Walking food tours highlight numerous restaurants in Whitby’s downtowns

The Town of Whitby has launched a new series of walking tours to guide residents through some of the numerous restaurants in both the southern downtown core and the northern Brooklin downtown.

“From renowned breweries to hidden culinary gems and vibrant local hot spots, participants will explore a diverse array of dining destinations while discovering the rich history, heritage, and fascinating facts about Whitby,” the town described.

“Immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Downtown Whitby as you sample delicious dishes, sip on crafted beverages, and admire captivating public art. Step into an unforgettable journey through food, history, and community in the heart of Whitby,”

In each tour, a group of about 20 people takes a roughly two-hour walk through one of the downtowns visiting multiple restaurants and bars. The tours begin in Brooklin and last throughout July.

Each starts at Grass Park at 41 Baldwin St. and runs 1.6 kilometres. This tour contains seven to 10 different tastings including Thai and Latin American restaurants and features detoxifying juices, desserts and local craft beers. Tickets are available online.

The Brooklin downtown tour visits;

• Manhattin Kitchen & Eatery
• Bangrak Thai Street Food
• The Goodberry Espresso Bar
• El Jeffe de Pollo
• Vitality Juice
• Cupcake Junkie
• Station Bakery
• Banter & Co. Craft Brewery
• Corrados Italian Restaurant, and
• Tip Top Creamery

The second wave of tours begins in August. This one starts at Celebration Square at 405 Dundas St. and takes participants on a 2.3-kilometre hike to Indian and Italian restaurants as well as a coffee roastery. It also includes a trip down Whitby’s Arts Trail and a visit to gourmet chocolatier One More Cocoa, one of Oprah Winfrey’s “Favorite Things.”

However, this batch of tours is currently already sold out, just days after the announcement. Luckily, those who wish to participate can still join a waitlist in case a spot opens up.

The Whitby downtown tour includes visits to;

• Antonio’s Italian Deli
• Tuscan Wolf Pizzeria
• The Souk cafe
• Jacked Up Coffee
• Balti Indian Restaurant, and
• One More Cocoa

As the tours involve alcoholic beverages, participants must be at least 19 years old. Additionally, the tastings are not guaranteed to be vegetarian or gluten-sensitive. However, the town will work with the restaurants to accommodate needs.

Mayor Elizabeth Roy was very happy with the project and how quickly it sold out. In an interview with INdurham, she praised the town workers who came up with the idea and executed it.

The idea emerged, Roy explained, during the development of Whitby’s third annual food guide, which the town releases every summer. The restaurants involved jumped at the chance to be included.

She described herself as a “foodie” who was glad to see the “very rich culinary culture” of Whitby celebrated. She highlighted the importance of exposing residents to the diverse culinary options in town especially in this time of high inflation.

“When people are watching their nickels and dimes,” eating out is one of the first things they pull back on, she said. Many of the residents who accompanied her and council on the inaugural tour last week had never been to many of the restaurants they visitied, Roy noted.

As a word of advice from her tour, she warned participants to come with “an empty stomach or some stretchy pants” due to the sheer amount of food offered on the tour.