The Wonderful World of Food Tours – A Diary of My Food Tour Travels
My Food Tour Travel Diary
My love of food and travel has taken me on 50+ food tours, and I’m sharing a little nibble of each one to give you a glimpse inside the wonderful world of food tours. Come along, there’s delicious food to discover and local stories to be told.
1. Austin, Texas: Rocket Bikes Food Tour gets the honor of being my first food tour and my only bicycle food tour. I’d visited Austin many times, and I thought I knew everything about Austin…the good places to eat, the history and the weirdness. After our first stop, I realized that I only knew the touristy parts of Austin. We quickly (thanks to the electric bikes) got off the beaten path and into the East Austin neighborhood for our first experience at a food truck.
2. New York, New York: Now that I’ve decided food tours are the best way to explore a city, it was time to choose a food tour in New York, and this was no easy task. New York has 34+ food tour companies, so choosing just one was difficult. Being a pizza lover. I was tempted by the Pizza Tour but ultimately chose Foods of New York’s Greenwich Village Food Tour. New York style pizza, an Italian deli, stories about tenement living and fabulous architecture gave us a glimpse into this great neighborhood. Yes, there’s more to a food tour than just eating.
3. Cozumel, Mexico: A popular cruise port that we’ve visited many times, so rather than opting for the usual water sports and being lovers of Mexican food, the Cozumel Chef Food Tour sounded like the perfect choice. Authentic foods in tiny hole-in-wall, non-touristy restaurants really made us feel like locals.
4. London, England: I’d been to London 30 years ago, and my memories of the food were…bland, bland, bland. When planning this vacation, I wasn’t sure I wanted to do a food tour of bland foods but then I read about London Food Lovers Soho International Tour. According to their website, “Soho is the place to learn about London’s incredible international food scene,” and their tour did not disappoint. We discovered ethnic eateries as we walked along tiny, charming streets. My favorite was the fresh pasta from the Italian grocery, and I’ll never forget the story of the home that used to be a brothel which now displays this sign.
5. London, England: I love chocolate. In fact, I could eat an entire 1 pound box of chocolates in one sitting! If you love chocolate like I love chocolate, Chocolate Ecstasy Tours will satisfy your craving. Award winning chocolates, decadent truffles, the Queen’s favorite chocolates, the best cup of hot chocolate and an interesting lesson on cocoa beans.
6. Paris, France: If I had to pick my favorite food tour, Secret Food Tours would win the prize. This food tour was different than the eat, walk, repeat that I’d grown accustomed to. Instead, we shopped the markets, learned about the foods and gathered our food for a picnic…very French! I think I could live on a French baguette, cheese, wine, macarons and a few crepes too!
7. Chicago, Illinois: My food tour travels had convinced me to start West Palm Beach Food Tours, and I traveled to Chicago to work with food tour consultant, Shane Kost of Chicago Food Planet. Of course, taking a couple of food tours was the most delicious part of the training! A trip to Chicago would not be complete without a slice of deep dish pizza and Chicago Food Planet’s Gold Coast/Old Town Food Tour introduced us to the best deep dish pizza in town at Lou Malnati’s.
8. Chicago, Illinois: Food Tours in big cities are a chance to get out of the downtown and into the neighborhoods, and that’s exactly what we did on Chicago Food Planet’s Bucktown-Wicker Park Tour. The highlight for me was hot chocolate from Mindy Segal’s restaurant (FYI – Mindy won the James Beard award for best pastry chef). Hot chocolate on a cold day was welcome by this Florida girl.
9. Dallas, Texas: Everything is bigger in Texas including the portions on Dallas Bites Bishop Arts District Tour!
10. Savannah, Georgia: The Savannah Taste Experience Food Tour was everything a great food tour should be…delicious food, entertaining stories and a tour guide full of Southern charm! They offer multiple tours, and I can’t wait to go back!
11. San Juan, Puerto Rico: The menus in San Juan were in English, but I still had no idea what to order. Flavors of San Juan Food Tours was an excellent introduction to a foreign cuisine and beautiful Old San Juan. I didn’t like everything on the tour, but that wasn’t the point. I wanted to be able to knowledgeably navigate a menu. My biggest surprise was the flan. When I learned that flan would be our dessert, I was a bit disappointed…it’s the only dessert I don’t like. Guess what? Puerto Rican flan is different from Mexican flan. It’s more like cheesecake rather than the egg custard like taste of Mexican flan. So yes, I do love flan as long as it’s Puerto Rican!
12. Brooklyn, New York: We enjoyed our first New York Food Tour with Foods of New York, so we decided to explore Brooklyn with them. Brooklyn is BIG, and this tour takes you by bus so you can experience the many diverse neighborhoods and ethnic cuisines. We saw Hasidic jews and learned about their traditional dress, we ate Polish pierogies and knoshed on a Cuban Sandwich, we admired colorful street art and the gentrification of neighborhoods, and of course…we had pizza!
13. Harlem, New York: Taste Harlem Food Tours is the perfect way to explore Harlem. Chicken & Waffles, Soul Food and an African market were the highlights. Harlem was not what I expected. Gentrification is happening at a rapid pace, and after a few hours with Jackie, you’ll appreciate Harlem’s past and have a good grasp on the future of this neighborhood.
14. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Rebecca of Twin Cities Food Tours reminded me why I love food tours…food tours make you feel like a local! Rebecca is a gifted tour guide and throughout the tour, it felt like we were walking around northeast Minneapolis with a friend who knew all the best restaurants in town and all the interesting stories about the food, the people and the neighborhood.
15. Asheville, North Carolina: The farm-to-table movement is alive and well in Asheville, and that’s the focus of Eating Asheville Food Tours. The tour begins with a champagne toast at a wine bar in a bookstore…how fun is that!
16. Amelia Island, Florida: If you like to eat and cook, Amelia Island Culinary Academy’s Farmer’s Market Tour and Cooking Class is for you! The tour begins by walking through the beautiful streets of historic Fernandina Beach on the way to the Farmer’s Market. Along the walk, Chef Bill adds plenty of interesting tidbits about the area and restaurants. After gathering fresh, local ingredients at the Farmer’s Market, we returned to the Culinary Academy for our cooking class and lunch. Chef Bill’s class is entertaining, educational and delicious! PS – We went back and did this tour again, and it was just as much fun! Different season, different produce, different recipes.
17. Colorado Springs, Colorado: You’ll work up an appetite after hiking in the beautiful Rocky Mountains, and when you’re ready to take a break let Rocky Mountain Food Tours introduce you to the best restaurants in town. You’ll feel like a VIP with personal attention from chefs and restaurant owners…what a treat! The Rabbit Hole is hands-down the most unique restaurant I’ve ever been to…take their Colorado Springs tour to find out why!
18. Dallas, Texas: Food Tours of America has put together a fun, educational and tasty way to explore a Farmer’s Market! The Dallas Farmer’s Market has a fascinating history and a promising future. Visit an authentic Tamalero (where they make tamales), learn about urban rooftop beekeeping from a local beekeeper, taste Texas pecans, explore an urban garden and take a picture on an vintage tractor. Everything is bigger in Texas including their Farmer’s Market!
19. Seattle, Washington: Our Pike Place Market Tour with Savor Seattle Food Tours gets the honor of being our second favorite food tour…quite an honor! The Pike Place Market is HUGE, and this tour hits the hot spots, and you don’t have to wait in line. You’ll finish the day with more than a full belly, you’ll remember the vendors for their stories and the market for it’s history. If you’re in Seattle, this is a must-do.
20. Cozumel, Mexico: If you want to feel like a local for a day, Josefina’s Market Tour & Cooking Class is your ticket. You’ll begin your day at the local open-air market learning how to select authentic Mexican ingredients. Then, it’s onto Josefina’s kitchen in a humble little home to learn how to prepare a Mexican Feast. I’m craving the sangria and guacamole we learned to make!
21. Falmouth, Jamaica: Jamaica Culinary Tours is everything a food tour should be…delicious food that tells a story of the people, history, architecture and culture. The most memorable moments were tropical fruit “show & tell,” dessert under a beautiful native tree, a tour of a historic home and of course jerk chicken with red stripe beer.
22. St. Augustine, Florida: Not all food tours are created equal, and I must say Savory Faire Food Tours ranks at the bottom of our list. In a charming, historic town like St. Augustine, this tour certainly has potential, but they have some work to do. There was no purpose or story as to why we were eating certain foods, and we were served hummus at 2 restaurants in a row…odd!
23. Delray Beach, Florida: I live just 30 minutes away from Delray Beach, but I’ve never explored the dining scene beyond the tourist traps. Thanks to Craft Food Tours for getting us off the beaten path and into small, locally owned restaurants. We ate delicious food, we met chefs and restaurant owners and we soaked up the vibe that is Delray Beach…Craft Food Tours really gave new meaning to “being a tourist in your own town.” PS – Being a native Texan, I was thrilled to finally find great Mexican food in South Florida at El Camino, and I’m still dreaming about DaDa’s Watermelon-Feta-Arugula Salad with a crunchy creme brulee topping and pesto. In fact, I’ve already made plans to go back to 3 of the restaurants, and I’ve purchased a blow torch to recreate that amazing Watermelon Salad. I think that’s the best compliment a food tour can receive. Note: I’ve done this tour twice! Great way to spend the day in Delray Beach.
24. Savannah, Georgia: We loved The Savannah Taste Experience Food Tour so much last year, that we decided to do it again! This time we did their Famous & Secret East Side Food Tour, and we requested our favorite tour guide, “Country.” She entertains you with crazy stories about Savannah, and she leaves you with a belly full of great Southern food. I could go for some of that pimiento cheese right now!
25. Brevard, North Carolina: This company is owned by a 17-year old high school student, and from the moment we met him…we were impressed! He’s professional, he seems to know everyone in town and he knows where to find the best food! Brevard Bites Food Tours will make you feel like a VIP at every restaurant, and they’ll will make you fall in love with life in small town America. Pictured below is the smallest bar in North America, and it’s a fun stop on the tour.
26. Old Montreal, Canada: If you’re visiting Montreal, let Local Montreal Food Tours introduce you to this charming city filled with French flair and French pastries! Their Old Montreal tour was truly a feast for the senses as we walked the cobblestone streets, heard the bells of Notre-Dame Basilica, tasted iconic foods like poutine and oh the aroma of a fresh, baked croissant! If you’ve never had poutine, it’s a classic Quebec comfort food…french fries smothered in gravy and topped with cheese curds. An added bonus to doing this tour at the beginning of your vacation is their comprehensive neighborhood guide filled with restaurant recommendations, coupons and things to do. Tres magnifique!
27. Montreal, Canada: One food tour is never enough in a city the size of Montreal. Now that we’d explored the heart of the city, we were ready to get off the tourist track and into the neighborhoods to eat like a local. Thanks to Local Montreal’s Mile End Food Tour, I can now tell you the difference between a Montreal bagel and a New York bagel! Although I must admit that I’m still partial to a New York Bagel…sorry, Montreal.
28. Nashville, Tennessee: Nashville Hot Chicken and Tennessee Barbecue topped our list of “must-eat” foods, and Local Tastes of Nashville Food Tours served up the best! Along with iconic Nashville foods we enjoyed a heaping serving of history, a peak inside the historic Union Station Hotel and a walk through the trendy Gulch district filled with instagram-worth murals.
29. Atlanta, Georgia: Atlanta Food Walks is everything you want a food tour to be…delicious Southern food, fascinating stories and a memorable experience. You’ll eat soul food while learning about Martin Luther King, explore the various styles of Southern BBQ and you’ll visit the iconic Auburn Curb Market. Think of this tour as a giant serving of delicious Southern food with side orders of history, architecture and culture.
30. Asheville, North Carolina: Let Taste Carolina Gourmet Food Tours introduce you to the people, places and foods that make Asheville great and a little quirky! Expect to be treated like a VIP with small tour group sizes and special attention from each restaurant. As they say, “ready your belly” for a delicious day!
31. Toronto, Canada: Culinary Adventure Co’s St. Laurence Market Food Tour was the perfect introduction to this city, the food and the culture. Now I know the difference between smoked salmon and gravlax, and I am certain the next time I see Canadian bacon, I will remember this tour. Every bite really does tell a memorable story!
32. Austin, Texas: This is the city where I fell in love with food tours 4 years ago, and I’m back for more deliciousness, weirdness, brunch & FUN! If you love brunch, Austin Eats Luxe Brunch and Libations Bus Tour will get you into all the hot-spots. They know how to do brunch in this town, and I’m still dreaming about that bright pink prickly pear margarita from Odd Duck! By the way, Odd Duck is a must-try restaurant any time of the day in Austin.
33. Miami, Florida: When in Miami, Cuban food is a must, and Miami Culinary Tours serves up the best on their Little Havana Food Tour. Along with authentic Cuban cuisine, expect a big side order of culture! My sister-in-law that joined us for this tour said, “I really feel like I’m in Cuba.” Note: I’ve done this tour 5 times…always great to take houseguests interested in Cuban culture & food!
34. Miami, Florida: Here we go to Miami again and thanks to Brightline trains, it’s a quick and easy day trip from West Palm Beach. We loved every delicious moment on Miami Culinary Tours Little Havana Tour that we decided to try their Wynwood Food Tour. It’s a wonderful combination of local foods and vibrant street art. We’ve been to Wynwood many times, but this food tour is a must to truly appreciate this revitalized, artsy neighborhood.
35. Key West, Florida: I’m still laughing at the crazy stories we heard on our Key West Food Tour. We’ve been to Key West many times, but we’ve never experienced it quite like this! Key West Food Tours avoids the tourist traps, serves delicious South Florida favorites and will keep you entertained. How can you go wrong with a tour whose slogan is…Sun, Rum & Key Lime Pie?!
36. Havana, Cuba: We were on a cruise to Cuba, so we had just 1 day to make the most of our visit. Thanks to Food Tours Havana for creating a delicious, educational and memorable experience! We ate, we talked, we laughed and we learned so much about Cuban cuisine, culture, history and architecture. We opted to add their Classic Convertible Car Tour, and it was the perfect pairing to their food tour. Added bonus? Food Tours Havana keeps their groups small and intimate, so you feel like you’re spending the day with a local! When we returned to our ship, the guests at our dinner table were envious! They had signed up for a city tour through the ship and were hustled from place to place with a giant group of 25 people.
37. Greenville, South Carolina Greenville History Tours offers a chef-driven food tour that will delight the most discriminating palete. Think far beyond grits and okra! Expect gourmet food, fascinating history with pictures of Greenville then & now, and expect to meet chefs! We were pleasantly surprised to find that many of the restaurants opened just for our tour group which made us feel like VIP’s.
38. Barcelona, Spain You’ll get away from the over-touristed parts of town and into the neighborhoods with Barcelona Eat Local Food Tours. From learning where the name tapas came from to making our own Pan con Tomate…it was the best way to start our vacation. After spending a few hours on this tour, we felt a bit more knowledgeable and a little less like tourists when we dined.
39. Orlando, Florida Get out of the theme parks and experience the real Orlando with Around Orlando Tours. I’m a Florida resident, and I can now say I’ve seen and tasted the real Orlando on their Winter Park Food Tour. And, it was so much more than a food tour! They incorporated a boat ride through the canals, and a museum. Quaint, charming and not at all what I expected in Orlando. PS – you’ll get to taste a cookie that was recently awarded “The World’s Best Cookie,” and yes it is!
40. Islamorada, Florida Winner, winner conch fritter dinner! Florida Keys Food Tours is one of our all time favorite food tours, and that’s quite an honor considering we’ve taken 40 food tours around the world. What sets this tour apart is every delicious bite told a story, and we tasted all the must-have flavors of The Keys. From the history of the key lime pie to a restaurant featured on Diners, Drive Ins & Dives, from a restaurant made famous by the hit TV show Bloodline to seeing fish coming right off the boat. This tour is as authentic as it gets!
41. Grapevine, Texas – Just beyond Dallas lies the real Texas, and Grapevine Food Tours serves up a heaping, helping of Texas hospitality! The tour begins with the story of Grapevine, Texas, and hint…it has to do with grapes. That being said, a very personalized wine tasting at Messina Hof is included on this tour. Overall, expect a true Texas experience with Tex Mex favorites and some crazy Wild West stories. If you’ve never seen the Grapevine shootout, your tour ends with this must-see spectacle.
42. Hendersonville, North Carolina – A charming mountain town just outside of Asheville that’s got more than their share of great restaurants and great people who are eager to share their town with visitors. Hendersonville Food Tours does exactly that! I knew we were off to a great start when we were welcomed with a delicious goody bag. From the personalized wine tasting at Wine Sage & Gourmet to the Mike’s old-fashioned soda fountain…you’ll be glad you found this little town, and you’ll be really glad you found Hendersonville Food Tours to show you around.
43. Miami, Florida – We live just 70 miles north of Miami, and it’s a quick & luxurious train ride away on Brightline. Once you arrive in Miami, the most authentic way to experience the city is with Little Havana Tours. The history, the culture, the stories, the people and the food are full of life and passion. Trust me, you can’t just walk around Little Havana, you need a local guide, you need Little Havana Tours.
44. Raleigh, North Carolina – My son’s wedding was in Raleigh, and Taste Carolina Food Tours proved to be the perfect introduction to the city for our out-of-town friends and family. Expect Southern foods with a big serving of Southern hospitality!
45. Fort Lauderdale, Florida – My friends at Craft Food Tours recently launched a tour on the popular Las Olas Boulevard, and opened my eyes to the real Ft. Lauderdale. Favorite stop? A darling floral shop that is also a dessert & cocktail bar! Favorite fun fact? Ft. Lauderdale has over 300 miles of canals.
46. Thomasville, Georgia – Taste of Thomasville will make you fall in love with this charming small town and their delicious southern food…especially the Shrimp & Grits! And the stories…Debra is a storyteller, and she made the history of the area so interesting. Added bonus… everybody in town knows Debra, so you’ll feel like a VIP.
47. Nassau, Bahamas – We have been to Nassau several times on cruises, and it was never my favorite port, but Captain Ron got us away from the tourist traps and shared so many great stories that we now love Nassau! After the tour, they share Bahamian recipes, and whenever I see conch, I am certain I’ll remember Captain Ron and our Tru Bahamian Food Tour.
48. Sante Fe, New Mexico – I must admit we all thought New Mexican Food was just Mexican Food or Tex-Mex, but Jose with Food Tours New Mexico set us straight! Expect delicious food and expect an in-depth history lesson. Added bonus…Jose was our personal concierge! He asked us to text him with any questions, and we did! Great restaurant recommendations!
49. Kansas City, Missouri – This tour should have been named off-the-beaten path Kansas City because Taste of Kansas City Food Tours got us away from the touristy areas and into the neighborhoods where locals dine. Our favorite stop was a Mexican restaurant inside a little grocery store in a Latino neighborhood…authentic, delicious and certainly not a place we would have found on our own. This tour is in a van, so if you’re adverse to walking, this tour is for you!
50. Miami, Florida – There’s so much more to South Beach than the nightlife! I have a new appreciation for this neighborhood and the architecture after experiencing Miami Culinary Tours South Beach Food & Art Deco Tour.
51. Toronto, Canada – Experience 8 countries in just over 2 hours on Chopsticks & Forks Kensington Market Tour! This is a tour for the adventurous eater eager to learn more about international street foods. Think Tibetan boja tea made with salt and butter, Jamaican patties, Argentinean empanadas and more!
52. Atlanta, Georgia – You’ll feel like a local after experiencing the historic Inman Park Neighborhood with Food Tours Atlanta. This tour is equal parts history, architecture and food in a part of town that is the new hot spot for dining.
Get off the boring sightseeing bus and get into the wonderful world of food tours!
Please leave a comment to share your favorite food tour.
updated 11/26/21