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13 top-rated nyc food tours of 2024.

Take a bite out of the Big Apple on these foodie-focused NYC excursions.

The Top-Rated NYC Food Tours

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As one of the best foodie cities in America , New York City has no shortage of delicious eats spread across its five boroughs. But the enormous volume of food carts, award-winning restaurants and long-standing favorites can be overwhelming for visitors searching for the Big Apple's most delicious dishes. A food tour can be a great way to narrow your search, thanks to the guidance of an in-the-know local. Considering traveler sentiment and expert opinion, U.S. News selected the top food tours in NYC. Whether you're craving the best bagel or the tastiest slice of pizza, you'll walk away with a full belly and a better understanding of the local food scene after one of these tours.

A Slice of Brooklyn Bus Tours – The Original Brooklyn Pizza Tour

Price: Adults from $105; kids from $95 Duration: 4.5 hours

Calling all pizza lovers – this tour was made for you. During the nearly five-hour outing, you'll board a bus from Manhattan to Brooklyn where you'll enjoy Neapolitan-style pizza at Grimaldi's and Sicilian-style pizza at L&B Spumoni Gardens. You'll also visit filming locations of famous movies like "Saturday Night Fever," "Goodfellas" and "The French Connection." In between stops for pizza, you'll have to time to enjoy a stroll on the Coney Island boardwalk (a particular highlight for reviewers) and pass by the million-dollar homes along Shore Road in Bay Ridge. Travelers heap praise on the guides for their knowledge and humor, and appreciate the many stops for photos. Others appreciated the comfortable bus.

The tour is typically available Wednesday and Friday through Monday at 11 a.m. If you didn't get your fill of the borough, you can also join in on the company's other Brooklyn-themed tours.

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Nice Guy Tours – Greenwich Village Tour

Price: From $89 Duration: 3 hours

For a food tour that mixes in a healthy dose of New York City history, consider the Greenwich Village Tour from Nice Guy Tours. On this foodie excursion, you'll make at least six stops for samples of the neighborhood's best falafel, pizza, fries and cupcakes, among other tasty treats. Along the way, you'll see neighborhood landmarks, such as the longest-running off-Broadway theater, the narrowest house, the oldest house and Washington Irving's former home, not to mention the exterior of the famous "Friends" apartment. Participants commend Nice Guy Tours, saying the guides are funny and knowledgeable, and the food is incredible.

The tour is offered Tuesday through Sunday at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.; additional tour times may be available depending on the month. Food-focused tours of the Lower East Side are also available.

New York Fun Tours – The Best of Brooklyn Half-Day Food & Culture Tour

Price: From $149 Duration: 4.5 hours

For a crash course in the food and neighborhoods that make Brooklyn so unique, consider this nearly five-hour outing led by New York Fun Tours. You'll start the tour in Greenwich Village and then board a coach bus to Brooklyn where you may visit neighborhoods like Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Carroll Gardens. As you learn about the history of each neighborhood, you'll sample some of the area's most famous dishes, including traditional Polish pierogis and kielbasa, New York-style brick oven pizza and cannolis, among other tasty bites. At the end of the tour, you have the option of boarding the bus back to Greenwich Village or walking across the Brooklyn Bridge back to Manhattan. Tourgoers offer high praise for the variety of food featured and applaud the guide and driver for their expert knowledge of the area.

Tours are usually offered Thursday through Monday at 11 a.m. Private tours of Manhattan are also available.

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Ahoy New York Tours & Tasting – Chinatown and Little Italy Food Fest

Price: From $105 Duration: 3 hours

Learn about the history, culture and food of two of New York City's distinct immigrant neighborhoods on this tour. You'll meet your guide in Chinatown, where you'll enjoy a Chinese pastry paired with jasmine green tea followed by authentic Chinese dumplings, roasted duck or egg rolls, as well as a tour of the neighborhood's historic Chinese landmarks. From there, you'll make your way to Little Italy for a brief history lesson before heading to mom and pop shops to sample prosciutto, olives, cheeses, fresh pasta and more. In all, you'll enjoy up to three seated tastings and up to six on-the-go tastings – a great value, travelers say. According to reviewers, this is a fun, filling combo tour with engaging guides who are very knowledgeable about the two neighborhoods.

Tours are typically offered multiple times a day beginning at 10:30 a.m. Private dinners in Little Italy and public tours of Mulberry Street (in Nolita) are also available.

Intrepid Urban Adventures – Tenements, Tales, and Tastes

Price: From $79 Duration: 3 hours

This tour celebrates the impact of immigrants and the cuisine they brought to New York that locals and visitors still enjoy today. The tour starts at the African Burial Ground National Monument and weaves around the Lower East Side, Little Italy and Chinatown, among other ethnic enclaves. As your guide provides historical context of the various neighborhoods and the immigrants who shaped them, you'll sample dumplings, knishes, pretzels and cheese, among other delicious bites. Reviewers say the tour provides an outstanding overview of the immigrant experience and deftly introduces participants to some hidden gems.

Tours are offered daily at 10 a.m. Intrepid Urban Adventures also offers a Brooklyn Bridge and Dumbo food tour, among others.

Free Tours by Foot – Greenwich Village Food Tour

Price: Free (excludes cost of food) Duration: 2 hours

If you're on a budget, this may be the excursion for you. Instead of paying one upfront fee for the tour and the food, you'll pay as you go. During the approximately mile-long tour, you'll stop at several different shops and restaurants in the village where you can choose whether you'd like to pay for a sample or not. You'll generally spend between $8.50 and $15 on your bites, according to the company. Possible dishes featured along the tour include falafel, pizza, bagels, cupcakes and arancini (fried rice balls). As with other trips from Free Tours by Foot, you'll pay your guide what you think the trip was worth at the conclusion of the tour. Past travelers said they loved sampling the different food and appreciated the flexible pricing.

Tours are offered at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Friday and reservations are required. The company also offers food tours in a variety of other neighborhoods, including Chinatown and Williamsburg, as well as seasonal tours.

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Courtesy of Foods of NY Tours

Foods of NY Tours – Chelsea Market & The High Line

Price: Adults from $75; kids from $50 Duration: 3 hours

Sample one of the city's best hot dogs, Brooklyn-made ice cream and more on this tour of Chelsea Market and the High Line . The tour includes six on-the-go tastings and two seated tastings, along with commentary from your expert guide about the market's history and its vendors, as well as the history of the High Line and how the elevated rail line was once used to transport millions of tons of meat, dairy and produce. Reviewers laud the tour guides for their engaging, passionate commentary, their ability to navigate the crowds and their recommendations.

Tours are available at 10 a.m. Thursday through Monday. When you're ready to explore beyond Chelsea, consider signing up for the company's tours of other famous foodie neighborhoods, including Brooklyn, Chinatown and Nolita.

Manhattan Walking Tour – Hell's Kitchen Food Tour and Central Park Walking Tour

Price: From $134 Duration: 4.5 hours

According to reviewers, this tour combines just the right mix of food, history and sightseeing. During the half-day stroll, you'll make stops at five different spots in Hell's Kitchen for tasty eats like empanadas, hush puppies, baba ghanoush and doughnuts. You'll also enjoy a walking tour of Central Park – a particular highlight for travelers. Tourgoers are complimentary of the passionate guides and the interesting and delicious food. What's more, tours are capped at eight participants – another plus for reviewers.

Tours are offered daily at noon. If you've gotten your fill of Central park, you can also book an abbreviated version of this tour that does not stop at the park.

Secret Food Tours New York – NYC Food Tour in Greenwich Village

Price: Adults from $79; teens from $74; kids from $69 Duration: 2.5 to 3 hours

This traveler-approved food tour takes up to 12 participants through Greenwich Village to sample a classic New York bagel, falafel, a cupcake, a slice of pizza and a gourmet doughnut for a total of six stops. Part of the fun on this tour is the "secret dish," which is revealed the day of your tour. Participants say the tour is educational, with many praising the secret stop and the personable guides.

Tours are offered daily beginning at 11 a.m. Still hungry? The company also offers tours of Chinatown, Little Italy and Brooklyn.

Like a Local Tours – Flatiron Food, History & Architecture Tour

Price: Adults from $78; kids from $68 Duration: 3 hours

Appeasing both history buffs and foodies, this tour explores the food, architecture and history of two of New York's most iconic neighborhoods: the Flatiron District and Union Square. During the mile-long stroll, you can enjoy Italian fare at Eataly and a Reuben at Zucker's Bagels, plus snap pictures at the famous Flatiron Building and more. Tourgoers rave about the substantial food portions and the knowledgeable guides, who win praise for sharing plenty of historical context in a fun, engaging way. However, a few reviewers warn the tour may not be entertaining for young children since it focuses heavily on history.

Tours are offered Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Kids younger than 4 can tour for free. The company also offers food and walking tours of other NYC neighborhoods and boroughs, including Brooklyn.

Sidewalks of New York Tours – West Village Food Tour

Price: Adults from $89; kids from $75 Duration: 3 hours

Indulge in classic New York City dishes while exploring the tree-lined streets of the West Village on this tour. With a local as your guide, you'll make six stops for samples including bagels, pizza, falafel and cupcakes. Along with the histories and traditions of the eateries, you'll also learn about the hangouts of the Beat Generation and Bob Dylan and view the exterior of Monica's apartment from "Friends," among other West Village hot spots. Reviewers applaud the variety of food offered and the generous portions. Others gush about the friendly, knowledgeable guides.

Tours are offered Friday and Saturday at 11 a.m. Prices include all food. After you've sampled the West Village food scene, consider the company's other food tours of midtown, downtown and the Lower East Side, among others.

Underground Donut Tour – New York City: Downtown Donut Tour

Price: Adults from $75; kids from $65 Duration: 2 hours

Doughnuts have an extensive history in New York City. Dutch settler Anna Joralemon opened the United States' first doughnut shop in NYC in 1673, and Harlem bakery owner Adolph Levitt created the first automatic doughnut machine, dubbed "The Wonderful Almost-Human Automatic Doughnut Machine," in 1920. Travelers can learn more about this deep-fried, ring-shaped pastry with the Underground Donut Tour. The 2-mile walking tour takes participants on a journey through downtown New York, with stops along the way to try treats like a brioche-style doughnut and an everything doughnut. Reviewers say the tour guides are knowledgeable and the outing is an overall delicious experience. Travelers were also surprised and delighted by the variety of doughnuts featured.

Tours are offered daily between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Underground Donut Tour also offers outings in Times Square and Union Square, along with private tours, tours for students and bachelor and bachelorette parties.

Greg Walks NYC – NYC Greenwich Village Italian Food Tour

Price: From $89 Duration: 2 to 3 hours

The New York City Greenwich Village Italian Food Tour aims to teach travelers about the area's Italian history through food. During the walking tour, foodies will have a chance to visit famous Greenwich Village shops and eateries like Raffetto's Pasta and the Tiro A Segno Italian Rifle Club – one of the oldest private Italian heritage clubs in the U.S. As Greg shares stories of the neighborhood's past, you'll also sample Italian delicacies, such as prosciutto di parma, Italian cheese bread and fruit-a-misu, a berry tiramisu. Reviewers say this tour is fun and filled with interesting information. Many called it the highlight of their NYC trip.

Tours are offered Tuesday through Sunday at 11:30 a.m. The company also offers other walking tours, including the East Village Pierogi Food Tour.

Frequently Asked Questions

New York City is famous for several foods thanks to its diverse residents, who represent an array of cultures. Some of the most famous foods that you may encounter on a food tour or when dining throughout the city include falafel, bagels, pizza, pastrami sandwiches, soft pretzels, hot dogs, cheesecake, pierogis and dim sum.

Tips for tour guides are not mandatory, but gratefully accepted. In New York City, it's standard to tip 18% to 25% of the tour price.

Interested in more New York City tours? Check out the:

• Best New York City Tours
• Best New York City Bus Tours
• Best Statue of Liberty Tours
• Best New York City Boat Tours
• Best New York City Walking Tours

Tags: Tours , New York City , Travel , Vacations , food and drink

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• # 4 Bora Bora

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13 Absolute Best Food Tours In New Orleans

The city of New Orleans can best be described as a food lover's paradise. Its rich and cultured past has paved the way for an eclectic and diverse food scene to rival all others in the country. In the Big Easy, everything is iconic, from fresh seafood out of the Gulf Coast to delicious drinks that fuel the festivities and sweet treats that many tourists travel far and wide to sample. The city's unique blend of cultures gives rise to exclusive dishes, drawing visitors from across the globe to savor unforgettable cuisine and create lasting memories.

When visiting a new city, it's often wise to let a tour guide tote you around to the most serene, signature spots on your checklist. When New Orleans is the destination, tourists should never leave before booking a food tour to open their eyes to tastes outside the tourist district. We all know to indulge in cajun gumbo and beignets. However, lesser-known New Orleans classics like hearty red beans and rice and yakamein soup are often overlooked by travelers. A food-focused tour ensures a taste of the renowned favorites of the city, while unveiling hidden gems beyond the staples of The French Quarter, where authentic Cajun and Creole flavors come to life. Using personal experience and research methods, this list sums up the best food tours to make your New Orleans vacation unconventional and, therefore, spectacular.

Doctor Gumbo

Ever been on a boring tour? Doctor Gumbo Tours  implore guests to forget their preconceived notions about standard tours, with bored, blasé tour guides reading off lists and going through the motions. Doctor Gumbo boasts "a cure for the common tour" with food-focused walking tours that are designed to be both fun and informative. Meet new friends and explore the ins and outs of the most vibrant city in America. Whether you choose the food history tour or strictly cocktails while you walk along the streets of New Orleans' revered French Quarter, you're in for an experience that will have you swooning over the Big Easy.

Doctor Gumbo's food history tour allows visitors to dine in five iconic New Orleans locations, including some centuries-old establishments that are household names in the city. You'll discover dishes like seafood-rich gumbo, savory boudin balls, and the best muffuletta in Nola . Enjoy your leisurely stroll through the city streets, enjoying jazz performances and exploring various restaurants. There are plenty of opportunities for candy shop stops and hot sauce store tours so that you can pick up some classic New Orleans souvenirs along the way.

Sidewalk Food Tours

Food is the name of the game for Sidewalk Tours . The company specializes in a variety of food-themed tours to accommodate all visitors. Learn about the neighborhoods of The French Quarter and the Lower Garden District while you sample the flavors that put the city on the map as a culinary hotspot. Sidewalk tour guides are friendly and laidback, so instead of feeling like a structured tour with a strict itinerary, this experience is more like a casual stroll through a beautiful city that leaves guests with a full belly and fond memories to last a lifetime.

Choose whether you'd like to explore The French Quarter or the less famous but equally impressive Lower Garden District with Sidewalk tours. For The Quarter tour, choose five locations, including Leah's Pralines — arguably the best place for iconic sweets in New Orleans — and Felix's Oyster Bar, where you can sample freshly shucked oysters fresh from the Mississippi River. Opt for the Garden District tour to explore locations such as the famous sandwich shop Turkey and the Wolf and Juan's Flying Burrito, the world's first Creole taqueria. Sidewalk Tours also offers private and corporate tours.

Let a bona fide local tote you around the Garden District with Bon Moment tours. Whether you'd like a guided bar crawl or a tour that will satiate your appetite, Bon Moment is an ideal choice for a small group looking for an intimate, in-depth New Orleans culinary experience. This tour focuses heavily on small businesses, meaning you might sacrifice stops at some famous chains. Still, in exchange, you'll be supporting the local economy of the city you've been longing to visit.

Bon Moment's tour guide will educate you on the history of the neighborhoods that you're touring before and after you indulge in some iconic NOLA food and beverages. Take the company's Bywater food and drink tour to do New Orleans like a local. Drink in a dive bar and grab po '  boys at the corner deli while you admire street art and listen to live music in this up-and-coming part of town. Bon Moment also offers tours of The Garden District and a nightlife tour on Frenchman Street, where you can party like the locals do.

Guided Underground Donut and Beignet Tour

Those who are unfamiliar with the city may not think of donuts and sweet treats when they think about the culinary scene of New Orleans (usually fishy food and booze are what come to mind). But locals know all too well the addictive nature of New Orleans-style beignets and other soft and sugary NOLA treats. On the  Guided Underground  donut and beignet tour, you'll get to indulge in a different way than everyone else partying in the French Quarter on Fat Tuesday. Guided Underground's tour takes visitors through the neighborhoods of Magazine Street — an area to explore that tourists don't often add to their itinerary. Yet for New Orleans locals, Magazine is the go-to spot for culinary delights, refreshing drinks, lively parties, and an all-encompassing good time.

On the tour, you'll visit four pastry shops, enjoying the best beignets the city has to offer with a cup of chicory-laced café au lait in hand. You'll try the classics as well as seasonal donuts loaded with local ingredients unique to the city. The tour promises to finish with a fun surprise, so book this distinguished food tour on your next New Orleans excursion to enjoy something off the beaten path.

New Orleans Secrets

So you've tried gumbo, beignets, and rum-rich hurricanes — now what? There's a lot more to the New Orleans foodie scene than just the classics that we can all name off the top of our heads. New Orleans Secrets aims to shed some light on the lesser-known delights that the city has to offer and leave the gumbo to the novices. The company's Magazine Street Foodie Tour  includes six stops with seven menu items to enjoy. The experience is anything but a tasting tour and more like a full day of indulgence. You can certainly check this eclectic meal off as one of the best you'll ever have in New Orleans and beyond.

The New Orleans Secrets foodie tour leaves guests in suspense by staying true to its name and keeping the restaurants a surprise until the tour begins. So for an adventurous foodie who loves to throw all caution to the wind and embrace a mouth-watering, savory meal in any and all forms, this tour is a must-experience. Guests will stroll for a half mile down Magazine Street, enjoying the sights, sounds, and — most importantly — flavors of the city.

Destination Kitchen

Considered one of the best in the Crescent City, Destination Kitchen offers tours to suit any group. Whether you're on a cocktail-laden girl's trip or a family-friendly vacation, a culinary tour by Destination Kitchen will please everyone in your group by showcasing the best of the best in New Orleans cuisine. Amble through The French Quarter during Destination Kitchen's walking food tour, perfect for first-time visitors. On this tour, you can sample gumbo and other iconic dishes, as well as "make groceries" (otherwise known as "shop for tasty treats" in New Orleans language). This tour includes a stop at the city's famous French Market, where you can choose any seafood meal you can fathom and grab a cold beverage to ease the sticky Louisiana heat.

For a more intimate and unconventional experience, opt for Destination Kitchen's walking tour and cooking class. At nearly six hours, this tour turns the culinary world of New Orleans into a fun day of gastronomic bliss. Visit the most famous eateries in the city and learn about their impact on New Orleans culture, all while sampling beloved dishes. Then, enjoy an entertaining and informative cooking demonstration at the New Orleans Cooking School, complete with a full lunch.

Taste of Nawlins

Let Taste of Nawlins  take you on an educational epicurean excursion through the French Quarter. Don't let the quirky phonetic spelling in this tour's name fool you — the company promises to take you and your guests on a dignified journey through the famed culinary landscape of New Orleans as it was meant to be experienced. You'll learn the history of iconic dishes like jambalaya and gumbo , as well as the story behind the historical buildings that line the streets of The Quarter. On this tour, you'll meet the locals who keep New Orleans's food scene alive and thriving, providing a hearty dose of sweet Southern culture to accompany the savory meals you'll enjoy.

If you're after a tour that offers a little something beyond the classics, take the Taste of Nawlins breakfast tour. On this excursion, you'll start your day with a full New Orleans-style breakfast in a popular restaurant on Decatur Street before you head out for an early morning educational adventure. You'll learn about food, architecture, and the French history that made this Gulf Coast cuisine among the most revered in the country.

The Premier New Orleans Food Tour

Lead by two New Orleans locals with a fiery passion for The Big Easy's eclectic charm, the Premier New Orleans food tour is sure to impress even the pickiest of palettes. Naif and Sandy — two lifelong Louisiana residents — will be your knowledgeable and quirky guides on the culinary circuit. Both Naif and Sandy are former educators and cooking aficionados, making them the perfect guides for those who want to learn about New Orleans food history with delightful Southern friendliness.

The Premier New Orleans French Quarter tasting tour leads guests along the historical streets to taste the best po' boys in New Orleans — stuffed with meat or seafood and dressed to the nines — all while learning the myriad differences between Cajun and Creole cuisine. Tour five different locations in the French Quarter at a leisurely pace while your guide answers any questions you may have about the food or historical sites that you'll visit. The Premier New Orleans Food Tour offers tours for small and large groups, as well as private tours.

Intrepid Urban Adventures

Intrepid Urban Adventures  employs a network of tour guides all over the world to host food-centric and other themed excursions in cities spanning every continent. In New Orleans, Intrepid Urban Adventures hosts a small tour that brings out the foodie in every Big Easy visitor. Meet your tour guide at Jackson Square, and then stop at four mouth-watering stops in the French Quarter. On this tour, the more famous eateries are cast aside in favor of New Orleans's hidden gem establishments. Enjoy dishes from restaurants that tourists otherwise would overlook if not for a knowledgeable, local guide to show them how to eat like a resident in The Quarter.

Intrepid Urban Adventures tour guides are full of energy and dedication to their city, and their passion is reflected in their tour. You'll learn historical facts about the French Quarter that many locals aren't even aware of. Even if you've lived in NOLA all your life, this tour makes for a worthwhile adventure for anyone who wants to learn about the famous heart of New Orleans while enjoying some unconventional eats.

Tastebud Food Tours

Whether you're on the hunt for a taste of the best seafood in the city, a strong and refreshing cocktail, or the most iconic flavors of Cajun and Creole cuisine, Tastebud Tours has you covered. The company offers seven distinct food tour options, as well as options for private tours and large group tours. Learn to craft three famous New Orleans cocktails and discover the history behind them with Tastebud Tour's cocktail class. Or, tour the famous foods of the French Quarter and enjoy a boozy bourbon brunch followed by a bourbon-focused cocktail class.

We recommend a seafood-centric tour that showcases the best fish dishes in the city. Visit the Court of Two Sisters, famous for its enticing brunch offerings and lively jazz accompaniment. You'll stop at Cornet Restaurant, home of the largest balcony in The Quarter, perfect for celebrating Mardi Gras and treating yourself to some fresh and steamy crawfish étouffée. Next, you'll visit New Orleans Creole Cookery, a NOLA staple offering chargrilled oysters and shrimp remoulade. These restaurants are steeped in history and contribute to the diverse culture that makes New Orleans such an enticing spot for travelers.

Nola Detours

Nola Detours  boasts off-the-beaten-path sightseeing — a tempting option for travelers who want to experience a city in all its glory. The company hosts backstage music tours, sight-seeing drives, haunted tours, and, most importantly, culinary excursions. Embark on a cocktail tour as you take in the view of the centuries-old city from the rooftop bar of the esteemed Royal Orleans Hotel — an experience that will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on every newcomer to New Orleans.

Choose Nola Detours' street food tour, where you'll be led to low-key spots that are usually only frequented by locals. Here, you can get the real Nawlins treatment. Experience some of the most authentic cuisine in the city, including a stop where guests can try alligator meat — a Louisiana delicacy . The tour is led by a former New Orleans restaurant owner, so you know you're getting first-hand knowledge and experience on the bayou fare that makes New Orleans a coveted culinary haven. As you scour the streets in anticipation of the next delicious treat, you'll visit the famous St. Louis Cathedral and other historical sites to check off your travel itinerary.

WeVenture Taste of Gumbo

If there's one dish in New Orleans that deserves a tour solely in its honor, it's gumbo. WeVenture  offers tours in top urban destinations around the country, including a New Orleans culinary tour with a heavy focus on the rich, savory, and controversial dish native to the distinctive city. No two gumbos are alike, which is why on this tour, visitors experience several variations of the acclaimed dish. Experience fresh seafood and veggies melded together thanks to an expertly prepared roux accompanied by a hearty scoop of rice, making it filling enough to grant it dinner status. You can then decide for yourself if you're team tomato in gumbo or prefer to pass on the tart flavor, and whether you prefer a light or dark roux .

On The Taste of Gumbo Tour, you'll meet your guide in Jackson Square and stroll through the French Quarter sampling various gumbos, each with a distinct style and made with different meats and seafood. Discover each immigrant culture's contributions to the gumbo recipe that we know and love today, and learn about all of the different styles of the dish throughout history. New Orleans's storied past is reflected in this iconic dish, so let WeVenture be your gourmet gumbo guru on this French Quarter quest.

New Orleans School of Cooking

Our list concludes with an unconventional and compelling tour experience. Learn to cook Louisiana's renowned dishes under the tutelage of skilled chefs. Fueled by a passion for the Cresent City and a love for the bounty of the Gulf Coast, the chefs of the New Orleans School of Cooking  delight in educating and entertaining tourists. You'll be given a brief history of the city as well as a list of fun facts and tidbits about the food before you witness it come to life before your eyes.

New Orleans School of Cooking offers cooking demonstrations where guests can witness first-hand the skill and expertise required for crafting NOLA's favorite dishes. For a more hands-on experience, guests can opt for a cooking demonstration and class. Here, you'll get to prepare from scratch a New Orleans staple meal with a highly skilled chef by your side to guide you through the fun and informative journey. After the class, sit down and enjoy a family-style meal over chatter about the New Orleans experience. This culinary adventure is bound to leave a lasting impression. Now that you've obtained the skill necessary to cook top-tier Louisiana fare, you can prepare the perfect meals for Mardi Gras back home to impress friends at a NOLA-themed party.

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Tampa Food Tour

• Presented By: Malio's Prime Steakhouse
• Dates: September 10, 2024 - May 27, 2025
• Time: 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
• 420 W Kennedy Blvd, Tampa, FL 33602
• Price: $98.00

Explore downtown Tampa’s amazing local independent restaurants on a guided walking food tour. Our Taste Ambassadors love telling Tampa Bay’s story and sharing amazing local restaurants amazing food and adult beverages. Join the delicious fun!.      

www.tampabayfoodtours.com

7 BEST Food Tours In Charleston For An Incredible Day

Are you looking for the best food tours in charleston you’ve landed in the perfect spot..

I’ve visited Charleston, South Carolina, many times, and I can confidently say the food scene is exceptional. From fresh seafood to comforting Southern dishes, the city offers a range of classics that will please your taste buds. 

Instead of wandering and guessing where to eat, the best way to experience it is to take a food tour. This lets you sample the best spots while gaining insights from a local expert.

The Best Food Tours In Charleston, South Carolina

Here are the top food tours in Charleston, promising a memorable vacation filled with delicious dishes you’ll crave for years.

Charleston Walking Food Tour

With over 800 five star reviews and the Viator Badge of Excellence, you can’t go wrong with this 3 hour food tour.

1. Charleston Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours

Secret Food Tours is known for offering top-notch food tours worldwide, and its Charleston Walking Food Tour is no exception. With tours in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, they know how to deliver an exceptional experience.

On this 3-hour tour, you can try famous dishes like Benne wafers, chicken bog, and she-crab soup. You’ll also see iconic landmarks like the United States Custom House and Charleston City Market while learning about Charleston’s history and how the city’s past has impacted its food scene.

What I love about this tour is that it includes classic Charleston dishes and a secret dish. It goes the extra mile with thoughtful surprises that set it apart from other tours.

2. Downtown Charleston Food Tour

Another excellent option for food tours throughout the city is this Downtown Charleston Food Tour. I appreciate that the tour is set in downtown Charleston, known for its vibrant mix of shops, restaurants, bars, and rich history.

During this 2.5-hour food tour, you’ll visit four different restaurants, spending about 30 minutes at each to sample their signature dishes. The tour also includes a chance to enjoy some dessert at the end. Over the course of the tour, you’ll explore Charleston’s historic French Quarter, learn about some of the area’s famous buildings, and get the chance to enjoy the low-country cuisine, making it an all-around great choice.

The Best Places to Eat in Nashville

3. undiscovered charleston: half-day food, wine & history tour with cooking class.

If you’re anything like me, this Undiscovered Charleston Tour is perfect with its blend of food, wine, and history—what more could you ask for? I love that this half-day food tour combines Charleston history, wine tastings, and the best local food. 

You’ll begin with the elements of a historical tour, with your knowledgeable tour guide giving you the lowdown on the history of Charleston and how the city’s past has influenced its cuisine. From there, you’ll enjoy a cooking demonstration by a famous local chef, Forrest Parker. Afterward, you’ll enjoy lunch paired with some wine. It’s an informative yet fun way to enjoy a few different aspects of the city rolled up into one four-hour tour. 

4. Charleston Upper King Street Food Tour

Upper King Street Historic District is one of the most popular areas in Charleston, known for its divine restaurants. This awesome 2.5-hour tour will guide you to four different restaurants and allow you to savor an array of Charleston staples. 

A few standout features of this tour are its focus on one area in Charleston, giving you insider tips and a deep dive into the Upper King Street district’s history. You will also sample some of the city’s best restaurants. Plus, I love that the tour is limited to a maximum of 8 people, making it a more intimate experience.

5. Charleston Private Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours

You already know that I love tours run by Secret Food Tours. What sets this one apart is that it’s a private tour. You can book for one person or up to a group of twelve. This is a great option for families or large groups who want a more catered experience between themselves and the guide. 

Throughout the three-hour and 30-minute tour, you’ll be able to savor and learn about dishes like grits, fried green tomatoes, and much more. It’s the perfect experience for those wanting a personalized experience while still gaining insights from a local expert on one of the best foodie cities in the United States.

6. Charleston Walking Brunch Tour With Secret Food Tours

I don’t brunch often, but when I do, I love to go all out. The Charleston Walking Brunch Tour is perfect for such occasions. On this three-hour tour, you’ll explore Upper King Street and the best places to enjoy quiches, pancakes, sweet tea, and more sample tastings of the best brunch food in Charleston.

This unique tour focuses on brunch instead of the typical lunch and dinner. It’s great for those who want delicious food and a different experience. If you love brunch, you can’t miss learning about Charleston’s classic dishes and top brunch spots.

7. Savor The Flavors Of Charleston Walking Food Tour

The Savor The Flavors Of Charleston Walking Food Tour is another excellent choice for those wanting to discover South Carolina classics. This 2.5-hour tour lets you taste Southern staples like collard greens, Southern pralines, barbecue, and more. It’s a concise tour that offers a taste of the state’s renowned dishes while providing insights into Charleston’s food scene and origins. 

Since it’s shorter than some other tours on this list, it focuses on tasting the food and learning about its history rather than exploring the city’s history and landmarks. This makes it a great option for a short, food-centric experience.

Food Tours In Charleston FAQs:

Keep diving in below as I answer several questions about Charleston’s culinary scene. 

What is Charleston best known for food?

Charleston’s best-known foods are biscuits, she-crab soup, oysters, shrimp and grits, and okra. 

What food should you not miss in Charleston SC?

You should not miss Southern classics and seafood in Charleston, SC. Some of the best include biscuits, shrimp and grits, fried okra, cornbread, oysters, she-crab soup, and crab cakes.

What dessert is Charleston, SC known for?

Charleston, SC, is known for its delicious pecan pie and carrot cake desserts. 

Final Thoughts On The Best Food Tours In Charleston, South Carolina

One of the best ways to learn about Charleston’s cuisine is to enjoy a food tour. This allows you to visit the top spots, try the most well-known dishes, and learn from a local expert along the way. 

While this list offers several options, I recommend the  Charleston Walking Food Tour with Secret Food Tours  if you still can’t decide which to choose. They do an excellent job showcasing the food scene, teaching you about top sights, and adding some delightful surprises. 

I hope this article helps you book your next Charleston tour!

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Charlotte’s beautiful downtown, known as Uptown, celebrates arts and culture with numerous museums, galleries, and sculptures. There is also fascinating history to learn about, lovely parks to explore, and fantastic restaurants to enjoy! Join Taste Carolina and the Queen City’s best chefs and food artisans to sample and explore the heart and tastes of Uptown. On our Local to Charlotte, Rooted in North Carolina tour you will explore the flavors of Uptown on a guided walking tour of the city! You’ll visit several unique, independent restaurants to sample chef’s creations while learning about the history of the city and its culinary culture. This tour highlights locally sourced dishes made with artisan preparations and the city’s most delightful foodie discoveries. We also offer The Spirit of Charlotte tour; You will enjoy delicious and innovative food and drinks – and plenty of fun – on this high spirited walking tour of several unique Uptown restaurants! Each tasting is paired with a small cocktail, local beer, or wine. You’ll learn about the city along the way and will feel like a VIP at each restaurant! Register by going to our website at tastecarolina.com. Tours run every week, all year ’round. Custom corporate and private tours can be added by request for any weekday or weeknight.

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The Power of Food Product Sampling Tours

Matt Hamrin , February 8, 2023 / Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) / Food / Marketing Strategy

Let’s be honest. Everyone loves a free food sample, right? It’s free. It’s low risk. It’s a way to discover something new, something you might love. And from a brand standpoint, it’s a great way to get food products directly into people’s hands, mouths, and carts. And it works! Seventy-three percent (73%) of consumers said they were likely to buy a food product after trying it. Only 25% said the same thing about seeing a television commercial.

Need more proof points?

• Fifty-two percent ( 52% ) of moms said a free sample can be highly influential in getting them to try something new and different.
• Of the 65% of consumers purchasing a product or service promoted at an event or visit, 78% said having the opportunity to try it first influenced their purchase decision.
• Seventy-three percent (73%) of consumers replied, “product samples” when asked, “What would induce you to try a new product or brand?” ( Yankelovich )

And sure, we’re all familiar with the sample stand at the grocery store. But why not make that sample a full-fledged brand experience? We give you, the mobile product sampling tour .

Take your traditional food sampling station, and give it wheels

We’ve helped food brands like Black Label ®  and Natural Choice® meats execute cross-country mobile sampling tours, where free samples are handed out via food trucks. But more than that, we create an event-like atmosphere and an opportunity for a positive experience that can have a profound and measurable impact on products, brands, and sales. A handful of elements are key to a mobile sampling tour’s success:

• Stunningly wrapped, attention-grabbing vehicle
• Fun and engaging activation teams
• Interactive on-site experience
• Community engagement opportunities
• Social media amplification

And we take care of all that for you, and more. At MorganMyers , we execute sampling tours for new products or existing brands that are frozen, refrigerated or shelf stable. We’ve developed a streamlined, cost-effective, managed approach to engaging consumers where we can have the most impact. At the point of purchase.  At the grocery stores.

During the Black Label ® Food Sampling Tour, free Oven-Baked Egg Bites™ samples were distributed to healthcare workers.

During Illinois Soybean Association’s Soy Protein Food Sampling Truck Tour, free samples of food products made with soy were distributed. The tour also included interactive experiences for consumers such as a soy quiz.

Sampling tours create an impact that can be measured

• Number of samples distributed
• People who see the vehicle (impressions)
• Coupons distributed and redeemed
• In-store sales
• Longitudinal increase in sales showing conversion to loyal customer

Sampling tours are often combined with donations to local food banks where media is invited to highlight a brand’s commitment to having a local community impact.

To learn more about the difference a MorganMyers sampling tour can make for your brands, simply fill out this form or contact me directly at [email protected] .

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Food Tours Japan

Eat, Drink & Cook in Japan

Tokyo Food Tours: 12 Best Gourmet Travel Experiences

Taking a food tour in Tokyo is essential for any trip to Japan. With more Michelin-starred restaurants than anywhere else in the world, Tokyo is the world’s number one cuisine city.

For alternative Tokyo gourmet travel experiences, check out:

• Tsukiji Outer Market Tours – experience Tokyo’s atmospheric old fish market district
• Toyosu Market and Tuna Auction Tours – visit the world’s biggest seafood market
• Tokyo Ramen Tours – ramen tasting, eat like a local, vegan and luxury Wagyu beef experiences
• Sake Tasting and Brewery Tours – drink and learn about Japan’s famous sake
• Tokyo Cooking Classes – discover washoku (Japanese cuisine) hands-on

I’ve selected the 12 best Tokyo food tours; let’s dive straight in!

1. Tokyo Private & Personalised Local Food Tour

Flexible start times and meeting points for a tailored Tokyo food tour to suit your needs.

• Discover where the locals eat at markets, shops, street food stalls and restaurants
• Learn about Tokyo’s food and drink culture
• Taste new Japanese dishes and regional specialities
• Get insider recommendations on where to eat your favourite Japanese food
• Try unique flavoured Japanese soft drinks from a vending machine or convenience store
• Includes eight to ten food and drinks, a private and personalised experience, and a walking tour
• Location: Flexible – near your accommodation or a place suggested by your host
• Duration and start time: 3 hours, flexible – choose your own start time

Book Tokyo Personalised Food Tour >>

2. Best of Shibuya Walking Food Tour Tokyo

Get off the beaten track and experience Shibuya’s food and drink scene like a local.

• Eat Kobe wagyu beef skewers, okonomiyaki (savoury pancakes), assorted sushi and dessert
• Explore Shibuya’s hidden back alleys and visit restaurants away from tourists
• Wander through a department store food hall and be amazed at the variety of cuisine
• Sample delicacies from throughout Japan, including Osaka and Hiroshima
• Family-friendly Tokyo food tour starting at 1 pm or 4 pm
• Finish your trip with a newfound appreciation of Japan’s gastronomic culture
• Includes 10 dishes at five food stops, one drink, and a walking tour
• Location: Shibuya
• Duration and start time: 3 hours, 1pm and 4pm

3. Shinjuku Izakaya and Golden Gai Bar Tour in Tokyo

Explore the best of Shinjuku, from neon lights to charming restaurant-filled alleys to retro bars, on this incredible food and drink tour. Get ready to experience Japan’s classic casual culinary culture in the country’s most popular entertainment district.

Immerse yourself in Shinjuku’s legendary food and nightlife scene on this highly rated and excellent-value tour.

• Eat delicious yakitori (chicken skewers) in a historical old-Tokyo-style alleyway brimming with family-run restaurants
• Sample classic Japanese dishes at an izakaya (Japanese-style pub) and drink beer and sake with the locals
• Enjoy a drink and end your tour in Golden Gai—Tokyo’s bar-hopping mecca with hundreds of themed bars
• Experience the perfect mix of old and new Shinjuku with a fun and friendly atmosphere
• Includes: 6-8 food dishes, 3 alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks and a guided walking tour
• Location: Shinjuku
• Duration and start time: 3 hours, 5pm

4. Tokyo Ramen Tasting with a Local Ramen Guru

Ramen lovers will discover why it tastes so much better in Japan than your own country!

• Visit three ramen shops in different neighbourhoods of Tokyo
• Choose six mini bowls of ramen (around 1/4 to 1/3 of a standard ramen bowl) from 11 options
• Discover delicious light fish, curry and tonkotsu (pork bone broth) style soups
• Learn about the origin, types and preparation of ramen
• Eat ramen like a local with flavours you’ll never get at home
• Includes six min bowls of ramen and tour with a ramen expert (and blogger)
• Location: Nakameguro
• Duration and start time: 3 hours, 2pm and 7pm

Do you love ramen? Of course, you do! Check out my hand-picked selection of Tokyo’s best ramen tours .

5. Shinbashi Tokyo Food Tour at Night

Get off the beaten tourist track and discover one of Tokyo’s best evening food and drink spots.

• Stroll around a maze of backstreets sampling tasty food along the way
• Hang out with the locals as they relax after work
• Try foods like sashimi (raw fish), gyoza (dumplings), okonomiyaki (savoury pancakes) and more
• Savour local speciality yakitori (grilled chicken skewers)
• Includes around 15 dishes (including dessert), one drink and a walking tour
• Location: Shinbashi
• Duration and start time: 3 hours, 4.30pm

6. Tokyo Night Foodie Tour in Shinjuku

Discover two of Japan’s most iconic dishes and Tokyo’s food and drink culture on this exceptional tour . You’ll experience a different side of Shinjuku’s entertainment district, from hidden restaurants to classic spots.

Indulge yourself with sushi and wagyu beef on this fun and five-star-rated Tokyo foodie experience.

• Savour a delicious eight-piece set of seasonal sushi prepared omakase (I’ll leave it up to you) style by a professional chef
• Enjoy delightful cuts of Wagyu beef and learn the art of cooking Japanese-style yakiniku (grilled meat) BBQ
• Learn about Tokyo’s culinary culture and get travel tips from fun and friendly guides
• Experience Shinjuku’s vibrant Kabukicho red-light district for a drink or dessert
• Vegetarian course available when booking
• Includes: 8 pieces of seasonal sushi, a full yakiniku dinner, 2-3 drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), 1 dessert and a guided walking tour
• Duration and start time: 3.5 hours, 6pm

Book Tokyo Night Foodie Tour >>

7. Tokyo Bar Hopping Night Tour in Shinjuku

Get your Japan trip off to an amazing start with an introduction to Japan’s wonderful izakayas!

• Eat yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) at Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane) an old-style Tokyo alley
• Discover Tokyo’s local culinary and nightlife scene
• Try delicious Japanese food and meet new friends
• Visit three places (izakayas and bars) and see Shinjuku’s neon-lights
• Includes three food dishes and three drinks, and a walking tour
• Location: Shinjuku and Kabukicho
• Duration and start time: 3 hours; 5 pm, 6pm or 7pm

Book Shinjuku Food Tour >>

8. Shinjuku Drinks and Neon Nights Food Tour

Enjoy an evening of snacking and drinking around Shinjuku’s top spots with a local guide.

• Join the locals for happy hour at an izakaya
• Stroll through Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane), an alleyway famous for its yakitori (grilled chicken skewers)
• Discover Shinjuku’s red-light district Kabukicho with its colourful neon lights
• Drink at a classic Japanese-style tiny bar at Golden Gai
• Includes skewered food snacks, two drinks, and a walking tour
• Location: Shinjuku, Omoide Yokocho, Kabukicho, Golden Gai
• Duration and start time: 2.5 hours, 5.30pm

Book Shinjuku Neon Lights Tour >>

9. Shibuya Bar Hopping Night Food Tour in Shibuya

Meet new friends over Japanese cuisine and drinks on this fun food tour.

• Discover Shibuya after dark, including the nightlife street Dogenzaka
• Savour Japanese foods, like meat sushi, teppanyaki (grilled meat) and steak at Niku Yokocho (Meat Alley)
• Enjoy drinking beer, sake and whisky with the locals at izakayas and bars
• Relax and have fun while your guide helps you select from a recommended menu
• Includes three food dishes (enough for a full meal), four drinks, photos, and a walking tour
• Duration and start time: 3 hours, 6pm or 7pm

Book Shibuya Night Food Tour >>

10. Shinjuku Golden Gai Food Tour

Feast on fantastic food at izakayas (Japanese-style bars) on this highly-rated Tokyo walking night tour.

• Discover Omoide Yokocho (Memory Lane)  and eat yakitori (grilled chicken skewers)
• Visit Kabukicho red-light district and learn about the area
• Savour tonkotsu (pork bone broth) ramen
• Explore Golden Gai with the world’s highest number of bars per square metre
• Includes four food stops (including sushi, ramen and yakitori), one drink and a walking tour
• Location: Shinjuku, Kabukicho and Golden Gai

Book Shinjuku Izakaya Experience >>

11. Eat and Drink Like a Local Tour: Tokyo Izakaya and Ramen

Enjoy a unique, authentic, entertaining Tokyo food and drink experience with a fun-loving and experienced guide.

• Explore izakaya (Japanese-style pub) and tachinomiya (standing bar) culture at hidden spots
• Savour classic, delicious izakaya food like sashimi, grilled fish, various meats and ramen
• Enjoy at least four different Japanese drinks, including beer and sake
• Visit 2-3 izakaya and standing bars and end your evening local-style at a ramen restaurant
• Includes: A full meal of food including ramen, 4 (or more!) alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks, a walking tour and a souvenir
• Location: Ueno
• Duration and start time: 3 hours, 3pm and 7pm

Book Tokyo Like a Local Tour >>

12. Tokyo After 5 Food Tour

Savour local favourites and Japanese food on this highly-rated tour.

• Eat yakitori (grilled chicken skewers) from a street stall
• Enjoy monjayaki (savoury pancake) in the neighbourhood where it’s from
• Visit a confectionery shop in Ginza and try a sweet
• Wash down your food with Japanese sake or beer
• Learn about Tokyo’s eclectic food culture from an expert guide
• Includes five assorted chicken skewers, savoury pancake, sweets, two drinks, public transport and walking tour
• Location: Ginza, Tsukishima and Yurakucho

Book Tokyo Night Food Tour >>

And for something a bit different, why not try the…

Tokyo Robot Evening Cabaret Show

Each entertaining show features fun – and sometimes campy – performances full of flashing lights, taiko drums and techno music. See glitzy girls dance with a giant panda, dinosaurs, ninjas and (of course) robots on stage!

Save money with our Robot Restaurant discount tickets and price comparison.

Price increase effective December 17th - Day & After Hours Tour

• Most Popular

Taste of Thomasville Tour

Quick details.

• Hour Glass Duration: 3 hours
• User Ages: 4+ years
• An easy 1.2-mile walk through downtown Thomasville
• Sample of a variety of award-winning foods
• “Quail hunt” through downtown

Enjoy a Taste of Southern Hospitality!

Experience true southern hospitality through history, culture, and architecture. But best of all, experience Thomasville through food. As we walk through downtown Thomasville, taste several state and national award-winning foods not often found in small towns.

As you stroll among the brick streets, get an understanding of why Thomasville was voted #2 Best Small Town in the USA by USA Today!

You’ll also learn what makes each food stop so special to the town as well as the whole of Georgia, and why thousands of people came here during the Victorian Era.

And of course, no trip to Thomasville is complete without a trip to see one of the oldest live oak east of the Mississippi River…The Big Oak! A great way to experience true southern hospitality through history, culture, architecture, and award-winning food.

Escape the big city busyness and experience the small-town atmosphere that Thomasville has to offer.

Where to Meet

• Tours will meet at the Thomasville Visitor’s Center Courtyard, 144 E. Jackson St .
• Guests can park in the Municipal Building Parking Lot. Go to Crawford Street and Jackson St. Turn towards the Municipal Building. Go past the fire station and turn right into the parking lot. Parking is free.

What to Know

• Special diets can be accommodated
• We dine rain or shine
• Tour includes enough food for a large lunch
• Photography encouraged, and please share your photos!
• Chevron down Restaurants We Visit

Jonah’s Shrimp and Grits Sample a bowl full of shrimp and grits that were featured in Southern Living.

Sweetgrass Dairy Cheese Shop A taste of two of American Cheese Society award-winning cheeses that are made in Thomasville.

George and Louis’ Seafood A Greek restaurant with a little southern flair. Sample their fried green tomatoes, crabcakes, and a true Greek salad that are considered two of Georgia’s Best 100 Bites.

Moonspin Pizza A true pizzeria that serves a pizza on a sourdough crust, with sausage that comes from a 100-year-old store that makes and smokes their own meats.

Grassroots Coffee A small-batch roasting facility, where they roast coffee twice a week. Sample fresh French pressed coffee and cold brew coffees from different parts of the world.

Marie’s Kakes Marie’s signature butter cookies in the shape of Georgia and Thomasville marked with a heart. The cookies are both delicious and beautiful!

Related Food Tours

• User 18+ years
• Hour Glass 3 hours

Taste of Thomasville After Hours Tour

Enjoy this evening walking tour through downtown Thomasville, where you’ll sample food at unique restaurants, complemented by beverage pairings.

• User All ages
• Hour Glass 2 hours

Victorian Sweet Treats Tour

This is a holiday tour! Come experience what Christmas might have been like during the Victorian Era through sweets and drinks with your Victorian-dressed guide.

How to Find an Ethical, Authentic Food Tour

Marisel Salazar is a New York-based food, travel, and lifestyle writer and host. She has worked extensively with restaurants and chefs.

Rocío Vazquez Landeta takes a small group of travelers through the colorful, dahlia-lined streets of Jamaica, the local flower market in Mexico City , after loading up on café de olla and pan dulce in Condesa. They sample carnitas, fruit, corn, freshly made tortillas, mole, and warm chicharrón while taking in the perfume-scented streets and lush bouquets spilling from the market's stalls.

Vázquez Landeta's tours feature Indigenous food, like mixiote , a pre-Hispanic dish from the state of Hidalgo that is made by wrapping goat and beef with agave leaves and seasoned with chiles. It is a family recipe from local Indigenous cook Don César. Guests might try insects that belong to Mexico’s Aztec heritage and quesadillas from Lerma de Villada made by Doña Bertha, an Indigenous woman who has managed the same stall for 45 years in La Merced Market . The aforementioned coffee on the tour comes from a tiny Indigenous community in the Oaxacan mountains.

“Our food in Mexico is a mix of Indigenous and Spanish ingredients—we cannot separate both cultures," explained Vázquez Landeta. "Chicken, beef, pork, [and] goats all came from Spain, and both cultures are mixed together to create our dishes, so basically, the food we eat today was created in the 1500s and 1600s after the conquest,”

Tours like Vázquez Landeta's have become a fun and popular activity for travelers to book on vacation, offering a chance to discover a new place through its cuisine. But not all are created equal. How do travelers know they're booking a food tour that provides an authentic look at the destination's food scene while also refraining from whitewashing a destination's colonial past?

For travelers who want to be mindful and learn ways they can avoid booking food tours that are inauthentic (or run by companies that are not highlighting or giving back to native communities), we spoke with local food tour operators on examples of red flags, things that travelers should watch out for while on a food tour, and signs of an unethical experience—but also who is doing it right .

Do your research and ask questions—but also read between the lines.

Try to find locally owned tours from small companies. Although this may require a little bit of digging, it’s worth reading the prospective food tour’s owned website, checking their information and social media platforms if available, seeing if they are actually doing what they say they do, and searching for any published press. Also, send them an email and ask questions outright.

If you do choose to send a message, what questions should you ask? Ask if the owners and the vendors on the tour are local to the area and what their ethical practices are. Now is also the time to ask about anything important to you.

“Asking questions is key, and you’ll find a lot of unethical companies don't even take the time to reply or reply with evasive answers,” said Vázquez Landeta.

Avoid booking through large travel platforms.

While super convenient for booking flights and hotels, avoid booking food tours through platforms.

Brian Bergy of Lost Plate , a food tour company that runs tours in Portland, China, and Cambodia, says: “Don’t book on third-party sites where you can’t really see what the company is all about." (All of Lost Palate's tours in China are led by Bergy’s wife, who is native Chinese, and their guides, who are all of Chinese heritage.)

“They usually take 30 percent commission making it very difficult for companies to make a profit, pay good wages, and give you quality service,” Vázquez Landeta added.

Read the reviews.

If available, check out the reviews the way you would a restaurant or a movie. You can learn a lot from previous guests’ experiences. Bergy suggests looking at the photos that guests post on those reviews and at the food portions—it will be pretty easy to tell the difference between simple samples and the real deal.

“Lots of food tour companies visit big popular restaurants or local chains, and many only provide a small sample at each restaurant. This means they are probably getting the sample for free from the restaurant in order to encourage guests to come back later (or post about them on social media),” said Bergy.

Instead, you want to look for food tours that visit small, locally-owned restaurants—the kind where the owners are there every day and are likely the ones making and serving the food.

Check the price.

Vetting the price of your food tour before booking is a tell-tale sign of whether or not your food tour is playing fair, Vázquez Landeta explained.

"Really cheap tours tend to be abusive with the community, rely on discounts or commissions from the vendors, and they need to have big groups to make a profit," she told TripSavvy. "Big groups are very damaging for the places you visit; they disrupt local life and create conflicts within the community."

Opt for locally-owned and operated.

While many companies may seem local online, the owners may be from another country or belong to a bigger international company. Investigate to see where your food tour operator and the vendors on their planned tour come from.

Everybody from Vázquez Landeta's Eat Like a Local is local to Mexico or Mexico City. Vázquez Landeta was born and raised in Mexico City, as were her mother, father, and grandparents. She only hires women from Mexico City, specifically, and all the vendors she visits are locals—the majority of whom are second or third-generation Indigenous immigrants from elsewhere in Mexico who came to the city seeking better opportunities.

Local vendors are an absolute requirement for Vázquez Landeta, who aims to keep tourism money within the community. Since most of the stalls in the markets are owned by Indigenous people, Vázquez Landeta naturally leans towards them.

Find a tour that gives back.

Eat Like a Local charges extra fees to pay to their vendors above their products’ price, social programs for girls from the markets, English lessons, sex education, career programs, cultural programs, and gastronomic programs. Vázquez Landeta's tours also feed homeless people from the area—whoever approaches while on tour gets to eat what the group is eating.

While most tour companies rely on discounts, free stuff, or kickbacks, Vázquez Landeta believes tourism should be a source of economic growth for the city. “If a product is worth 2 pesos, we pay 20 pesos," she said. "This way, tourism money goes straight to the community, improving their lives and incomes. But we don’t give away money—we teach them that their time, knowledge, and service are worth something, and we are paying for that on top of their product price.”

Eat Like a Local gives back to the community in more ways than financial support. Pre-pandemic, they hosted free tours for local senior citizens to interact with others and get to know the city better, and Vázquez Landeta also collected money to rebuild several vendors' stalls at La Merced Market after a devastating fire.

Long-term vendor relationship development is important.

Ask your prospective food tour how long they have worked with the selected vendors or artisans featured in their tours.

"Most of the vendors have been in my life for a long time, way before I started doing tours," explained Vázquez Landeta. "We work with a limited number of vendors because we believe making a deep impact is better than giving a little here and a little there. We want to actually change their income and their way of living by providing extra money constantly each month."

Bergy added that many food tour companies don’t even know the restaurant owners at the places they visit—they just show up. Or, other times, they visit during off-peak hours and negotiate with the restaurant to provide free samples, so the tour company doesn’t need to pay anything for the food.

"A small owner-operated vendor is very unlikely to be able to provide services like this," he added.

Give a self-guided tour a go.

Don’t love being with a bunch of strangers, feeling like a tourist, or spending a lot of money on a small amount of food?

There are many (legitimate) reasons why travelers might want to opt for a self-guided tour instead of a group tour, said Adria Saracino of The Emerald Palate, a Seattle-based, woman-owned travel planning and food tour company that offers self-guided Seattle food tours .

Similar to reasons echoed by Bergy, Saracino advocates going to restaurants directly so that there is no middleman cut, requests for discounts, or doing anything to put them at a disadvantage, like having to give small samples.

"It's a problem in the food tour industry of tours trying to get discounts from restaurants for 'driving business,'" explained Saracino. "This is one of the reasons I went the self-guided route. Especially during the pandemic, this kind of behavior is really hurtful to an industry with already small margins."

A planned self-guided tour, like the ones offered by The Emerald Palate, takes the best parts of a food tour—a local's perspective of what to eat, stories of the businesses, and an itinerary—and removes the least desirable parts of a group tour.

"That means people can explore each neighborhood at their own pace, avoid tourists, and pay the restaurants directly while feeling confident they're learning about the best spots, not just the ones open to hosting a large group,” she said.

Explore BIPOC and minority-led and focused food tours.

There are many minorities and people part of the BIPOC community that rely on tourism as a main source of income in their respective countries or regions. Having BIPOC-led or minority-focused tours is important because they acknowledge their heritage and the original settlers of the territories. 

“Alongside the financial aspect, these people are the original inhabitants of many of the places we visit, so supporting them also means preserving traditions, culture, and jobs for a given group,” said Karla Zenteno, a tour leader based in Mexico who guides a variety of food tours like the Mexico Real Food Adventure through Intrepid Travel. On Zenteno’s tour, travelers are able to gain insight into the culture and cuisine of the Indigenous Zapotec people when they join a Zapotecan family for a traditional lunch in their home. 

What might be some of the repercussions of not supporting minority or BIPOC communities? Gentrification, in a negative sense, and even erasing or not recognizing entire communities. Eduardo Arocho is the owner of Paseo Boricua Tour Co. , in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood that highlights Puerto Rican restaurants. (Chicago has the second-largest population of Puerto Ricans outside of Puerto Rico.)

“For many decades I would look at Chicago tourism maps and brochures that were filled with restaurants and sites in downtown and surrounding gentrified areas, yet those same maps and brochures showed my neighborhood blank and empty. As if we didn't exist," said Arocho. "Even though we had restaurants, art galleries, and cultural centers. So the first thing I did when I started my company was to hire a local Puerto Rican artist to create a map (treasure-map style) full of color of my neighborhood where I was able to include all the restaurants, businesses, and cultural spaces that would otherwise not be included in Chicago tour maps and brochures."

Zenteno further explains that having a non-BIPOC-led tour is like having a foreigner performing a job that might have been a family tradition, like a fisherman owning a boat and taking people out to sea; ultimately, it has the potential to lead to the slow bereavement or divestment of an entire community. 

On a BIPOC-led and focused tour, travelers are able to immerse more deeply within the culture and the history of the place that they are visiting from someone who has a lived experience perspective. 

“Non-BIPOC tours tend to be a more diluted version of history, looking at the past of the neighborhood as nostalgic. Basically, if we (BIPOC) don't tell our story, no one else will tell our story. Nor would they be legitimately qualified to tell our story,” said Arocho.

What to Watch Out For

The signs of an inauthentic tour go beyond playing digital detective. After you’ve super-sleuthed to the best of your abilities and selected your tour, interact with the vendors during your experience, observe, and ask them questions.

Checking to see how the food vendors treat you is a good indicator. Does your tour operator know the names of the vendors and introduce them to you? Are they familiar with them? How are their interactions? You should be allowed to interact with the vendors and locals during your tour: Many unethical tour companies don't like local people or vendors talking and approaching the tourists, explained Vázquez Landeta.

“If they seem happy to see you but put in all the stops to try to sell you something, that's because they are not getting paid and need to make an income from sales,” she added. Conversely, if your guide takes you to places for shopping, this usually means that they don’t get paid enough and need to make money from craft shops.

Another indicator is to see how many tourists are at the places you are visiting: “If you only see tourists, you are at a tourist trap made just for travelers, and that probably has unfair practices.”

Saracino says to look out for whether the tour is getting a commission or some benefit for bringing you to a certain place, giving guests an inauthentic experience.

“Some tours only work with stops that are easy to work with, whether that's catering to larger groups or being easy on the palate," she explained. "This is another reason I opted for self-guided, as I wanted people to get my honest recommendations without any kickbacks, not my third-tier recommendations based on operational factors."

Finally, be nosy! If you speak the language, ask the vendor (or the guide themselves) how they get paid, how they are treated, and if the company they work for is fair to them.

Vázquez Landeta explains that vendors or tour guides won't spontaneously talk about the negative things, so your curiosity is key. Ask them, and you´ll find out if the company you booked is ethical or not.

"When we visit the markets and the stalls, we talk about their story, how they arrived here, the origin of the dish they sell, and how difficult it is to make it, in a way that people understand their background," she said. "For me, understanding is crucial to have a more tolerant, sympathetic society.”

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New England Wanderlust

Massachusetts  ·  February 27, 2023

13 Best Boston Food Tours In 2024 (And Why You’ll LOVE Them!)

I think Boston is one of the most exciting foodie cities in the U.S., so doing a food tour during your visit is honestly such a great idea!

Not only do they offer incredible value and insider info on all the best places to eat, you’ll get to sample some of the best food around the city in a short amount of time. It’s the perfect way to introduce yourself to Bean Town, or dive in a bit deeper for repeat visitors.

This post is all about my picks for the best Boston food tours to add to your itinerary, and I’m here to make it easier for you to choose the best tours for your plans and preferences! So, are you ready? Let’s get started!

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DON’T HAVE TIME TO READ THE WHOLE POST? DON’T WORRY – I’VE GOT YOU COVERED! My Top 3 picks for the best Boston food tours are : 1. North End Pizza & History Food Tour (4.5/5⭐️) 2. North End & Public Market Tour (5/5⭐️) 3. Brewery Tour With Lunch or Dinner (5/5⭐️)

What Food Is Boston Most Famous For?

First thing’s first, it’s a good idea to know what food Boston is most famous for before you decide which tour is best for you. And because it’s a city, you could argue that pretty much all cuisine shines here, but there are definitely two types of food that are going to stand out in Boston:

🍝 Italian and 🦞 Seafood !

Between the 1850s and early 1900s, a large population of Italians immigrated to Boston via the Port of Boston, and many of them settled in the North End. Now, the North End is famous for charming and historic streets, and … you guessed it – Italian food! If you love Italian cuisine, this is where you should go (or take your tour!).

And of course, seafood is another star of the Boston food scene simply because of its location on the coast. Menus all across the city will feature fresh seafood from coastal towns like Wellfleet, Chatham, Ipswich, Nantucket and more . In particular, if you see Wellfleet or Chatham oysters, Nantucket scallops or Maine lobster on the menu, you’ll definitely want to consider ordering those!

Best Boston Food Tours To Add To Your Itinerary

Okay, now that you know what types of cuisine Boston is known for, let’s jump into the best food tours! I’ve broken them all down into sections, including the best North End tours , this awesome seafood tour , tours that highlight local beers , this special sweets tour and even food cruises .

Awesome North End Food Tours In Boston

If it’s your first time to Boston, I suggest starting with any tour that features the North End . As mentioned above, this is an iconic neighborhood for Italian cuisine, and while it may seem strange to go all-in on Italian food in Boston, it’s honestly worth it for the history and stories along the way (and, of course, incredible bites!).

1. North End Pizza & History Walking Tour

Tour Highlights:

• 4.5/5⭐️ rating with over 600 reviews !
• Over 2 hours long.
• 3 slices of pizza and 1 cannoli included.
• Bottled water included.
• Stops at iconic historic sites.

“Amazing tour that included some great north end pizza. We also got to skip the line everywhere we went which was nice. The food was great, but equally as fun were the historical sites we visited and the knowledge our guide Scotty shared with us. He was the man. 10/10.” – JORDAN (more reviews )

If you love pizza, then this North End Pizza & History tour is the perfect one for you! In fact, the reason I love this tour is because it highlights the iconic North End, pizza (which I personally love ) and also infuses a bit of history into the experience.

During the tour, you’ll sample some of the best pizza in Boston, stop at some of the most famous historic sites along the Freedom Trail, and also includes a stop for an authentic cannoli.

🍕 Click here to check out the North End Pizza & History Walking Tour!

2. Hidden Gems North End Food Tour

• 4.9/5⭐️ rating with over 60 reviews!
• 2 hours long.
• Includes pizza, fresh bread, meats and cheeses, pastries, and coffee at North End hidden gems!
• Local history and historic site stops.

“The tour was amazing … our guide Tim was full of energy and has so much history about Boston and made the time fly by! We hit some cool hidden spots that we are going back to so we can have a full meal. We loved it. So thankful we went!” – JOHN MICHAEL (more reviews )

This North End Hidden Gems Tour is perfect for those wanting to explore the North End, love pizza, want to visit hidden gems in the neighborhood, learn some history, and sample some delicious meats and cheeses along the way.

This tour begins along the waterfront (can’t beat that!), and then meanders through the North End to take you to a hidden Italian bakery for some incredible bread, an authentic Italian salumeria, a traditional Italian cafe and even some amazing pizza.

This tour also stops at some of the best historic sites along the way!

🍕 Click here to check out this cool Hidden Gems North End Food Tour!

3. Food, Freedom Trail & North End Walking Tour

• 5/5⭐️ rating, with over 800 reviews!
• 5-hour long in-depth tour.
• Samples of pizza, bread, meats, cheese and pastries along the way.
• Deeper dive into historic stops along the Freedom Trail.
• Site seeing at the Public Gardens, too!

“The tour felt like we were just eating our way through Boston with a friend. I would recommend this tour to anyone who is visiting for the first time or if you’re in the mood to be shown some amazing eats. 10/10 experience.” – JOHN (more reviews )

Another incredible food and history tour combined, this Food, Freedom Trail & North End Tour experience takes you to some of the best food spots in the North End, as well as a deeper dive into historic sites throughout the city. If you also wanted to visit the Freedom Trail during your visit to Boston, this is an awesome tour to consider!

🍞 Click here to check out this fun Food, Freedom Trail & North End Walking Tour!

4. North End & Seafood Tasting Tour

• 4.6/5⭐️ rating, with over 50 reviews!
• 3 hours long.
• Variety of foods, including Italian dishes and seafood.
• Historic stops along the way.

“This tour was great. The food was super fabulous and a great array of different types of food that reflect the city were offered – not to mention plenty of it! Anyhow, our guide was very knowledgeable and so with our delicious meals, we also got some history too. I highly recommend this tour. Definitely worth it.” – More reviews here

Combining the best hidden gems in the North End with delicious seafood, this North End & Seafood Tour offers the best of both culinary worlds in Boston!

This tour also offers the most food and diverse selection of most other tours on this list, and includes sampling pizza, a unique Italian sandwich, cannoli, roasted nuts, pasta, craft beer and a special seafood treat! You’ll definitely leave this tour sufficiently stuffed.

🦞 Click here to check out this exciting Seafood & Secret North End Food Tour!

5. North End Public Market Tour

• 5/5⭐️ rating, with over 100 reviews!
• 3 hour long.
• Unique opportunity to visit the best vendors at Boston’s exciting public markets, one of which is the oldest outdoor market in the country!
• Lots of food samples on this tour, including chowder at the Union Oyster House.

“Our tour guide, Audrey, was fantastic! This was one of our favorite tours. Loved all the food we got to eat and all the history behind the North End including the stories behind the local restaurants. We highly recommend this tour. A must do if you are visiting Boston!” – Taren (more reviews )

This Public Market Tour is perfect for those wanting to taste their way through the North End, and also get the inside scoop on the best vendors at the Boston Public Market (and Haymarket Market on Fridays and Saturdays!).

During this tour, you’ll sample most of the North End Italian cuisine at the Public Markets, which is a unique and fun twist on exploring the North End. The culinary expert guide will also show you the best vendors to sample all kinds of others foods and treats. You’ll also swing by the oldest, continuously-operating restaurant in the country for an awesome cup of chowder, and stop at a few historic sites along the way.

🥣 Click here to check out this fun North End Public Market Tour!

Best Cooking Class In Boston

6. italian cooking class with wine & tiramisu.

• 4.5/5⭐️ rating, with over 40 reviews!
• 3-hour long class.
• Learn how to make authentic pasta from scratch, including ravioli and tortellini.
• Wine, snacks and appetizers included.
• Main entree included (often chicken marsala).

“Fun times had by everyone! Great to do for any occasion. The food was amazing and the staff was attentive and interactive!” – Jennifer (more reviews here )

Okay, so I know that a cooking class isn’t exactly a tour, but this one is just too much fun to not mention! And since it focuses on Italian cuisine and led by a chef, it’s a wonderful experience to consider in Boston.

During this class, you’ll be preparing an entire Italian meal, including how to make different pastas from scratch. And the best part? Wine is included! I mean, it’s not really an authentic Italian cooking experience unless there’s wine, right? 🙂

Once you’ve done all the cooking, you’ll sit down to enjoy this incredible meal with new friends you’ve made during the class.

🍝🍷 Click here to check out this very fun Italian Cooking Class With Wine!

The Best Seafood Tour In Boston

7. seafood tasting tour.

• 5/5⭐️ rating!
• 2.5 hours long.
• Delicious lobster roll, clam chowder included, and more depending on what’s fresh that day!
• Expert tips on where to eat during the rest of your trip.
• Historical stops along the way.

“Great time! Our guide Lucy was very knowledgeable, friendly, and personable. We learned a lot about Boston and the history of the restaurants we visited. The food was fantastic … “ – See more reviews )

If you’re just here for the seafood, this is the best option! This tour perfectly combines a bit of Boston’s history with a visit to some of the best seafood restaurants in the city, as well as a stroll through Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall .

You’ll definitely be munching on a delicious lobster roll and cup of New England clam chowder during this tour, as well as sampling lots of other fresh seafood during each stop (possibilities include local oysters, clams and scallops!).

🦪🦞 Click here to check out this awesome Seafood Tasting Tour in Boston!

Scenic Food Cruises In Boston

One of the best way to enjoy Boston is by heading out on the water – it is a coastal city, after all. And taking a food cruise is an awesome way to sample the local cuisine while also enjoying views of the city’s skyline. Here are my picks for the best scenic food cruises in Boston!

8. Spirit Of Boston Lunch Cruise

• 4.4/5⭐️ rating, with over 80 reviews!
• 2-hours long.
• All you can eat buffet.
• DJ entertainment.
• Incredible outdoor deck for the best views of Boston!
• Dietary restrictions can be specified.

“The staff was amazing! The food was delicious, and the music was great!!! It was an amazing experience and I cannot wait to do it again!” – MARIALI (see more reviews )

For a memorable lunch experience, the Spirit of Boston Lunch Cruise is an awesome choice! You’ll cruise along the harbor for 2 hours with an unlimited buffet and DJ entertainment while you enjoy amazing views of the city’s skyline.

The boat has indoor and outdoor seating, and the upper deck is the perfect place for your post-lunch relaxation out on the water.

🛳 Click here to check out this scenic Spirit Of Boston Lunch Cruise!

9. Boston Harbor Gourmet Brunch Tour

• 4.5/5⭐️ rating!
• An unlimited brunch buffet serving quiche, bacon, fresh fruit, and lots more.
• Cruise along the harbor in a 1920s style yacht.
• Additional drinks like mimosas can be purchased for an additional fee.

“The food was delicious! The boat experience while learning the state’s history was just amazing!!” – BIANCA (see more reviews )

Looking for more of a brunch experience? Then this Scenic Brunch Cruise is perfect for you! Enjoy the same incredible views of Boston’s skyline from the water while you cruise around and enjoy a delicious brunch.

🛳 Click here to check out this scenic Boston Harbor Gourmet Brunch Tour!

The Most Exciting South End Food Tour

10. eclectic sweet & savory south end tour.

• 5/5⭐️ rating, with over 50 reviews!
• 3-3.5 hours long.
• Lots of food samples from various cuisines (as well as tips from your expert guide!).
• History and architecture facts along the way.

“Katie was a dynamite guide who made history interesting and tasting new foods adventurous. Thoroughly enjoyed!” – BETH (read more reviews )

Okay, so I know I’ve talked a lot about the North End, but the South is also not to be missed during your trip to Boston. A melting pot of cuisine, this neighborhood is exciting to visit, and this Sweet & Savory food tour will take you to all the best places – probably spots you wouldn’t have discovered on your own.

You’ll try things like Venezuelan appetizers, and also mix in a few sweet treats along the way!

🧁 Click here to check out cool Sweet & Savory South End Tour!

The Sweetest Food Tour In Boston

11. underground donut tour.

• 5/5⭐️ rating, with over 250 reviews!
• Samples of donuts from the best spots in the city.
• North End stroll and some history included!
• A visit to the Boston Public Market for cider and donuts.
• Coffee and/or tea included.

“This was probably the best decision we made for our Anniversary trip to Boston. I wanted something unique but yummy for our trip … Our guide made the tour fun and ight …Kudos to you for creating such a unique experience!” – DEVAN (see more reviews )

This Underground Donut Tour is perfect for those looking to satisfy their sweet tooth while in Boston while also getting the inside scoop on where the absolute best donuts are!

You’ll visit one of the oldest bakeries in the North End , and get a little history during your walk there. You’ll also get to walk through the Public Market for expert tips on the best vendors to visit, as well as get a donut sample from a booth you may have missed if you were on your own .

🍩 Click here to check out this sweet Underground Donut Tour!

Coolest Drink Tours In Boston

It’s hard to not talk about food tours in Boston without sharing the options for awesome beer tours! Boston has a long history with beers and taverns (I mean, does the Cheers bar ring a bell!?). Here are my picks for the best beer/tavern tours in Boston!

12. Boston Brewery Tour With Lunch Or Dinner

• 5-hour, in-depth tour!
• Round-trip transportation around the city included.
• Awesome pub-style lunch or dinner included (depending on the time you book).
• Expert-led tastings, so you drink only the best and coolest brews at each stop.
• Behind-the-scenes looks at some of the breweries to learn about the process.

“Amazing!! Our tour guide Liam was fantastic. Had us laughing from start to finish and kept the whole group upbeat. The tour itself was great and such good value for money. Would definitely recommend for all beer enthusiasts. It was well structured and very interesting. A must do while in Boston!” – KATIE (see more reviews )

For beer enthusiasts, this Boston Brewery Tour is an incredible experience and value . Not only do they do all the driving to some of the best breweries in the city, your expert guide will share the history of each stop, and guide you through all the exciting brews they’ve concocted.

This tour includes tastings of some awesome ciders, too!

🍺 Click here to check out this very cool Boston Brewery Tour!

13. Ye Olde Tavern Tour

• Walk along the Freedom Trail and visit some of the most historic taverns to sample beers.
• Maximum of 12 people per group.

We had so much fun learning about the freedom trail while hanging out in a few of America’s oldest pubs. Brooke was an amazing guide with loads of history to share with us. She kept us all interested and entertained.

“Great time, Brooke was our tour guide (also the owner of the company) and she was upset passionate, energetic and engaging! Great history alongside great drinks and a great time! 10/10 would recommend!” – MATT (SEE MORE REVIEWS )

This Ye Olde Tavern Tour is the perfect choice for those who love great beer and history! The tour walks along part of the Freedom Trail and offers fun history narration, and also stops at some of the country’s oldest taverns , where you’ll get to sample their brews.

Basically, think of it as the coolest pub crawl where you’ll learn a lot, too!

🍺 Click here to check out the Ye Olde Tavern Tour!

Are Boston Food Tours Worth It?

Absolutely! In fact, depending on how long you’re in Boston, it may even be worth it to do 2 tours. A North End tour combined with something different like a scenic food cruise tour, or the fun cooking class would be an amazing way to really get a feel for the culinary scene.

Tips For Your Boston Food Tour!

• Wear comfy shoes! Sneakers will be ideal. Boston is a pretty casual city anyway, and most tours on this list head over to the North End, where there are historic (meaning, uneven!) cobblestone and brick sidewalks. Sturdy and comfy shoes are a must.
• Come hungry! I know it seems this goes without saying, but most food tours will equal an entire meal. Be sure to read the description to find out how much food you’ll be eating, and come hungry enough for it!
• Bring a reusable water bottle if your tour doesn’t provide drinks or bottled water. Some do, but it’s best to check and come prepared.
• Don’t hesitate to ask questions on your tour! The guides are local experts, and they love sharing their knowledge on the food scene in Boston. Don’t hesitate to raise your hand and get all your questions answered. I also highly suggest asking where to eat during the rest of your trip because they’ll have awesome off-the-beaten-path recommendations!

You may also enjoy these posts:

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• Best New England Gifts & Souvenirs To Look For On Your Trip
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• Fun Things To Do In Boston In The Fall

That’s A Wrap On The Best Boston Food Tours!

And there you have it – all my picks for the absolute best Boston food tours to consider adding to your itinerary. With so many incredible options, it may seem hard to even choose what I’ve narrowed down on this list. But just know that whichever you choose is going to provide a memorable (and delicious!) experience.

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For Tickets or Support Call +1 480 620 4047 

• Private Tours

• Book This Tour

Private Tours available

From corporate events and team building, to destination weddings and bachlorette parties, a private food tour is the perfect group activity!

“Sip and Sample”- Happy Hour Tour

Duration: Approximately 3 hours

Location: Walking tour of Old Town Scottsdale

Our most popular tour! Groups of 7 or more please book a Private Tour. Ages 21+ is required. Total walking is between 1 to 1.5 miles spread out amongst multiple stopping points.

Our most popular tour! Spend an afternoon dining with cocktail pairings at 4 of the city's favorite saloons, restaurants, and tasting rooms!

• Public tours available weekly starting at 11am, 2:30pm, 3:00pm. Private tours available for groups of 7 or more.
• Come hungry! Expect a variety of signature menu items, unique to each destination. Tour includes 3-4 alcoholic beverage pairings.
• Led by local foodie enthusiasts, a food tour is the perfect way to experience a mix of notable restaurants, and patios in Scottsdale.
• Out on the town enjoying the right mix of family, friends, food and beverage makes for the perfect afternoon in sunny Scottsdale! Cheers!

This is a walking tour, made also to be wheelchair accessible

Most food allergies and restrictions can be accommodated. Must be identified upon ticket purchase.

If requesting specific dietary accommodation, be advised selections will differ slightly from others

Tour operates rain or shine

This is a 3 hour walking tour suitable for all fitness levels. Guests must be 21+ for this tour.

What to Expect

We respectfully ask that no person under the age of 21 attend this tour. All restaurant/tasting room itineraries are subject to regular change based off availability.  All tours are between 1 and 1.5 miles of walking, spread out over 4-5 restaurant stops.

The Mission

Sample flavors of modern Latin cuisine prepared by renowned chef Matt Carter, at this favorite local gem. Located next to the historic Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Mission Church.

The Wine Collective of Scottsdale

This locally owned wine collective supports over 40 wineries from across the state. Sip, shop, and taste wines unique to Arizona in this delightful space in the heart of Old Town.

Bootleggers

Featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, this modern American smokehouse is a local favorite featuring craft BBQ smoked in-house, homemade moonshine and a variety of artisan beers.

Guests will enjoy a selection of signature apps and Moscow mules. Home to the city's most well-known cocktail menu, this popular saloon is a Phoenix area hallmark since '88!

This stylish yet casual eatery focuses on house made cuisine from locally sourced seasonal items. Sure to please with both timeless American dishes and classic Italian favorites.

Carlson Creek Vineyard- Scottsdale Tasting Room

A family-owned vineyard and winery located in the heart of Cochise County in Southern Arizona, Carlson Creek Vineyard brings its award-winning wines to a Scottsdale tasting room!

Arizona's most welcoming beer garden with 28 craft beers on tap, homemade from scratch cuisine inspired by European food craftsmen, offering an variety of brats, burgers and more!

Shakes and Cones

Nestled in the heart of Old Town and serving organic homemade ice cream made from scratch using an exclusive recipe. Gluten free and only made with organic, non-gmo ingredients!

Gelato Cimmino

Its hard to beat fresh made gelato made from imported Italian ingredients right inside the shop! Choose from over 20 flavors of gelato or sorbeto.

Where to Meet

The tour meets in front of the Old Adobe Mission Church, at 3817 N. Brown Ave. Scottsdale AZ 85251. While we do encourage using ride share options, free parking is offered in parking structure behind the Church, and in the parking lot directly across the street. Free on-street parking is available throughout the area as well. Please arrive 10-15 minutes prior to the tour, to find parking and check-in for tour. If running late for your tour please contact Zach at 480-620-4047.

Have questions? Here's the most frequently asked.

Do tour guides accept gratuity.

Yes! Our tour guides make their living primarily off gratuities, and tips are greatly appreciated and respected if you feel your guide provided an explemplory experience. Thank you!

Are children allowed?

We respectfully ask that no children under the age of 12 are brought on tour.  Children ages 12+ are allowed on the “A Taste of Old Town Scottsdale” food tour, however age 21+ is required for other tours.  We do not offer child rates for tickets.

“A Taste of Old Town Scottsdale” Food Tour: age 12+

Scottsdale Wine Tour: age 21+

Scottsdale Sip and Sample Tour: age 21+

Is there parking available close by?

Parking is available at each tour’s starting location. After your ticket purchase, you’ll receive instructions including parking and other info.

The city of Scottsdale offers free parking, both on street and in parking structures.

The city of Tempe offers metered street parking and flat-rate garage pricing.

What if I am vegetarian, gluten free, or have food allergies?

We are vegetarian and gluten free friendly.

We can accommodate most dietary restrictions provided we know ahead of time.

Please be sure and provide information specific to your dietary restriction for anyone in your party (e.g. vegetarian, gluten free, non-dairy, food allergy, etc.) upon purchase of tickets.

Do I need to purchase tickets in advance?

Yes, advance ticket purchase is required, and available for purchase up to 2 hours before start of tour.   But we often fill up quickly!   To maximize your chances of getting the date, time, and number of tickets you prefer, please book well in advance.

Still have questions?    Visit our FAQ page to submit your own

"Such a fun way to see Scottsdale and try new restaurants that we would not have normally chosen. Great variety and the pace was perfect! Our guide did an awesome job with mixing the group, sharing history of the town, restaurant stories and recap. We even went back to one of the stops afterwards!"

More Tours to Explore!

Scottsdale Progressive Dinner Tour – Schedule Coming Soon

Our famous Old Town Scottsdale progressive dining tour is back! Come explore some of the notable eateries of "West's Most Western Town".

Scottsdale Wine Tour

Interested in a food experience with wine pairings? Spend an afternoon visiting a combination of 4 local tasting rooms and restaurants!

“A Taste of Old Town Scottsdale” – Food Tour

The first ever food tour in Arizona! This tour visits 4-5 locally owned establishments, providing a full meal with dessert and 2 cocktails.

Follow us on your favorite social media platforms and stay updated on latest tour information, recent photos and reviews!

approximately 3 hours |   Ages 12+ $89.00

Approximately 3 hours |   Adult 21+ $100.00

Approximately 3 hours |   Adult 21+ $110.00

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What is a Food Tour? Plus Practical Tips to Book One

What is a food tour? They’re your ticket to diving deep into the soul of a new place, where its flavors and stories come alive. Think of them as your culinary compass, guiding you through the streets with bites and sips that define the local culture.

Here’s some advice we swear by: schedule a food tour for the first day you’re in town. It’s like meeting a new friend who shows you around, letting you in on all the secret spots while you feast on dishes you wouldn’t have stumbled upon otherwise.

Our foodie travels in Modena , Bologna , and Mazatlán were game-changers, filled with unforgettable tastes like those legendary drunken tacos and the best Parmigiano Reggiano ever.

Food tours aren’t just about eating up local delicacies. They’re a bridge to understanding the place’s heritage and heartbeat, all through the eyes of passionate local guides.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we earn a commission at no extra cost. Please refer to our  full disclosure  for details.

Thinking of adding a food tour to your tasty itinerary? Stick around. We’re about to unravel the what, how, and why of food tours, plus our tips for picking the perfect one.

Table of Contents

What is a Food Tour?

A food tour is an adventure for your taste buds, guided by a knowledgeable local passionate about their city’s cuisine and traditions. It’s a journey through the heart of a destination, exploring themes like markets, bakeries, or even wine tasting, depending on your interests. Often including tastings of food, wine, or liquor and insights into food production, food tours are a deep dive into local flavors and culinary practices. 

At Tasty Itinerary, we think of it as a “foodie adventure” – a unique opportunity to sample, learn, and fall in love with local eats and drinks you might otherwise miss, all while having fun and trying new things.

A Food Tour Looks Like This

• Meet and Greet : Your guide will welcome you at your meeting point, provide an overview of the tour you’re about to take, and introduce the city’s highlights.
• First Bite : You’ll have your first taste, usually at a local bakery or café, sampling the city’s typical breakfast fare. Unless it’s an afternoon or evening tour.
• Culinary Exploration : Part of a food tour is embarking on a walking tour through the city, stopping at local markets, eateries, and specialty shops to taste a variety of local specialties.
• Diverse Dining : Experiences may include on-the-go street food tastings and-or sit-down meals at restaurants.
• Learn and Taste : The food they introduce all comes with a story—learn about its history, production, and cultural significance.
• Insider Tips : This is one of the most valuable parts of a food tour. Your guide will provide personal recommendations at other must-visit spots to eat, drink, and local gems to explore.

Practical Tips to Book a Food Tour

Now that we know what a food tour is, here are some practical tips to help you book and take a food tour during your next vacation.

During a private food tour in Girona, Spain , hubby got a lesson on how to slice jamón. And I fell in love with one of my favorite pastries to date, the local pastry of Girona called a Xiuxo.

1. Do Your Research

First things first: do some homework. 

• Ask friends or family who’ve visited the destination about their food tour experiences.
• Read reviews on tour companies and individual guides on platforms like Viator , WithLocals , and Devour Tours .
• Join travel Facebook groups for insider recommendations.
• Aim for high-rated tours and rave reviews because these tours are vetted for.

2. Check What’s Included

Not all food tours are created equal. 

• Read the description of the itinerary. See how many stops are planned and what kind of tastings are in store. 
• Are you into paying for the guide and then paying for the food you choose to eat during the tour, or does an all-included fee sound more cost-effective? 
• Sometimes, splurging a bit on a private tour can offer a different perspective, and you can tailor it as you wish.

Foodie Tip: Above all, embracing new flavors and experiences is at the heart of what makes a food tour truly memorable.

3. Find a Tour That Fits Your Budget

Cheese and bread samples with toppings on a food tour in Florence, Italy, at the Mercato Centrale.

Your budget will dictate a lot of your choices. Food tours can range from modest to extravagant, especially in cities like Rome, Paris, or New York, where the cost of living (and dining) is higher. Weigh the experience against the expense to find your sweet spot.

4. Check the Meeting Point and Schedule

We tried Tigella, a typical food from Modena, for the first time during a food tour. We had never heard of it until then.

Logistics matter. Look at where your food journey starts and ends and how it fits your accommodation and transportation plans. Timing is just as crucial; you want a tour that syncs up with your day without making you rush or miss out.

Pro Tip: Book your tour around breakfast or lunchtime, or make it a dinner adventure. That way, it doubles as a meal, filling you up with delicious experiences.

5. Communicate With Your Tour Company and Guide

On a food tour in Bologna, we visited a pasta factory where several ladies made tortellini by hand.

Got questions? Dietary restrictions? Need to cancel or reschedule? Get in touch with your tour provider early on to smooth out any wrinkles before they become crinkles. A little pre-tour communication goes a long way in ensuring your food tour is as seamless as it is scrumptious.

Foodie Tip: We recommend touching base with your guide before you arrive; their insider tips on where to eat and what to see can be as valuable as the tour itself. You can start planning and making reservations.

Where to Book a Food Tour?

We always start our research and book most of the tours on these sites with great success. It’s a great starting point in finding one that fits your needs.

• Get Your Guide

What is a food tour called?

A food tour goes by many names: culinary tour, foodie tour, gourmet tour, but here at Tasty Itinerary, we prefer “foodie adventure.”

How would you describe a food tour?

A food tour is an exciting experience for food enthusiasts, guided by a local expert passionate about showcasing their city’s best culinary offerings and traditions. It’s a chance to immerse oneself in the distinctive flavors of a location, accompanied by a fellow food lover.

It’s common to visit fresh local markets and specialty stores during food tours.

Why do people go on food tours?

People go on food tours to sample and learn about local eats and drinks they might miss if they were exploring on their own. Spending time with a local foodie makes the experience unique, as who better to learn from than someone passionate about local cuisine? Plus, it’s just fun to eat and try new foods!

How does a food tour work?

A food tour typically starts with meeting your guide, who leads you through 5 to 8 culinary stops, offering tastes and sips of the locale’s specialties. These tours can be private or in small groups of 6 to 10 people, lasting about three to four hours to ensure a more personal and manageable experience. The goal is to keep things intimate, making navigating and soaking in every delicious moment easier.

What is included in a food tour?

What you’ll get on a food tour varies with each company or guide. Typically, tours include a mix of guided walks and tastings of local foods and drinks, ensuring you get a hearty experience of the local cuisine. The amount and variety of food depend on the tour and location, but the aim is always to leave you happily satisfied.

Be aware that some tours offer just the guide’s expertise, leading you through the city’s culinary spots, where you pay for what you eat as you go. This approach lets you pick what tempts your taste buds but requires more flexibility and budgeting. Always check the tour details to know exactly what’s included and make the best choice for your appetite and curiosity.

Are food tours worth it?

Yes, we believe food tours are worth it and a great way to learn about a destination through its food, as it is part of its culture. The value you get from what you eat and drink and the bonus of having a great guide to show you around make it an amazing and worthwhile experience.

It was hot in Mazatlan, so I wore a tank top, shorts, and a hat on our food tour.

What do you wear to a food tour?

Unless specified, be comfortable and stay casual. Always wear comfortable shoes as you will walk a lot during the tour when you’re not sitting down to eat.

Do you tip your food tour guide?

Always tip your food tour guide, especially if they’ve done a fantastic job.

BEFORE YOU GO ON YOUR FOODIE ADVENTURE, CHECK OUT THESE RELATED READS:

• Travel and Food Quotes That Speak to a Foodie Traveler’s Soul
• Tips for First-Time Travelers
• Avoidable Travel Mistakes: Travel Smarter
• What to Pack in Your Carry-On Backpack
• Pros and Cons of Airbnb Stays

Meet Kathy Ava, a food, travel, and cruise writer based in Los Angeles/Pasadena, and the owner and main writer of Tasty Itinerary. With over 20 years of experience planning trips and logistics at her full-time job and for herself, she's become a pro at crafting unforgettable tasty itineraries. She's always on the hunt for delicious, fun travel destinations and cruise itineraries. She firmly believes that life is short and we must make the most of it, so always say yes to dessert.

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Food Tours in Rochester, NY

Join us on a culinary journey, enjoy a scenic walk with short distances between tasting stops.

Nourish your belly and your brain as architectural, historical, and cultural points of interest are highlighted between each and every bite of these walking food tours. Join us to sample the favorite foods of Pittsford, Rochester, the Neighborhood of the Arts, and Park Ave. Get a taste of sweet treats, savory classics, mouthwatering, chef-selected entrees, and more. Browse our food tours and book yours online.

Park Ave Food Tours: Sites & Bites

Three well spent hours of food, drink, history, conversation and a walk around Park Avenue you’ll never forget.

Park Ave Food Tours: Eats & Treats

Enjoy the flavors of Park Avenue with specially selected tastings from eateries and specialty shops!

Tues & Wed

Downtown After Hours Tasting Experience

After Work, After Play...After Hours!!!   

 Enjoy  3  hours at  3  Places for an incredible evening! Your evening begins with Appetizers & Specially Crafted Cocktails at 2 of Rochester's finest restaurants followed by an Entree, Dessert and Wine at one of Rochester's premier dining establishments!

Schoen Place & Pittsford Village Food Tour

Sample delicious, chef-selected entrees at seven Pittsford eateries while you learn more about the architecture, history, and culture of the Village of Pittsford.

Fairport Village

Enjoy the flavors of Fairport!

This 3 hour culinary adventure showcases some of the best establishments this "Crown Jewel of the Erie Canal" has to offer

Neighborhood Of The Arts

Between the fabulous flavors , you will discover hidden gems…from the Memorial Art Gallery Sculpture Garden to Writers and Books, there are things only you will find in the Neighborhood of the Arts.

EAT, EXPERIENCE AND ENJOY ROCHESTER AREA FLAVORS ONE BITE, ONE STEP AT A TIME!

Tours offered in Pittsford, on Park Avenue, in the Neighborhood of the Arts and now in Rochester’s City Center! Try one, try them all….these fun culinary adventures offer something for everyone…locals and visitors alike. Come hungry!

ONE OF THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN ROCHESTER!

“This was my second time on the Pittsford Food Tour and let me tell you! It did not disappoint!! The crepes at simply crepes are divine. It was such a great balance of savory and sweet. I’ve been on three other Flower City Food Tours and will continue to go on them! Such a fun idea when family is in town.”

TripAdvisor

“I have been telling everyone. I went on a tour Thursday night starting and ending in Village Gate. It was so much fun. The food was amazing. It only took 5 days for me to return to one of the restaurants. Information regarding the city I grew up in that I didn't know. We had 3 hours of food (why too much - expect to have "doggie bags"), drinks, walking around the city and a great tour guiding providing so much interesting information. I highly recommend this."

Vbethsimpson

“My husband and i had never been in the area so all of it was new to us. the other people on the tour were from Rochester and i believe they enjoyed it as much as we did. the food samples were interesting although i am still thinking about the garbage plate and wish we could have tried it. our tour leader was enthusiastic and knowledgeable. a great combination.”

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585-363-2340

[email protected], town of, pittsford, ny, united states.

GET A TASTE OF SOME OF ROCHESTER'S MOST APPETIZING AREAS...EAT, EXPERIENCE & ENJOY!

Pittsford and Fairport's canal and cuisine offer a satisfying afternoon. Park Avenue has many tastes and treasures for you to explore. Neighborhood of the Arts takes you on an early evening culinary adventure, DOWNTOWN is the perfect way to enjoy yourself After Hours!

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11 Best Istanbul Food Tours to Satisfy Your Inner Foodie 2024

Ready to book one of the best Istanbul Food Tours? Then you’re in the right place! The 11 best Istanbul food tours are all featured here.

How do I know they’re the best?   During our trip to Turkey, Hubby and I, who are true Foodies, were able to sample quite a bit of the local cuisine.

So we definitely know a good food tour when we see one!

With this in mind, we have vetted all the tours in this article to make sure they’re highly rated and well-reviewed —  all you need to do is book and enjoy!

Best Food Tours in Istanbul

🥙 Don’t have time to read the whole article? The Private and Guided Istanbul Food Tour is the best food tour in the city, with a ton of stellar reviews!

If you’d rather explore all   your options, there are 10 more tours on this list, and they all have perfect or near-perfect 5-star ratings.

We didn’t realize what a food-lovers paradise Istanbul actually is, with everything from street food po’boys to fine dining gumbos — so you really can’t go wrong with anything we have featured here.

In other words, your incredible experience awaits!

Below, you’ll find 11 of the best food tours that Istanbul offers. So, you can feel confident knowing that you are making the right choice when booking your tour.

🥙 Our Top 3 Picks: The Best Istanbul Food Tours

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Private and Guided Istanbul Food Tour ✔️ Hotel pickup ✔️ Private & customizable

Taste of Two Continents ✔️ 9 different restaurants ✔️ Ferry trip across the river

Two Markets, Two Continents ✔️ food tour to Karakoy & Kadikoy ✔️ Two meals, snacks, hot drinks

🥙 11 Best Istanbul Food Tours

1. private and guided istanbul food tour – taste of istanbul.

⭐️  RATING:  5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  6 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

🥙 The Private and Guided Istanbul Food Tour Includes:

• Professional guide.
• Food tasting.

Culinary Adventure: Turkey is a treasure trove of delicious dishes, and the Private and Guided Istanbul Food Tour lets you savour the best of it all.

From well-known favourites to hidden gems, your local guide will lead you to amazing dishes you’d never discover on your own.

Customized Experience: This tour is fully customizable to match your preferences and appetite.

Whether you’re a food adventurer or have specific tastes, the experience will be tailored to make sure it’s just right for you and your group.

😍 What Past Guests Have Said

Furkan really took the time to show us a different and unique flavor of Istanbul that you won’t find in the heavily tourist sites. We enjoyed our time and will recommend to friends. — David ( see more rEVIEWS )

Walking, Eating, and Fun: During the tour, you will explore the city on foot, tasting scrumptious treats along the way.

We recommend coming with a hearty appetite and wearing comfy shoes; you’ll need both!

Personalized Attention: On this private food tour, you won’t get lost in the crowd. Not only will you get personalized attention, but you will also get picked up from your hotel.

💡 Things to Keep in Mind:

• Children must be accompanied by an adult.
• A vegetarian option is available.
• Wheelchair accessible.
• This is a private tour. Only your group will participate

2. Taste of Two Continents: Istanbul Food Tour

🥙 The Taste of Two Continents: Istanbul Food Tour Includes:

• 9 uniquely different eateries and restaurants, with multiple tastings at each.
• Friendly, knowledgeable and passionate English-speaking tour guide.
• Coffee and/or Tea.

Two Continents, One Tour: Experience the unique blend of cultures and flavours on this Taste of Two Continents tour as you explore both the European and Asian sides of Istanbul.

From the bustling spice markets to charming neighbourhoods, this tour takes you on a culinary journey across the city’s diverse gastronomic landscape.

Feast for the Senses: Prepare for a day of indulgence as you head out on a foodie adventure like no other.

Enjoy a mouthwatering Turkish breakfast, sip aromatic Turkish coffee, and delight in a wide range of incredible dishes at various restaurants and cafes.

This tour was the best! So many good foods, the ferry ride was amazing, and the tour guide was so funny and knowledgeable! The best experience! — Alicia ( see more rEVIEWS )

Intimate Small-Group Experience: This small-group tour ensures an intimate setting and personalized attention from your guide, making it a memorable and interactive experience.

Explore Beyond the Obvious: This isn’t your typical food tour. You will be taken off the beaten path to discover Istanbul’s hidden culinary gems.

From traditional breakfast spots to trendy Kadikoy, you’ll get to savour must-try dishes and immerse yourself in the vibrant food culture of Istanbul.

• Children aged 5 years and younger are welcome at no charge.
• Not recommended for vegan, gluten-free, or lactose-free travellers.
• The tour runs rain or shine.
• Not wheelchair accessible.
• This tour will have a maximum of 10 travellers.

3. Two Markets, Two Continents with Culinary Backstreets

⭐️  RATING:  5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  6.5 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

🥙 The Two Markets, Two Continents with Culinary Backstreets Tour Includes:

• Two meals and snacks.
• Coffee and/or Tea, bottled water.
• English-speaking foodie guide.

Hidden Food Treasures: Join our intimate Istanbul food tour to uncover the city’s best-kept culinary secrets.

On this Two Markets, Two Continents tour, you will be taken to lesser-known hotspots and beloved backstreet gems.

Taste Istanbul’s Diversity: Prepare your taste buds for an adventure that takes you to both the European and Asian sides of the city.

From Karakoy’s charm to Kadikoy’s trendiness and the up-and-coming Moda neighbourhood, you’ll explore the diverse and unique dishes they offer.

A must for anyone who wants to experience the food culture on both sides of Istanbul. Highly recommend. — Vicky ( see more rEVIEWS )

All-Inclusive Experience: Forget about planning meals; this full-day adventure includes breakfast, lunch, snacks, tea, coffee, and bottled water.

Indulge in a day of culinary exploration without worrying about extra expenses.

• Minimum of 18 years old for alcoholic beverages.
• Near public transportation.
• This tour will have a maximum of 7 travellers.

4. Istanbul by Night: Dining Out in a Turkish Way

⭐️  RATING:  4 out of 5 Stars | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  4 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

🥙 The Istanbul by Night: Dining Out in a Turkish Way Includes:

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from centrally located Istanbul hotels.
• Live music.
• Food tasting including kebab, meze, and soup.
• Beverages (two glasses of raki, Turkish coffee and tea).

Off the Beaten Path Exploration: Dive into the heart of Istanbul’s local food scene on this Istanbul by Night tour.

Leave the tourist trail behind and uncover the hidden gems that showcase the true essence of Turkey’s traditional flavors.

Savor Local Classics: Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with a variety of culinary delights.

Enjoy a simit bagel from a renowned bakery, visit a kiraathane for a unique experience, and have a blast grilling your own kebabs over an open flame at a barbecue restaurant.

A must do for any first time visitors. We got to try a variety of various food and drinks. Our guide Furlan gave a lot of isight into the history of these dishes and drinks. Very grateful for the experience. — Sean ( see more rEVIEWS )

Night of Entertainment: It’s not just about the food; it’s an unforgettable evening of entertainment too!

Join the lively atmosphere at a Turkish tapas bar (meyhane) where you’ll groove to live music and indulge in delicious meze.

Get ready to party the night away like a local.

• If your hotel is located on the Asian side hotel pick-up can’t be provided.
• The minimum age for drinking alcoholic drinks is 18 years.
• No heart problems or other serious medical conditions.
• This tour will have a maximum of 6 travellers.

5. Born on the Bosphorus: Exploring Three Distinct Waterside Neighborhoods

🥙 The Exploring Three Distinct Waterside Neighborhoods Tour Includes:

• Breakfast, Lunch and Snacks.

Immerse in Authentic Istanbul: This Istanbul food tour takes you deep into the heart of Beşiktaş, a vibrant neighborhood that embodies the real essence of the city.

Wander through narrow streets bustling with lively meyhanes, and local eateries serving breakfast all day.

Start Your Day Right: Begin your day like a true local with a mouthwatering breakfast featuring menemen, the Turkish-style scrambled eggs, and bal kaymak, clotted cream drizzled with honey.

It’s a delicious way to kickstart your culinary adventure in Istanbul.

Amazing time with Dilek, very knowledge and incredibly friendly. Food was unbelievable. Couldn’t recommend it enough! — Richard ( see more rEVIEWS )

Preserving Traditions: Experience the rich culinary traditions of Istanbul as you visit an Ottoman-era bakery for freshly baked goods before crossing the Bosphorus to Üsküdar’s market.

There, you’ll discover a more traditional food culture through tastings at a honey vendor, an olive shop, and a third-generation candymaker.

Fairytale Neighborhood: The tour concludes in the enchanting neighborhood of Kuzguncuk, where you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a fairytale.

Immerse yourself in the charm of this area and savour the best of Istanbul’s culinary delights.

• Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level.

6. The 10 Tastings of Istanbul With Locals: Private Food Tour

⭐️  RATING:  5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  3 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

🥙 The 10 Tastings of Istanbul Private Food Tour Includes:

• 10 food and drink tastings.
• Local guide.
• Vegetarian alternatives.

Exclusive Culinary Experience: The exclusive 10 Tastings of Istanbul private food tour is where you can sample the city’s top 10 culinary delights.

This personalized tour is all about you and your party, ensuring you receive undivided attention from your knowledgeable guide.

Taste the Richness of Turkey: Head out on a flavorful adventure as you indulge in 10 delicious tastings, ranging from sweet to savoury.

From incredible Turkish delight to durum and everything in between, this tour is a tantalizing exploration of the country’s culinary traditions.

The food selection was authentic & delicious. The restaurants were not touristy & felt we experienced a taste of Turkey. — Dona ( see more rEVIEWS )

Discover Istanbul’s Charm: While satisfying your taste buds, don’t miss out on the chance to explore Istanbul’s highlights.

Your guide will lead you to attractions like Cicek Pasaji, Avrupa Pasaji, and Aga Hamami, sharing their local significance and making your tour both educational and delicious.

Customized to Your Preferences: Worried about dietary restrictions or allergies? No problem!

This tour is fully customizable to match your specific needs, ensuring you have a worry-free and enjoyable food experience in Istanbul.

• Alternatives are offered for those with dietary restrictions.

7. Evening Food and Culture Tour – Dinner in Asia dessert in Europe

⭐️  RATING:  5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  5 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

🥙 The Evening Food and Culture Tour Includes:

• Food sampling at 9 stops and multiple foods at each place.
• Pastrami, pickled vegetables, olive, cheese and halva tasting, lahmacun, Tantuni, stuffed mussels, Meze (dips) varieties, kebabs, baklava and ice cream made of goat’s milk.
• Unlimited soft drinks, tea, coffee and water.

Double-Sided Delights: Head out on an Evening Food and Culture Tour in Istanbul, that takes you on a culinary journey across both the European and Asian sides of the city.

Begin your adventure near the iconic Blue Mosque and cross the Bosphorus River by ferry. Explore the Kadikoy Carsisi market, where you’ll be able to sample some typical local bites.

So happy to join this tour, there are things I would’ve never try otherwise. We got introduced to many different local foods!! Our tour guide Onder was great! The tour was organized and punctual. — sonoe ( see more rEVIEWS )

Satisfy Your Palate: Get ready for a gastronomic feast!

This tour includes a hearty meal of Turkish specialties at a local restaurant, followed by visits to other fantastic eateries for mouthwatering baklava, and aromatic coffee.

All-Inclusive Experience: No need to worry about additional expenses.

Your tour covers dinner, dessert, food tastings, and non-alcoholic drinks. It’s a hassle-free way to enjoy an evening of culinary adventure in Istanbul.

• Near public transportation

8. Istanbul Foodie Tour by Night: Traditional Meyhane & Street Foods

⭐️  RATING:  5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  3.5 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

🥙 The Traditional Meyhane & Street FoodsTour Includes:

• Food tastings – samples and snacks.
• Coffee and/ or Tea.
• Alcoholic beverages.

Diverse Culinary Journey: Join the Istanbul Foodie Tour by Night tour in Istanbul’s Beyoglu neighborhood and experience the rich tapestry of Turkish cuisine.

From mouthwatering mezes to irresistible baklava and succulent kebabs, this tour offers an awesome variety of flavours to sample

Local Flavors and Traditions: Immerse yourself in Turkish culture and history as you explore bustling markets, charming backstreets, and street food stalls.

Learn more about the region’s culinary traditions and discover the stories behind the dishes you’ll enjoy.

Ben was an amazing tour guide, very knowledgeable and made it fun. The food was great and something that we wouldn’t have tried otherwise. The drinks were strong and also very good. — Charlotte ( see more rEVIEWS )

Raki, Anyone? Don’t miss the chance to try raki, a local anise-flavored liquor that’s an integral part of the region’s drinking culture.

It’s an opportunity to taste a unique beverage deeply rooted in Turkish heritage.

• The minimum age is 12 years old (The minimum drinking age is 18 years old).
• This tour will have a maximum of 8 travellers.

9. Istanbul Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours

⭐️  RATING:  5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  4 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

🥙 The Istanbul Walking Food Tour Includes:

• Coffee and/or Tea, bottled water, and alcoholic beverages.
• Lahmacun, Doner, Traditional Menemen, Muhlama, Freshly Baked Brown bread, local cheeses, Olives, Pide, Manti, Beyran soup, Katmer.
• A delicious Secret Dish.

Savor Kadikoy’s Flavors: Head out on the Istanbul Walking Food Tour in the city’s historic Kadikoy district, where you’ll try the mouthwatering local delicacies that make this area so popular.

From Lahmacun to Menemen, get ready to indulge in a variety of quintessential Istanbul snacks and treats.

What a great tour! Melis has found wonderful, out of the way gems with excellent food and service. She provided information about food, culture, history, language, etc. She is a wonderful guide and I have already recommended it to two people who are visiting Istanbul this week. It was great to learn about so many food items I would never have otherwise ordered. — Angela ( see more rEVIEWS )

Entertaining Stories: As you stroll through the colourful neighbourhood, your guide will share entertaining legends and stories that bring the history and culture of Kadikoy to life.

Convenient and Inclusive: This tour has got your refreshments covered too! Included are wine, coffee or tea, and bottled water, ensuring you stay energized and hydrated throughout your culinary adventure.

Plus, if you’re looking for an even more exclusive experience, you can upgrade to a private excursion just for you and your travel companions.

• The minimum drinking age is 18 years old and requires a valid ID.
• Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level

10. Local Food, History and Hidden Places Walking Tour in Istanbul

⭐️  RATING:  5 out of 5 Stars | ⏳  TOUR LENGTH:  4.5 hours | ✔️  BOOK NOW

🥙 The Local Food, History and Hidden Places Walking Tour in Istanbul Includes:

• Breakfast, lunch and snacks.

Historical Delights: Uncover the rich history of Istanbul’s historical peninsula while indulging in a variety of Turkish delicacies.

This Local Food, History and Hidden Places Walking Tour is your gateway to exploring the city’s captivating past through its vibrant food culture.

Culinary Adventure: Prepare to satisfy your hunger and curiosity as you explore markets, relish traditional Turkish dishes, and sample the famous baklava (my absolute favourite part!).

Don’t forget to sip aromatic Turkish coffee and discover the must-try dishes that make Istanbul a food lover’s paradise.

Our guide Ezgi, was excellent. Very knowledgeable on history and background of the city, the people and not just the food. Will highly recommend her. — Arie ( see more rEVIEWS )

Perfect for Everyone: Whether you’re a first-time visitor eager to get a taste of Istanbul’s diverse cuisine, or a seasoned food enthusiast, this small-group tour is designed for you.

It offers an intimate experience with personalized attention from your English-speaking guide.

11. The 10 Tastings of Istanbul With Locals: Kadikoy Private Food Tour

🥙 The The 10 Tastings of Istanbul – Kadikoy Private Food Tour Includes:

• Loca foodie guide.

Delightful Asian Side Adventure: Experience the flavors of Istanbul’s Asian side on The 10 Tastings of Istanbul tour in Kadikoy.

Dive into a delightful journey of 10 food and drink tastings, with meatless options available for vegetarians, ensuring a variety to please every palate.

Local Insights: Gain an insider’s perspective as you explore the trendy district of Kadikoy, located on the Asian side of Istanbul.

This off-the-beaten-track adventure allows you to discover the true essence of the city, far from the usual tourist paths.

The tastings were wonderful, but our guide, Emre Oguducu, made the entire experience even more enjoyable! His knowledge of local cuisine was bested only by his willingness to accommodate our special requests (like where to purchase some good wine at the conclusion of our tour)! We have taken food tours in many locations around the globe, and this clearly ranks among the best. — Peter ( see more rEVIEWS )

Culinary and Cultural Exploration: As you enjoy sweet and savoury Turkish drinks and snacks, take in the local landmarks that pepper your route.

From mosques to fountains and theaters, you’ll not only satisfy your taste buds but also immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Istanbul.

Private and Personalized: With a private experience, you’ll have the flexibility to make the most of your time and indulge in the culinary delights and hidden treasures of Kadikoy.

• This is a private tour. Only your group will participate.

🥙 Best Food Tours in Istanbul – FAQs

A food tour in Istanbul is a guided culinary adventure that takes you through the city’s vibrant food scene. You can expect to taste a variety of Turkish dishes and snacks, visit local markets and eateries, and learn about the culture and history behind the food.

The duration of a food tour can vary, but most standard tours last around 3-6 hours. Some tours, particularly those covering a broader area, may take a little longer, while shorter express tours are also available.

Istanbul food tours offer a diverse range of dishes, including kebabs, mezes, baklava, Turkish delight, traditional breakfast items like Menemen, and more. You’ll have the chance to taste both sweet and savoury Turkish delicacies.

Yes, many food tours in Istanbul offer vegetarian options. It’s important to let your tour operator know about any dietary restrictions or allergies when booking to ensure they can accommodate your needs.

Some food tours are family-friendly and welcome children. However, it’s best to check with the tour provider in advance to confirm if there are age restrictions or if they offer family-specific tours.

Tipping is appreciated but not mandatory. If you enjoyed your food tour and the service provided by your guide, it’s customary to leave a gratuity. A typical range is around 10-15% of the tour cost.

Istanbul food tours happen year-round. However, it’s recommended to book in advance, especially during the busy tourist season, to secure your spot on the tour of your choice.

🥙 Skipped to the bottom? The Private and Guided Istanbul Food Tour is the best food tour in the city, with a ton of stellar reviews!

🥙 Final Thoughts on the Best Istanbul Food Tours

Exploring Istanbul through its food is an amazing experience that you won’t want to miss.

The city’s culinary scene is a reflection of its diverse culture and history.

With a variety of food tours catering to different tastes and preferences, you can sample traditional dishes, street snacks, and contemporary flavours while learning about the city’s heritage.

So, whether you’re a food enthusiast or a traveller looking for an authentic taste of Istanbul, consider hopping on one of these food tours.

It will definitely satisfy your cravings and help you to discover the hidden gems of this vibrant city.

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• Is Turkey in the Middle East?

Marianne Giordano is the founder and writer for Pasta Pretzels & Passports. Together with her husband, John, and their children, the family has travelled to 15 countries, including 27 states in the US, and all over their home country of Canada. Marianne is responsible for planning all of her family's travel itineraries and dreaming up new adventures. A Canadian native, Marianne shares all her favourite family-friendly things to do while travelling the world.

The Oldest Food Tour in Porto

Skip the tourist traps. Have an authentic cultural experience. Taste the real Porto.

Why Taste Porto?

We’re the founding fathers of food tours in Porto. But to be honest with you: our food and wine walking tours feel less like tours and more like taking a walk with a local friend who wants to share the history, architecture, culture, and cuisine of our beloved city. So that you can taste the real Porto! Over the past decade, we came out as the top pick for Porto Food Tours on Lonely Planet, The Guardian, and Parts Unknown by Anthony Bourdain. Do you want to taste the real Porto while making a positive impact on our community? Scroll down to see our Tours then.

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Join our cultural experiences for a slice of Porto that you, and your beloved ones, will never forget.

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According to The Guardian, Taste Porto is one of the best Food Tours around the world.

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