The Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area is expanding its Taste of Downtown Yonge food-tour program this fall with two new experiences aimed at workers and weekend visitors exploring businesses in the area.
The program, created by the Downtown Yonge BIA and operated by Tour Guys, will add a weekday lunch tour beginning Sept. 17 and a Sunday beverage tour launching Sept. 20. The expansion follows three sold-out seasons of the community food-tour series.
New tours target weekday, weekend traffic
The new Fall Flavours Lunch Tour is a one-hour experience designed for people who work in the Downtown Yonge area. The tour runs Thursdays at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., with participants visiting three to four lunch spots during the workday.
The all-inclusive tour costs $20 and is intended to give workers an opportunity to leave their desks while discovering local restaurants and hearing stories about the neighbourhood.
The second addition, Sip & Stroll, is a 90-minute walking tour focused on independent cafés, tea shops, bakeries and other beverage businesses. It begins Sept. 20 and will run every Sunday at 1:30 p.m. through Dec. 20.
The all-inclusive beverage tour costs $15 and includes five to six beverages.
“Taste of Downtown Yonge is passionate about connecting people to food culture in this neighbourhood and, just as importantly, to each other,” said Pauline Larsen, Executive Director & Chief Operating Officer, Downtown Yonge BIA.
The BIA said the tours are intended to encourage people to explore businesses they might otherwise pass while providing an accessible way to learn about the neighbourhood.
Program builds on previous seasons
Taste of Downtown Yonge has completed winter, spring and summer seasons, with the BIA saying participants responded positively to the combination of food, local stories and neighbourhood discovery.
“I loved hearing all the stories. As someone new to the city, it was great learning about my new home.”
“I learned some new facts about Toronto, even though I have lived here all my life.”
The fall expansion gives the program two formats aimed at different parts of the week. The lunch tour is focused specifically on Downtown Yonge workers and fits within a standard lunch break, while Sip & Stroll is scheduled for Sunday afternoons.
The Downtown Yonge BIA said the tours are part of an effort to connect people with the people, stories and small businesses in the neighbourhood.
The program is presented by the Downtown Yonge BIA and operated by Tour Guys, described as Toronto’s original walking tour company.
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