5 Great Calgary Food Tours

Experience the local food and wine scene with experts who’ll put you on the fast track to foodie-ism

 

In the Palette to Palate tour, you’ll sample some of chef Duncan Ly’s beautifully plated dishes at Yellow Door Bistro.

One of the most interesting and rewarding aspects of travelling to new cities and countries is exploring new neighbourhoods, sampling new flavours and dishes, and talking to the experts behind the sights, smells and tastes. But the thing is you don’t have to travel a great distance to experience the same kind of adventures in dining. Calgary Food Tours offers a variety of community-based food tours to introduce locals and visitors alike to the best of the city’s food scene. Here are five tours currently being offered.

Chef Guided Tour of the Calgary Farmers’ Market

If you’re interested in eating local, you’ll love this tour and the chance to meet the growers and farmers and talk to them about the bounty of southern Alberta, B.C. and Saskatchewan. You’ll learn about elk and bison, organic beef and pasture-raised pork, as well as fresh fruits, vegetables, cheese and even fruit wines. And of course, you’ll get to sample the delicious offerings too. Runs Saturday mornings until October from 9 to 11 a.m., $30 per person.

Craving Kensington

This neighbourhood just northwest of downtown is chockablock with great restaurants and food shops. In the span of two blocks, you’ll get to sample authentic Neapolitan pizza, fine cheese, poutine, cupcakes, tea, wine and more, and hear the stories behind how each of the businesses came to be. Runs Thursdays until October from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., $90 per person.

Inglewood’s Edible Enticements

Calgary’s oldest neighbourhood is experiencing a surge of vitality thanks in part to the many new specialty shops and restaurants that have recently opened, nicely complementing existing stores and restaurants. You’ll be treated to a hearty Italian deli lunch, witness a knife-skills demo, learn about spice blending, partake in a chocolate tasting, tour a restaurant garden and take home treats from a bakery. Runs Wednesdays until October from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., $90 per person.

Palette to Palate

This tour celebrates the best in art and food in Calgary’s designer district. You’ll start at the Hotel Arts and discover the gallery inside before feasting on executive chef Duncan Ly’s beautifully prepared and plated dishes. From there, you’ll visit a gallery and design shop to learn about art that’s approachable and useful in daily life before moving on to the culinary hub of Cookbook Co. Cooks, MetroVino wines, Brle Patisserie and finishing with something artfully decadent at Decadent Desserts. Runs Fridays until October from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., $90 per person.

Savouring 17th Avenue

There’s so much to see, do and eat in this hive of activity sometimes called the Red Mile. This tour has pared it down to a five-block stretch that gives you a taste of the rich history, art, culture and great food you can expect to find along this famous road. Your progressive lunch begins with Italian comfort food and continues with cheese, French baking, Mediterranean bistro fare, Spanish tapas and classic Rocky Mountain cuisine. And because it’s a party street, you’ll be treated to artful cocktails, too. Runs Saturdays until October from 12 to 3 p.m.

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