There are three key elements to a great trip: pleasant scenery, a unique experience and good food. That last part can feel incomplete, with so many local options you never get to try. I recently had an afternoon of my favorite activity—eating—with Cornwall Food Tours, to get a comprehensive taste of Cornwall, Ontario.
Disclosure: Guest author David Johnson was a guest of Cornwall Food Tours, which neither reviewed nor approved this post. Photos courtesy of Cornwall Food Tours.
We arrived in Cornwall on a sunny day, right before lunchtime. There, we met Vanessa Leduc, who started Cornwall Rood Tours during the pandemic. After a warm greeting, we went to the first restaurant on the tour.
We started off at the Spicy Pearl, a Jamaican-Thai fusion restaurant. I was immediately impressed with such an innovative concept for a restaurant as the first stop, especially considering Cornwall isn’t a huge town. There, we had authentically spiced jerk chicken and spring rolls, a combination I never expected to try but thoroughly enjoyed.
We thanked the chef, then moved on to the next restaurant—this time, vegetarian, vegan and organic—called Carrots n’ Dates.
The restaurant has locations in two widely separated areas of Ontario. The original restaurant is in Tecumseh, Ontario (near Windsor), with the second location in Cornwall. Both restaurants source as many ingredients as possible from local producers.
In my opinion, our vegetarian pad thai rivalled its meat-containing counterparts. Vanessa said it was her favourite item on the menu!
One advantage of taking the food tour was that we were served immediately upon arrival, as Vanessa lets the restaurants know ahead of time when a tour is coming. This means less waiting and more eating.
Our third restaurant was Schnitzels, a European restaurant with a pleasant outdoor patio. There, we ate fried pierogies with onions and sour cream, one of many dishes from Europe they offer. In addition to being a restaurant, Schnitzels also offers banquet services for receptions of up to 50 people.
Afterward, we had Portuguese tarts at Fairy Sweet, a gourmet bakery that makes all sorts of wonderful pastries. Fairy Sweet began as a home-based catering company. Mother-and-daughter founders Sue Martin and Sue-Anne Heitmann opened their in-person bakery after winning the “Win this Space” competition, a program that donates a downtown location to one business each year.
Throughout the tour, Vanessa educated us on the history of Cornwall, pointing out some heritage buildings and their role in the growth of the community. Downtown Cornwall has become a vibrant destination, with many festivals taking place throughout the year.
Our next stop was a local institution, Riley’s Bakery, a family-owned establishment that has been operating since the early 1900s. There, we were treated to some doughnuts.
Our final destination was Happy Popcorn Co., a popcorn store that sells over 60 different flavours and primarily employs people with disabilities. We left the shop with some tasty caramel popcorn, a perfect end to the tour.
If you want an afternoon of diverse dishes and a walk around Cornwall led by a friendly and engaging guide, check out Cornwall Food Tours. The tour is perfect for parents looking for a date night or for foodie teens and tweens. Tickets cost $70 per person. For more information, see the Cornwall Food Tours website.
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The office of Ottawa Road Trips is located on the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. We are grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.