Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour
5
Gastown Historic Walking Food Tour
By Taste Vancouver Food Tours
About
from per adult
C$129.15
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 3-99, max of 16 per group
Duration: 3h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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Highlights
- A maximum of sixteen people will participate in this tour, making for a lively environment
- Enjoy an assortment seven food tastings and three alcohol tastings from some of the neighborhood’s diverse array of eateries
- Hear the stories of Gastown’s and Vancouver’s history from your guide
- Take in the atmosphere of Vancouver’s oldest neighborhood as you stroll the cobbled streets
- 6 Food tasting & 3 alcoholic tastings (non alcoholic options available) Tastings may vary
- Fun Storytelling Tour Guide
- GST (Goods and Services Tax)
What's not included- Tour guide Gratuities (15-20% recommended)
- Explore Vancouver’s Oldest Neighborhood. Rich in history, high in energy, and home to an impressive culinary scene, where foodies unite on the streets of Gastown. Our Legendary Gastown Food tour takes you through the cobbled stone streets of Vancouver’s oldest neighborhood. Enjoy local craft beer, Japanese Karage chicken, freshly made Sicilian Tortellini with local wine, vegan sweet & chili cauliflower, traditional Canadian poutine, decadent waffles and hot chocolate. On this 2.5-hour walking food tour, you will be led by our talented and amazing storytelling tour guides who will share fascinating and funny little-known stories about Vancouver and its “Wild West” history that dates back 150 years. This is a tour you don’t want to miss!
- Departure details
- Waterfront Station, 601 W Cordova St, Vancouver, BC V6B 1G1, Canada Please meet your tour guide 15 min before tour start inside Waterfront Station, main hall beside Starbucks, 601 West Cordova St (NOT Waterfront Centre)
Return details- Maple Tree Square, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 14772P1- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Minimum drinking age is 19 years. Non alcoholic options available upon request. Our guides reserve the right to ask for 2 pieces of ID
- Special dietary requests can be accommodated with 24 hours advanced notice.
- Most travellers can participate
- Children are welcome although note that tour cannot accommodate strollers
- Tour operates rain or shine
- Tour is approx 2:45-3 hours long and covers approx. 5 blocks. 5 of the stops are sit down. Tour is on a schedule, although slower paced as tour guides stop during tour to show interesting points of interest in the neighbourhood.
- Please arrive hungry and dress for the weather. Tour operates rain or shine. Vancouver tends to get a lot of rain October-April so please bring an umbrella or rain jacket and wear comfortable shoes.
- There are 3 stops with stairs and only one has an elevator. If you have restricted mobility issues the tour may not be suitable for you.
- This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travellers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- What is included in my ticket price?
- All food, beverage tastings and tour guide.
- Do I have to purchase tickets in advance?
- Our tours tend to sell out quickly, especially May-September.
- How much food is served on the tours?
- We make several stops for food and beverage tastings on our tours. The exact number depends on which tour you are taking. For most people, there is enough food and beverage tastings that they feel they had a full meal. You should come hungry!
- How much walking is involved?
- The tours are 2.5 hours in length but we sit down at a few venues on each tour. We walk at a very casual pace and the tour runs for 6-8 city blocks. The streets are flat and easy to walk. We like to think of it as a leisurely stroll with food and interesting conversations and stories.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 14772P1
Reserve your spot
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- You'll start atWaterfront Station601 W Cordova St, Vancouver, BC V6B 1G1, CanadaPlease meet your tour guide 15 min before tour start inside Waterfront Station, main hall beside Starbucks, 601 West Cordova St (NOT Waterfront Centre)See address & details
- 1Steam ClockStop: 5 minutesSee details
- 2Maple Tree SquareStop: 5 minutesSee details
- 3GastownStop: 2 hoursSee details
- You'll end atMaple Tree SquareMaple Tree Square, Vancouver, BC, CanadaSee address & details
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About the operator
- W2863PBalisonk00So much fun!We booked the tour to get us out of our usual restaurant rut and to try some new things. The tour did not disappoint. Kate was very friendly and knowledgeable about the area and brought us to some unique places to sample their dishes. It was my guy’s first tour and now he’s chomping at the bit to go on another. WARNING… do not eat anything after breakfast! You will want an empty tummy for this!
- chriseG8564OU00North Vancouver Culinary ExplorationThis local food tour blends historical accounts from yester-year Vancouver with some hidden culinary gems. Numerous stops at a variety of eclectic quay and nearby restaurants gives you a taste sized sample of the culinary options available. While portions are on the smaller side the multiple stops will ensure you are satiated by the end of the 2.5 hours. Kelsey, our guide did a great job blending humour, history and tasty delights.
- maggieroberts4800Entertaining & informativeOur tour guide, David, was fun, friendly & knowledgeable. I learned a bit about Gastown, had some delicious food & drinks and met some nice people. It was the right amount of time and ran efficiently. Great way to test-drive a restaurant and to revisit when you have more time.
- Robert M00Excellent walking tour … you will enjoy!The organization was superb and the stops were excellent. Connor, our guide was well informed, funny, and a great presenter of information. Our first experience with this company and will NOT be our last.
- Susan C00Gastown Food Tour was lots of fun!We signed up for the Gastown Food Tour and were very pleased with the experience. The food samplings and history of the area were both great and our tour guide, Connor, was exceptional.
- S_Rieley00Great tour for tourists and localsThis was an excellent tour. Great food and drink tastings and Sean was entertaining and knowledgable. Recommend the tour if visiting or live in the Lower Mainland. We’ll definitely return to the Shipyards area.
- 286laurief00Amazing food!Our tour guide Kelsey was amazing. She was knowledgeable of shipyard history and the stops scheduled had amazing food.
- Dave4206900Fun, interesting, and tasty.This was an excellent tour. The things we ate and drank were varied and delicious without exceptions. The shipyards are a historic, beautiful, and fascinating part of North Vancouver. The guides were not only knowledgeable about the 9 chosen food and beverage spots, but also the history of the area. They kept us interested and entertained the entire time. I'd definitely recommend this, or any of the other Taste Vancouver Food Tours.
- Daniela-Taty00Phenomenal Tour!Our experience on the Shipyard Food Tour was genuinely remarkable. Kelsey, our guide, was exceptional in her knowledge, humour, and ability to connect with us. The various stops we visited offered delectable treats, and the historical context and drink options made the 2.5 hours unforgettable. We have also been on the Gastown food tour, and each location had its unique charm, with tour guides who made it feel personalized. These tours are unquestionably our preferred way to experience Vancouver.
- mabryg202300Historical and DeliciousThis was an excellent tour! Kelsey was very informative of the history in the area which added to the experience. The food was great! We loved the different spots especially Cream Pony! It was a very approachable amount of time and walkable. We would do other tours in the future.
- Incredibiology00Much more than a food tour!This was a great time for the whole family! We were only in Vancouver for a few days and wanted to see some of the different neighborhoods. This turned out to be a great way to do that. We got a nice walking tour of the shipyards: a nice, easy walk at a comfortable pace with lots of stops for unique food from this fascinating Vancouver neighborhood. Our guide, Kelsey, had an encyclopedic knowledge of the history of the area, and was clearly passionate about the subject, and made the experience really fun for all. The stops for food were spaced out nicely, and each stop had a very different taste of what Vancouver has to offer. It must be difficult to time out the stops on the tour so perfectly, so that everything is ready right as the group arrives, but Kelsey made it look easy. Our special requests were easily accommodated (one vegetarian, and the kids were too young to drink alcohol), and great care was taken to make sure everyone had a great time. We enjoyed this tour immensely, and can't wait for an opportunity to do it again, and maybe try the Gastown tour as well!
- Hankb123400A very tasty food tourWe just went on the Vancouver Gastown Food Tour, info@tastevancouverfoodtourcom. I have to say the combination of food, informative and entertaing commentary by our guide, Sean, and the Vancouver downtown area all made for a terrific afternoon. In fact, I would say it was the best foodie tour we've been on. The italian and Taco stops were the highlights or maybe the desserts. Hard to decide!
- MariaFrance7800A fun and delicious tour with a lot of variety!Kate was our guide for our family's private Gastown tour. She gave us a lot of interesting information about Vancouver and that particular area, and was good at "reading the room" and understanding our needs and likes. The stops were varied and the food was delicious--we went back to a couple of the places to get more! This was a great first-day activity--the three hours flew by.
- debbiesH7723UI00Food, drink and history tourGabby was amazing. Very energetic and informative. Food and drinks were awesome. Had a terrific time and would recommend. Learned history of Gastown as well as great restaurant stops.
- mlbourgeois00Gastown Food and History Walking tourGreat way to explore Gastown and enjoy Japanese, Italian, local beer, ice cream and dessert waffles. Guide was fun and informative.
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
583 reviews
Excellent
512
Very good
43
Average
12
Poor
12
Terrible
4
Anthony P
6 contributions
This tour has so much potential! We arrived at a Starbucks in Waterfront station which does not have bathrooms available to anyone unless you purchase a sea bus ticket and make a long journey down to the hall. Outside of the station people are on the streets literally doing drugs. So it was just a weird start to it all.
Finally our guide arrived, and we waited for another group of six which never showed up. So we were running late to everything then. We spent a lot of time talking about an airplane tower before getting to our first restaurant.
The sample sizes are small. Then you are rushed through them. I’ve done tasting tours before and this was very expensive for what you receive. Wouldn’t recommend unless they make some changes. It was also raining and instead of taking us into a restaurant or something to tell us a story, he kept us outside in rainy cold weather. Just didn’t make sense.
Finally our guide arrived, and we waited for another group of six which never showed up. So we were running late to everything then. We spent a lot of time talking about an airplane tower before getting to our first restaurant.
The sample sizes are small. Then you are rushed through them. I’ve done tasting tours before and this was very expensive for what you receive. Wouldn’t recommend unless they make some changes. It was also raining and instead of taking us into a restaurant or something to tell us a story, he kept us outside in rainy cold weather. Just didn’t make sense.
Written October 3, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TASTEVANCOUVER
Thank you for taking your time to provide your feedback about your tour experiences.
We are sorry to hear the tour did not live up to your expectations. We always appreciate feedback from our customers to improve our tours. Please feel free to email info@tastevancouverfoodtours.com
Written October 5, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
mark S
Abbotsford, Canada3 contributions
Aug. 2021
Our guide (Brent) did a great job! All of us could hear him, he knew Gastown really well and kept us moving along so that we could enjoy each of the food/drink stops. We live about 1 hour away from Vancouver and we come in quite often. So, it was cool to experience and find new great restaurants that we had not been at before!
Written August 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your great feedback! We are always happy to hear when locals discover places on the tour that they did not know before. Brent will be happy to hear! He is our senior tour guide and take great pride in showcasing Gastown.
Written August 18, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
PMN
Calgary, Canada1 contribution
Jun. 2022
Our tour guide Rachel was very knowledgeable and personable. The Brioche restaurant was very good and I would highly recommend it. However, some of the other stops were disappointing. I was expecting unique local eats that highlight what a restaurant has to offer, instead we were served a beef dip, wings, fries, and vanilla ice cream with hot fudge. Basic food that can be found anywhere. The sweet chili cauliflower from MeeT was delicious, unfortunately it was difficult/awkward to eat off a napkin while standing in an alley. 16 people on the tour was also too many as we were often cramped into a small space to eat or listen to the guide.
Written June 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TASTEVANCOUVER
Thank you for your feedback, we appreciate your comments and take all our customers’ feedback seriously.
We are sorry to hear that the tour did not meet your expectations. We are definitely looking into the possibility of modifying this tour.
Written June 24, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Janice B
3 contributions
May 2022
My son and I did the gastown food tour-it was fantastic! Our tour guide was Dan and he was so interesting, knowledgeable, fun and friendly. The food and drinks were outstanding! We’ll definitely be back to have meals in the various restaurants in the near future.
Highly recommend this tour for both tourists and those living in the Vancouver area who want to learn some really interesting things about the city, it’s history, and enjoy really great food.
Highly recommend this tour for both tourists and those living in the Vancouver area who want to learn some really interesting things about the city, it’s history, and enjoy really great food.
Written May 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah H
Canberra, Australia212 contributions
Tour started on time in the pre-determined location which was very close to our hotel.
Connor provided a very informative and entertaining presentation at each stop; however, I would recommend reconsidering where you stop for the first story. The history was great, and it was good to directly see what he was talking about, but the smell in the area was not so good.
All of the food and drink was delicious. Not a single item I didn’t like or not want to eat. Thought the sweet chili cauliflower wings from the vegan restaurant MeeT sounded weird, and it wasn’t something I would have eaten otherwise, but it was surprisingly good. Small samples meant room for everything, but they could have been slightly
bigger portions. The chicken karaage and tortellini were my favourites. Discount offered at some of the places if you returned after the tour. Good tour to check out the local area and have some great food. BTW - if the tour is good, the tips will come without asking for them.
Connor provided a very informative and entertaining presentation at each stop; however, I would recommend reconsidering where you stop for the first story. The history was great, and it was good to directly see what he was talking about, but the smell in the area was not so good.
All of the food and drink was delicious. Not a single item I didn’t like or not want to eat. Thought the sweet chili cauliflower wings from the vegan restaurant MeeT sounded weird, and it wasn’t something I would have eaten otherwise, but it was surprisingly good. Small samples meant room for everything, but they could have been slightly
bigger portions. The chicken karaage and tortellini were my favourites. Discount offered at some of the places if you returned after the tour. Good tour to check out the local area and have some great food. BTW - if the tour is good, the tips will come without asking for them.
Written September 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TASTEVANCOUVER
Thanks for the detailed and honest feedback, Sarah. We appreciate your honesty and are always looking to further improve. We hope you enjoyed the rest of your stay in Vancouver!
Written September 25, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Katfish912
Memphis, TN60 contributions
Daniel was a great guide. He was very knowledgeable and fun. He knew a lot of interesting history about the area and kept us moving from one restaurant to another without feeling rushed. The food was delicious and it was a great variety of cuisines. We had a wonderful experience.
!
!
Written August 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TASTEVANCOUVER
We are so happy that you had a wonderful experience on the tour with Daniel. Thank you for taking your time to give this great feedback!
Written August 15, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
David H
Godalming, UK43 contributions
Jul. 2023 • Solo
Connor was our guide for the tour. He was polite, had lots of interesting historical information to share and shepherded us courteously and considerately around the best of the location including places you would miss travelling independently.
Everything was as advertised. The portions were more generous than on other food tours I have done so don’t overindulge beforehand (but then I am not a fussy eater and enjoy most food and drink).
Connor had to cope with 6 people turning up as late as 25 minutes after the requested meeting time as well as various dietary requirements. Without knowing the reasons for being late it is impossible to say whether this was misfortune or mismanagement but it surely wasn’t helpful and caused some frustration and the tour to overrun its scheduled time.
The balance of the tastings was 4 savoury to 3 sweet which suited me fine. There were drink choices when beverages were included.
Everything was as advertised. The portions were more generous than on other food tours I have done so don’t overindulge beforehand (but then I am not a fussy eater and enjoy most food and drink).
Connor had to cope with 6 people turning up as late as 25 minutes after the requested meeting time as well as various dietary requirements. Without knowing the reasons for being late it is impossible to say whether this was misfortune or mismanagement but it surely wasn’t helpful and caused some frustration and the tour to overrun its scheduled time.
The balance of the tastings was 4 savoury to 3 sweet which suited me fine. There were drink choices when beverages were included.
Written July 5, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TASTEVANCOUVER
Thank you so much for the review and Connor will be thrilled to hear you appreciated the way he handled the unexpected late comers. We also appreciate you leaving such a detailed and thorough review of the experience.
Written July 6, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Dana H
Surrey, Canada3 contributions
Sep. 2021 • Friends
We live in the city and due to Covid have not been travelling. One of our favourite things to do when travelling is to do food tours to taste the different foods, experience the culture and learn about the city. My cousin was visiting from California so thought this would be a fun thing to do. It was wonderful! We had such a fun day. It was great to learn about new restaurants that I have never been to, nor probably ever would have gone to them if not for this tour, but now we have 7 new places to visit .
Sean and Rachael ,our tour guides were fun, engaging and knowledgeable. Maria booked our tour and she was very excited for us and had excellent communication.
We enjoyed the food and hospitality so much at Brioche that we went back for drinks, appetizers and dessert. Alessandra made our visit there so special!
We are looking forward to going to the other tours soon!
Sean and Rachael ,our tour guides were fun, engaging and knowledgeable. Maria booked our tour and she was very excited for us and had excellent communication.
We enjoyed the food and hospitality so much at Brioche that we went back for drinks, appetizers and dessert. Alessandra made our visit there so special!
We are looking forward to going to the other tours soon!
Written September 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TASTEVANCOUVER
What a wonderful review! We feel so honoured! So great to hear you had such a fantastic time with Sean & Rachel. Have to agree with you that Alessandra always goes the extra mile for our tour guests. She will be happy to know you came back to Brioche.Thanks for joining us and we would love to see you on our other tours!
Written September 29, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Christopher W
5 contributions
Nov. 2022
Jason was an excellent tour guide. He was exceptionally knowledgeable about Gastown, telling us tons of interesting tidbits about the neighborhood and the greater Vancouver area while peppering in fun, personal anecdotes. I appreciated that the history he told us was accurate and didn't try to paper over the less savory details of Vancouver's past. Jason also kept us on schedule and moved us about efficiently. He paced the tour so we got to see the famous Steam Clock go off at the top of the hour. It was a great way to see all of Gastown and learn things we otherwise wouldn't have. The dining venues we tasted at all had great food and drinks. Even though the portions were small, tasting sizes at each location, there were a fair number of stops and in totality, it was a good amount of food. We were full by the end of the tour. I would definitely highly recommend this tour.
Written November 29, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TASTEVANCOUVER
Thank you for your review! We are so happy to hear you enjoyed the food!
Written December 2, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
C S
Vancouver, Canada1,171 contributions
We have lived in the lower mainland all our lives and have this tour a try for some afternoon fun. We were pleasantly pleased. It was lovely to walk through Gastown (without rain!) and experience some of the restaurants that we had not even known before. Some favourites were Brioche, Meet (I had only known about Meet in Main before) and of course The Flying Pig. We have previously lived the Lemon Square in Whistler and now know where to buy it locally. Our guide Shaun was entertaining and did a great job keeping us in time and organized. The only low point for me was being squeezed 8/table at one restaurant when the rest of the restaurant was empty. We would like to try the Little Italy tour next.
Written February 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TASTEVANCOUVER
Thank you do much for your detailed review. We love to hear when locals get to know their "back yard' through our tours. We are planning to restart Little Italy later this spring. We look forward to having you on the tour again!
Written February 7, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Angela K
5 contributions
We want to do this tour but our kids won’t want to eat any of the food. If it possible to have them accompany us but not take part?
Diane S
3 contributions
I suggest contacting the company, and they may even tell you what the menu is, but I found that the menu is very kid friendly...
I7033FRbarbara
Key Largo, FL4 contributions
Can I book this when in Vancouver
Diane S
3 contributions
Hi, you can book anytime, as it's all done online...and there is a number you can call when you are in Vancouver...
Alannah B
1 contribution
Hi, is it possible to gift a voucher for this tour? Our friend is moving to Vancouver and we'd love to get them something special to help them explore the local areas.
Yvonne M
Vancouver, Canada27 contributions
You would have to get a hold of the tour operator to find this out… but what a great idea!!
Is the food apart of the Tour or are we buying the food ourselves as we go along?
Yvonne M
Vancouver, Canada27 contributions
The food is part of the tour… and it’s all awesome. At one stop we also had an opportunity to purchase and extra beverage.
How much actual walking is involved? Are we talking over a mile?
RandyFThompson
Franklin, TN2 contributions
Think of it more like a stroll. Like others said, lots of stops and sitting. We did have some stairs to traverse, but unless you are in a wheelchair you should be ok.
Dennis K
Plano, TX227 contributions
Is there an age requirement for this tour? Is it appropriate for a teenager and an eleven year old?
JulieG3076
Newburgh, IN19 contributions
Definitely appropriate for those ages.
Travellerkirsten
Mandurah, Australia1 contribution
Approximately what time does the tour finish? Thanks,
Momma23boyz
Mid Atlantic421 contributions
Our tour started at 2:00pm and ended around 4:30-5:00pm.