Fun, food, adventure and learning are the guiding principles of Canton Food Tours, a decade-old business that highlights Stark County’s best restaurants with generous sides of local history, art and culture. Entrepreneur Barbara Abbot launched the business as a way to marry her love of food with passion for her hometown.

It’s been a big hit from the start. To date, she and her team have taken thousands of people on tours of Canton area restaurants.

Abbott’s most popular tour is The Hall of Fame City Food Tour, an evening walkabout in the downtown Canton Arts District. It takes a little more than three hours and four stops, which vary from tour to tour. At the restaurants, participants get curated entree small plates—something the restaurant wants to showcase—which could mean a seasonal dish or longtime fan favorite. They get to meet the chef and restaurant staff . The stops are choreographed so the food is served quickly once the group is seated. Drinks are an option, and since Canton is one of a handful of cities in Ohio to have a “DORA” (Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area), guests can take those beverages with them on their walk.

A highlight of the tour is a visit to Bender’s Tavern (the oldest restaurant in Canton) for a cup of its trademark turtle soup and a seasonal dish. Other restaurants on the itinerary may include George’s Lounge for burgers, Lucca for farm-to-table Italian dishes and the intimate Mélange.

Along the way, the tour guide—either Abbott or one of her staff — points out interesting landmarks and shares historical facts. Abbott likes to remind visitors that the William McKinley Presidential Library & Museum, the First Ladies National Historic Site and the Pro Football Hall of Fame are within three miles of each other—a do-able walk in decent weather. The food scene in Stark County is diverse and vibrant with one-of a-kind spots such as Gervasi Vineyard in Canton and the Hartville MarketPlace and Flea Market.

Among the “musts” for newcomers are old favorites such as Bender’s and Taggarts Ice Cream parlor, as well as unique standouts such as the Kennedy’s Bar-B-Que, which has a smoker adjacent to the restaurant. A visit to The Still House at the Gervasi property wows with its architecture patterned after a 17th century Italian church.

Canton Food Tours are off ered Mondays through Saturdays with four restaurant stops. Taxes and restaurant staff gratuities are included in the price, which is $68 per person for a day tour and $75 in the evening. She’s had groups as small as two and as many as 50, and she can even do bus tours. She customizes the tours as the client wishes. Abbot is currently expanding her brand and business into other cities, including Akron and Minerva.

To find out more about Canton Food Tours, visit the website at cantonfoodtours.com or call (330) 495-0929.