My boyfriend signed us up for the Best of the West tour as a birthday gift for me. It is a walking tour lasting about 4 hours of the Dundas/Ossington area which has had a recent stream of new businesses set up shop. It was a fun weekend activity that is out of the ordinary, and something that locals as well as tourists can appreciate. Our group included eight locals and two tourists and they said it was a great way to experience Toronto like a local would.
We toured several restaurants and some local cultural points of interest. Neil was knowledgeable and friendly. They gave information about the history and ethics of the businesses, as well as having us taste a nice sampling of the menu. The tour was well organized, we didn't feel rushed, and dietary restrictions were very well accommodated for. The portions were large enough to satisfy, and the food stops were spaced well enough apart that we weren't stuffed. All the food we sampled was delicious and I liked the fact that we visited places which were independently owned. Now I know where to go in this neighbourhood! Pretty much every place we stopped at we said we had to go back to!
Neil and Suzanne have just passed the one year anniversary of their business and apparently have tours every two weeks, with a little less frequency in the winter. They have a Kensington tour and a vegetarian tour as well, which sounded really interesting. The only thing holding me back from 5 stars is that the tours are a bit pricey.