Toronto, the capital of the province of Ontario, is home to some Canada’s finest eateries. The reason is obvious – it is a cosmopolitan city. And like every culturally diversified city, it offers a mouth-watering variety of cuisine for anyone with an appetite. One exciting way to spend a weekend in Toronto is by embarking on a Toronto food crawl adventure with your friends and family.
How To Do a Toronto Food Crawl
There are many advantages of going on this food adventure as a group. Not only does it save costs, it allows you to share unforgettable memories with loved ones. There are group tour bus rentals in Toronto that cater to such needs.
Group transportation allows you to split costs among your group, thereby saving costs. It helps you to avoid worrying about driving and navigation. And mostly it allows you to focus on having fun with your friends!
Before embarking on a Toronto food crawl, you need to have a plan. Here’s a little guide on food crawling to help you get the most out of your dining adventure in Toronto:
Get the Group Together and Start Early
Pick a weekend and get your Toronto food tour group together. Let them know what the plan is for the day so everyone is on the same page. It is best to keep the group small (under six) so that you may be accommodated at restaurants without any reservations. If your group size is larger than 10, then consider splitting into smaller groups as you explore different restaurants.
The whole essence of a food crawl is to taste as many foods as possible at as many locations. Keep it small and start early.
Have a Meal Plan
Having a theme will make your routing easier. Toronto has so many restaurants from different cultures, some of which are located in the same place, while others aren’t.
Kensington Market is considered to be a neighborhood of international foods. Some of the cuisines here originate from the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, North & South America, and the Middle East. A typical Kensington market food crawl takes up to three hours.
If you would like a dessert spree, then focus on the irresistible bakeries in the heart of Queen West and Kensington market. It is a paradise for those with a sweet-tooth. Your taste buds will travel the world as you try the French cookies, Greek-style ice creams, Belgian waffles, and many more.
Other places worth visiting are the West Queen West, Ossington, and Old Chinatown. The West End, as it often called, and Ossington are popular with bars, fast foods, and street arts. If you plan on drinking, then chartering a group tour bus is definitely a good idea for obvious reasons.
Start Empty, Pace Yourself
On the day of your adventure, start with an empty stomach. Visiting up to six restaurants (or more) in one day is a lot of food to take in. Pace yourself by taking small bites. One trick to help you do that is by sharing a plate with a friend and sticking to two or three bites per meal.
Bring Your Takeaway Bag
Remember to bring along your takeaway bag. It could be simply ziplock bags, some aluminum foil, or small tupperware containers tucked away in your backpack. You don’t want to waste food and you don’t want to create waste with all those single-use plastic take out containers. Chances are you might not finish up your food at every location.
Bring a Camera
Take lots of pictures during your adventure. Take pictures of the journey, your friends, the restaurants, the meals, and everything in between. You will be glad you did later. They not only serve as memory tokens, but they help tell a story that could be shared with other friends and family on social media.
Toronto is a beautiful city worth exploring. With so many cultures coming together as one, going on a group food crawl with loved ones is one the best ways to get a taste of the world.