By WAHEEDA HARRIS
Rossignol Estate Winery (Photo: Konstantin Ryabitsev)
Visitors to Canada’s smallest province may be fixated on seafood, redheaded Anne (of Green Gables fame) and seeing the birthplace of Confederation, but there are many more palatable lures to explore in the eastern half of Prince Edward Island. (more…)
By WAHEEDA HARRIS
Bleu Lavande (Photo: Waheeda Harris)
By SHANNON KELLY
Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia (Photo: Chris Boris)
From Atlantic to Pacific, a dozen of the best places across Canada to tuck into local lobster, oysters, mussels and fresh fish. (more…)
By WAHEEDA HARRIS
Christine's, on Blackcomb Mountain
Taking the Sea to Sky Highway, travellers are attracted to the vistas of Bowen Island, the Pacific Ocean and the Coastal Mountains, and for a food-obsessed tourist, there’s plenty of local tastes to be found along the way. (more…)
Edible Canada's Granville Island Market Tour
Foodies, unite! Edible Canada takes inquisitive—and hungry—guests on tasty and informative tours around a couple of the city’s most popular areas. Reserve a spot on the Granville Island Market Tour (pictured) or book the longer Sample and Shop Tour. Check out various landmarks and food shops on the guided Chinatown walk, and be sure to stay for the optional dim sum lunch.—Jennifer Patterson
By LIZ BRUCKNER
Mapleton's Organic Farm
Just because many large-scale manufacturers prefer to keep their doors closed to public eyes doesn’t mean every food producer follows suit. These homegrown Ontario producers welcome visitors to see their manufacturing process and—best of all—do some unofficial taste-testing. (more…)
Walking tours are a great way to see the city this spring (photo by Sanjay Parekh)
Now that the weather appears to be warming, it’s a great time to get out and explore the city on foot. Whatever your pleasure, there’s likely a gregarious Torontonian offering a walking tour to your taste. Below, we present our favourites providers of five types of tours. (more…)
Vancouverite Melody Fury is serious about food, and cocktails—though not so serious that she shies away from describing herself as a “cocktail ninja”. She started her blog, Gourmet Fury in 2009 and launched the Vancouver Food Tour in 2010. (more…)
January 20 to February 5
Seared weathervane scallops at Hawksworth Restaurant. Photo by KK Law
Foodies, this one is for you. The largest restaurant festival in Canada celebrates its 10th year with culinary tours, cooking lessons, dinner-theatre evenings, contests and—the pièce de résistance—prix fixe menus with optional wine or beer pairings at 225 eateries, from humble bistros to casual favourites to Vancouver’s most elegant dining establishments. Choose your price category ($18, $28 or $38) then make a reservation, because tables always fill up quickly. This year’s line-up of tasty choices includes Hawksworth Restaurant, The Boathouse Restaurant, Yew Restaurant + Bar, Banana Leaf Malaysian Cuisine, Diva at the Met and Market by Jean-Georges. Get ready to make your taste buds very happy.—Sheri Radford
Reservations and menus at www.tourismvancouver.com/dine/dine-out-vancouver-2012
Melody Fury with some of the tempting entrees at The Diamond. Photo by KK Law
Deciding where to dine in a strange city can be a daunting affair. Vancouver Food Tour skips the guesswork and takes you right to the restaurants—several, in fact. Small-plate tours, led by culinary maven Melody Fury and her expert guides, give guests the inside edge on the town’s best tastes. How about Modern-Chic Chinatown, Gastown Tasting, Craft Cocktail or a gourmet Paint the Town extravaganza across the city? Or go further afield: hop on a floatplane for a taste of idyllic Salt Spring Island. Groups are limited to 12 and prices include all food and taxes.—Tim Pawsey
Photo by Rick Graham
Put on your walking shoes and get your taste buds ready for A Plugged-in Tour of Granville Island Market (Apr. 8, 15, 29; $40). Enthusiastic chefs from the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts lead small groups around Granville Island on Friday mornings, stopping along the way to point out favourite vendors, explain the area’s history and share a culinary secret or two. It’s simply too delicious to pass up.—Sheri Radford
Griffins is one of 213 restaurants participating in Dine Out Vancouver. Photo by KK Law
Get ready for 14 days of marvellous meals as Dine Out Vancouver (Jan. 24 to Feb. 6) returns for its ninth year. Eagerly anticipated by foodies, this annual event features a smorgasbord of appetizing options. The star of the show? Three-course, prix fixe menus at $18, $28 or $38, at 213 of the city’s best restaurants. In supporting roles: special events such as cooking classes, tours, dinner-theatre pairings, contests and a tantalizing eight-course sensory dining experience in which all the guests are blindfolded.—Sheri Radford