Kingston By Fork Food Tours

In the past, we’ve talked at length about the joys of being a starry-eyed tourist in your own backyard.  There’s something truly magical about re-discovering one’s surroundings, and breathing new life into our enjoyment and understanding of what the Limestone City has to offer.  Since founding Kingstonist, I’ve put forth greater effort to soak up more of our city’s tourist attractions by exploring Fort Henry, taking a Haunted Walk, checking out local museums and the list goes on.  Through writing about my mini-staycations, the feedback from readers who are doing the same has been outstanding!

I’m always on the lookout for new and exciting adventures, and sometimes I look to other cities to see what they’ve added to keep things interesting.  Last year, I was envious when I learned that Ottawa had started food tours in and around the Byward Market.  I think the record shows that that I am quite fond of the local food scene, and quick to shine the spotlight on deserving and delicious treats such as my two-part review of last year’s Fare on the Square.  Well, it turns out Kingston now has a foodie tour of our very own, as Kingston By Fork takes peckish people on a journey that explores select restaurants, stores and the public market, with an eye towards local menus and seasonal produce.

Established via the Entrepreneurship Centre’s Summer Company program by recent Queen’s grad, Julia Segal, Kingston By Fork is an affordable way to expand your gastronomic horizons, and appreciation for Kingston’s diverse food scene.  Presently Kingston By Fork offers the following tours:

• Homegrown Eats (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, start time: noon, from: Market Square just across from the Tir Nan, cost is $35 for adults, and $30 for students/seniors): this walking lunch tour begins at the historic Public Market, highlighting the vibrant local food community in the downtown area, while it concludes with a 3-course lunch at AquaTerra.
• Taste of the World (Wednesdays and Fridays, start time: 1pm, from: Market Square just across from the Tir Nancost is $20 for adults, and $15 for students/seniors): a walking tour with stops at eight local restaurants and stores (Pasta Genova, Curry Original, Tara Natural Foods etc…), which offer various samples.  Although a full meal is not provided, you might be feeling quite full by the end of it.

While advance reservations are encouraged, they are not required.  To make things easier, Kingston By Fork tour tickets can be purchased online (via their site).  What are your thoughts on this latest venture that seeks to highlight the local food scene.  Did you know that Kingston has more restaurants per capita than other Canadian cities with similarly sized populations?  What local stops do you consider to be a must on a tour that shows off our best restos?

Thanks and credit to Jonathan Rubio for today’s photo.