A Guided Food Tour of Gerrard India Bazaar in Toronto

Approachable Indian flavours and Canadian foods combine to make this tour both interesting and appealing

We took a guided food tour of the Gerrard India Bazaar neighbourhood in Toronto. My husband and I met our food tour guide, Leo, in front of a local Toronto church on Gerrard Street East, just west of Coxwell Avenue.

How Did We Get Here?

One Christmas we were looking for a different sort of gift to give our aunt and uncle. We’re at that stage of our lives where ‘stuff’ is no longer enticing, so an experience gift was the way to go.

Since Uncle Bryan was one of the key inspirations for my husband’s love of cooking, a culinary adventure seemed to be the right gift – and Toronto’s Culinary Adventure Co. came highly recommended by foodie friends.

Uncle Bryan and Aunt Jane chose the Kensington Market/Chinatown experience that first time. More about that food tour in an upcoming post. 

Two years later we did it again, and they chose the “Little India + Gerrard East Food Tour.”

Our Tour Group

What an afternoon we had!

Our group consisted of the four of us, and two couples from Ajax – a husband and wife, with her parents. What was cool about having this group with us, is that the parents were originally from this neighbourhood and so added some additional information to the tour.

Watching Dosa Being Made at a Vegetarian Restaurant

Our first stop was a vegetarian restaurant called Udupi Palace (http://www.udupipalace.ca). I’ve walked by this place many times over the years (we live fairly close to the neighbourhood), but I had always thought it was a sari shop!

We heard some interesting stories about the owner and his start in the U.S., and how this restaurant had become a pillar in the community. Udupi Palace serves authentic North and South India cuisine, and they have vegan, gluten-free and Jain menu items.

We were taken into the kitchen and watched how they make their dosa (thin, flat, cooked rice batter – think crepe) and bhatura (crispy, deep-fried bread that puffs up into a ball).

Mangos, Cashews, Indian Potato Chips and Lentils

The next stop on our trip was a local grocery store, Koohinoor Foods, a staple in the neighbourhood since 1978. The founder came here as a Ugandan refugee and he and his family still operate the shop to this day.

We walked through and saw an amazing array of spices, pastes (including some Patak’s I’ve never even heard of before), and some cool varieties of lentils.

They sell 7 varieties of mango, as well as Lay’s India’s Magic Masala potato chips!

Leo gave us some black pepper cashews. They were divine. We returned to the store a few weeks later to buy a few packages of cashews to share with guests at our cottage up north.

The Historic Naaz Theatre in Gerrard India Bazaar

We continued to walk west and heard stories about different places that have come and gone, and the history behind one of Toronto’s former busiest theatres, the Naaz Theatre, established in 1972. 

They housed a Bollywood festival for a few years, and they were THE social destination for people of Indian descent for decades. Alas, once VHS was born, the crowds no longer came and the theatre no longer exists, though the building remains.

Garam Masala, Kababs and Naan From the Tandoor Oven

Our next food stop was the famous Lahore Tikka House. This restaurant was not new to us.

We had watched an episode of You Gotta Eat Here! a few years ago and had to eat there. At that time, we ordered their curry and biryani dishes.  We learned that we should ‘take out’ our meals as they don’t serve alcohol on premises.

It was very cool to start this visit to Lahore by seeing the seven spices that make up Garam (warming) Masala (spices).  Each spice has a distinct smell and flavour, but together they are incredible!

During our guided food tour of Gerrard India Bazaar we were able to try the famous kababs – chicken, lamb and beef. The meat is ground and wrapped around a metal skewer, so it’s like an Indian-spiced meatball. For me the chicken was good but I particularly enjoyed the beef. I’m not a big lamb fan so didn’t try them, but everyone who is a lamb fan, loved them.

We also saw their traditional tandoori oven, and sampled the delicious naan that came out of it.

Lahore Tikka House was the last stop on the western edge of this busy strip of Gerrard Street East that runs between Greenwood Avenue and Coxwell Avenue.

Then we were our way again! 

Sampling Canadian Cheese on our Food Tour

This time, we headed east … and into the eastern edge of Gerrard that is becoming increasingly gentrified.

Our first stop? The Pantry, where we met the charming owner/operator, Jeremy Lago. Jeremy is a sommelier turned fromager – serving only Canadian cheeses in his shop. Why the switch? The hours are better!

We tasted four different cheeses on our tour (two that were rennet-less for our guests that had dietary restrictions), and all were fabulous. The big hit among them was Five Brothers artisan cow’s milk cheese made locally in Woodstock, Ontario. Yum!

By this point in the tour we were all getting more than a little full.  You need to come on these tours with lots of room to spare in your belly!

A Taste of Charcuterie and Giardiniera

Onward we went to Sanagan’s Meat Locker, where we tried some of their charcuterie and giardiniera (pickled vegetables). If you’re familiar with Toronto’s Kensington Market, you may already be familiar with Sanagan’s. Luckily for us, Peter opened up this location closer to our home in the spring of 2018.

All the meat at Sanagan’s is locally sourced – within 100 miles – and they even offer “BBQ Bags” so you have all the meat you need for a weekend at the cottage!

Gourmet Coffee and Doughnuts

Our final stop (are you full yet?) was at Glory Hole Doughnuts.  This is another second location shop, with the original located in Parkdale, in Toronto’s “West Queen West” neighbourhood.

Their doughnut flavours are unique. Seasonal (Rhubarb Cheesecake), attuned to the community (Mango Lassi), but others, too, like Lime Coconut Cream Pie.  Glory Hole is famous for “Toast and Butter” – a delicious not-too-sweet yeast doughnut that really tastes like toast with butter! They even have vegan doughnuts in a variety of flavours.

We all went home with an incredible doughnut of our choice and a can of Station Cold Brew iced coffee.

Try a Small Group Guided Food Tour

This was the end of our guided three hour food tour of Gerrard India Bazaar (cue Gilligan’s Island music here). We were richer for the experience, and just a wee bit heavier!

It’s great to go on a tour with a few people, as you have the opportunity to sample more dishes.

This food tour size of eight seemed about perfect to me as there were many chances to ask questions of the guide and the participating businesses.   Maybe book with a group of friends and family.  

I hope I’ve inspired you to try one out!

Experienced June 2019

Book your own food tour with Culinary Adventure Co.

Feature image of tour group photo credit: Leo Moncel | Culinary Adventure Co.

Other Things to Do in Toronto:

• Come to the annual Festival of South Asia at the Gerrard India Bazaar
• Tour the Toronto Harbour and Surrounding Islands
• Get a bird’s eye view of Toronto in a City Sightseeing Helicopter Tour
• Taste your way around the St. Lawrence Market and Old Toronto on this food tour
• Try Toronto’s Original Pizza Tour
• If you want to try an empanada, and a beer and a frozen margarita, check out the Kensington Market Afternoon Food Tour
• Spend your evening at this Night-Time Drink Tour: Whiskey, Hotel Bars or Secret Bars
• Sample 10 dishes at this Chinatown Lunchtime Food Tour
• Wrap up your weekend with brunch at this King & Queen West End Sunday Brunch Tour

---

About the Author

Kelly Dyment is an elementary school teacher-librarian and mother of four (all grown-up) kids.  She is fortunate to be married to a man who loves to cook, and they enjoy spending much of their free time attending foodie events around North America.