Kingston Food Tours: A delicious way to get a taste of Kingston

By Emily Coppella

Food Tours. Let’s Eat – Kingston Style!

Kingston’s abundance of eateries means you’ll never leave the city hungry, but if you’re looking for a fun, educational way to explore a variety of dining options, a Kingston Food Tour should be on your bucket list.

Kingston Food Tours is a locally owned and operated food tasting walking tour that operates all year long. The experience exposes you to a whirlwind of Kingston cuisine in an environment that’s fun, laidback, and incredibly delicious. Choose from two experiences: the Classic Kingston Tour or the Tapas Tour. Both options take you through historic downtown Kingston and are guided by a local host whose upbeat energy is contagious. Indulge in tastings at some of the finest local restaurants and learn about Kingston’s history and food culture – past, present, and future.

The signature Classic Kingston tour offers you exclusive food and beverage tastings at great local restaurants while learning about how the city has become an incredible dining destination by supporting local farmers and producers. The tour begins at 11 am and runs for two hours. With the Tapas Tour, you can transform an ordinary afternoon into an unforgettable experience as you enjoy four tastings, each paired with a beverage. Private tours are also available upon request.

Kingston Food Tours accommodates all food preferences, allergies, and restrictions. Whether you eat gluten-free, plant-based, or dairy-free, you’ll be served accordingly (and your guide will still give you some interesting insight into what you’re eating or drinking).

Begin your day in gorgeous Confederation Park alongside glittering Lake Ontario. You’ll meet your tour guide here at the Visitor Information Centre (209 Ontario Street). Before embarking on your adventure, you’ll receive some background on how the Kingston food scene has grown into a thriving foodie destination that attracts locals, visitors, and food tourists. Feel free to ask your guide any questions – each is a Kingston resident with a wealth of knowledge.

Dianne's Fish Shack and Smokehouse Margarita
Dianne’s Fish Shack and Smokehouse Margarita

Savour the first sip and bite at each stop while your guide provides some information on how the restaurant came to be, and how the ingredients ended up on your table. This is one of the defining features of Kingston Food Tours: you gain an appreciation of the local food movement, which emphasizes sustainable production and eating in-season.

While food is the focus of the tour, you’ll also enjoy a leisurely stroll downtown as you make your way between tastings. Kingston Food Tours incorporates educational moments about Kingston’s unique history, its gorgeous architecture, and key figures in the food industry along the way. From Lake Ontario shipwrecks to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – you’ll be surprised to learn how it all connects to the food scene. The tour also offers a great opportunity to take in Kingston’s historic limestone buildings, charming alleyways, and contemporary street art.

Throughout the tour you’ll learn a variety of foodie terms you can add to your vocabulary. You’ll also learn about the food growing processes that contribute to flavours on a plate. And although you’ll be given just the right amount of time to browse at locations that offer food to go, you’ll probably want to return later to take home some newfound favourites.

Kingston Olive Oil products

Whichever tour you choose, you’ll experience an eclectic mix of sweet and savoury items, from a variety of Kingston’s eateries, both laidback and upscale. Perhaps the greatest part about Kingston Food Tours is how well-organized it is, allowing you to truly unwind as you dine. You’ll have no regrets after a seamless flow from tasting to tasting, and a sweet treat as a final palette cleanser. There’s always room for dessert, right?

Mio Gelato sweet treat

This curated experience is full of local gems that reflect Kingston’s thriving food scene, and you can experience it all from a local’s perspective.

Visit the Kingston Food Tours website to purchase tickets.

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