yes, they complemented each other perfectly.
Time to finish: 5 minutes.
Toronto food tours — time for a perogie
On the ground floor of St Lawrence Market are a range of food stalls, one of which sells all different varieties of perogies.
Perogies, or pierogis, are flour dumplings that originate from Eastern European countries like Poland. We sampled some scrummy potato and cheese dumplings, served with sour cream.
Time to finish: 8 minutes.
“If you do find yourself in a small group, don’t worry, because the amount of food is more than enough.”
FOLLOWING THE RIVERA
The sweet finale
Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly fit anymore in, Ian delivered the last course: dessert.
Four large naturally sweet strawberries dipped in dark Belgian chocolate. It was a tough job, but I managed to eat 2 because it was a waste to leave.
Time to finish: 3 minutes.
Toronto food tours — the verdict
If you’re thinking about booking a St Lawrence Market food tour, consider booking with Culinary Adventure Co.
Ian’s historical and culinary knowledge made the tour that bit special, plus he gave us extra Toronto attractions to see.
I must mention that the amount of food you try on the tour depends on the size of the group.
If you do find yourself in a small group, fear not, because the amount of food is more than enough.
To see the latest tours and the most up-to-date ticket information, head to the Culinary Adventure Co website.
Looking for somewhere to stay in the city? The 5-star Windsor Arms Hotel isn’t too far from St Lawrence Market and is a luxury stay in Toronto.
Disclaimer: Even though I was invited by Culinary Adventure Co., all views are my own and based on my own experience. This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that I’ve recommended. Thank you for your support.
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Lisa Rivera
Founder
Welcome to my site! I'm Lisa, founder of Following the Rivera. I write primarily for a ‘flashpacker’ audience, a demographic (late 20s onward) that enjoys glamping over camping and staying at boutique/luxury boutique hotels. Flashpackers also like to indulge in the local food and wine, cultural activities, as well as a spot of wellness on their travels. Want to know more? Read on....
I am not a foddie but I must admit that if I read about food when I am hungry, I might become one. Toronto is a beautiful city with so many place to choose for a good meal and your recommendations are very welcome. St Lawrence Market food tour seems a great idea to experience the local food. I think that a Peameal bacon sandwich is a great chose for a snack at any time of the day.
It was so delicious! I wouldn’t mind one right now 😀
Carousel bakery is somewhere that has been on my Toronto list for awhile. I’m only about a 5.5 hour drive from Toronto and so it’s not too difficult for my family to make a trip up that way once a year or so. Thanks for sharing!
That’s a doable drive, and well work the trip too! I hope you do make the journey 🙂