Taste Detours.
Guided downtown Guelph and Elora food and drink tasting tours led by a certified Food Tour Professional, year-round
The brief.
Taste Detours is a Wellington County food and drink tour operator running guided culinary walks in downtown Guelph and the village of Elora, in Southwestern Ontario. Founder Lynn Broughton is a certified Food Tour Professional whose 14 years at the Downtown Guelph Business Association preceded the 2018 Bell Fibe TV series "Taste Detours: Guelph." Two flagship public tours run year-round on foot under 1–2 km — the Saturday To the Core Food Tour and the Wednesday Little Bites Appy Tour — at $110 + HST per person, with all tastings, taxes, and restaurant tips included. Private and customised options extend the format to Elora's Grand Food Tour, a multi-county Craft Distillery Tour, and corporate group events. Tours run rain, shine, or snow.
5. ways in.
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To the Core Food Tour
For: All fitness levels; min 4 to run, min 6 for private booking; tour under 1km in lengthWhen: Select Saturdays year-round, monthly public departuresA 2.5-hour downtown Guelph walking tour with 10 or more tasting stops across specialty shops and restaurants — a mix of sweet, savoury, and drink. Possible stops include Atmosphere Cafe +Etc., Miijidaa cafe + bistro, Wellington Cakes, Eric the Baker, Guelph Farmers' Market, and Bonza Pizza. Tab, restaurant tips, and taxes are all included; vegetarians accommodated with advance notice. Meets at Old City Hall, 59 Carden Street.
$110 + HST per person
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Little Bites Appy Tour
For: All fitness levels; min 4 to run, capacity 10 per tour; tour under 2km in lengthWhen: Occasional Wednesdays, year-roundA 5–8 pm appetizer-style downtown Guelph evening tour with three tasting stops and cocktail, beer, and wine pairings. Featured venues include La Reina, Atmosphere Cafe + etc, The Wooly Pub, and Sometimes Miijidaa Cafe (selections vary). Tab, tips, and taxes are covered in the ticket. Meets at 59 Carden Street under the John Galt statue.
$110 + HST per person
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The Grand Food Tour (Elora)
For: All fitness levels; private tours of 6+ only; tour under 1km in lengthWhen: Year-round on arrangement; rain, shine, or snowA 3.5-hour private walking tour through Elora — what A.J. Casson called "Ontario's most beautiful Village" — with 10 or more tasting stops at named partner businesses including Elora Bread Trading Co, Elora Brewing Company, The Wild Tart, The Badley Diner, Elora Distilling Company, and Scoop Elora. Architectural and cultural commentary runs between tastings. Meets midway on the Jack R. MacDonald Pedestrian Bridge.
$155 + HST per person for the regular set tour (pricing varies for customised experiences)
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Craft Distillery Tour (Craft Gin Trail)
For: Custom group experience for 8+When: Year-round on arrangement; two-week minimum lead timeA multi-county distillery tour visiting up to six craft distilleries across Waterloo Region, Perth County, and Wellington County. Each stop includes spirit tastings and stories about the distilleries, with local food along the route. Food, drink, tips, taxes, and transportation are bundled into the per-person price.
From $250 + HST per person (varies with group size, offerings, and transportation)
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Curated Company Events
For: Corporate groups, conferences, conventions, staff retreats, family celebrations; groups of 6–50+When: Year-round on arrangement; two weeks minimum lead timeCorporate and group culinary events for 6–50+ people configured as Little Feasts (a private variation of a recurring tour), Moveable Mixer / Town and Terroir Tour (city tour combined with farm visits, transportation covered for 20+), or Progressive Dinners (appetizers, main, and dessert across three local establishments). Pricing on inquiry; two-week lead time and a non-refundable deposit hold the date.
Contact for details
Worth knowing.
- 01Founder Lynn Broughton is a certified Food Tour ProfessionalSource ↗
- 02Lynn produced a six-episode series with Bell Fibe TV entitled "Taste Detours: Guelph" in 2018Source ↗
- 03Awards: national 50 over 50 award for entrepreneurs; Rhyze Award through Innovation Guelph; finalist for the Tourism Alliance of Ontario Culinary Leadership Awards; RBC Women of Influence award nominationSource ↗
- 04Lynn spent 14 years at the Downtown Guelph Business Association directing marketing and producing food and cultural events before founding Taste DetoursSource ↗
- 05Tours operate year-round, rain, shine, or snowSource ↗
- 06Public flagship tours cover under 1–2 km of easy walking and last 2.5–3 hours; To the Core and The Grand Food Tour include 10+ tasting stopsSource ↗
- 07All ticket prices include food, beverage tastings, restaurant tips, and taxesSource ↗
- 08Private group tours require a minimum of 6 guests at regular per-person pricing; smaller groups incur a $200 surcharge plus per-person price; 2-week lead timeSource ↗
- 09Tickets must be purchased in advance; no refunds, but one-week-advance date changes can be arrangedSource ↗