25 Best Food Tours in the United States

By VacationIdea Staff on October 24, 2022 - Updated

Courtesy of dream79 - Fotolia.com

You don’t have to be a foodie to enjoy food tours. There is much to learn about a place through the food people eat as food is an important part of the local history, customs, and culture. When discovering a new destination anywhere in the world, taking a food tour with a local guide will open unexpected doors to discovering the true soul of a place. Most food tours are on foot, giving you the opportunity to stroll through different neighborhoods and observe the architecture, historical landmarks, and the way people live all the while listening to entertaining and informative stories, facts, and anecdotes from your guide. Each restaurant, cafe, bakery, market, and food stall will let you taste a piece of what makes a place unique and special.

We recommend that you call the attractions and restaurants ahead of your visit to confirm current opening times.

1.Maine Foodie Tours

Maine Foodie Tours introduces the local history and culture of Portland, Kennebunkport, Bar Harbor, and the Mid Coast through the culinary delights of their restaurants, pubs, bakeries, and specialty shops. Some tours are offered year round, such as the 3-hour Old Portland Culinary Walking Tour or the Portland Happy Hour Tour. Others are seasonal, offered from May to October, such as Portland: Old Port Lunchtime Lobster Crawl or Portland: Lunch and Aquaculture Cruise on Casco Bay. Their entertaining and well-informed local guides will make sure you become immersed in the rich spirit of this incredible area while sampling the very best that the sea, land, and passionate food masters produce. Check the website to find the perfect tour for you.

227 Commercial Street, Portland, ME 04101, Phone: 207-233-7485

2.Local Food Adventures

Local Food Adventures offers guided culinary and culture adventures through Oakland and the Bay Area that will take you off the beaten tourist path, through unique neighborhoods, and to their exciting eating spots. You will get to know the local food scene and the businesses and people that make the area so special. The knowledgeable and entertaining guides will introduce you to the local history, show you the interesting architectural details, and tell you about the latest happenings. They currently offer four walking tours: The 3-hour Rockridge Neighborhood Heritage Food Tour with six stops and mile and a half of walking; the 2-hour Grand Lake Cultural Cuisine Food Tour with four stops throughout Oakland; the 1-hour Rockridge Ice Cream and Gelato Tour; and the 2-hour Eat Stay Love Lafayette Food Tour with five stops.

3527 Mt. Diablo Boulevard, #430, Lafayette, CA 94549, Phone: 510-604-6546

3.Savannah Taste Experience

Whether you are visiting Savannah for the first time, come to town frequently, or live in this charming Southern belle, you will spend a lot of time simply strolling through its elegant squares, pass by ornate houses and gardens, and enjoy so much culture, history, and architecture in one place. Savannah Taste Experience offers a guided tour of Savannah’s most beautiful spots, combined with visits to the town’s most exciting and delicious eateries. For 3 hours, you will be going from one restaurant or gourmet food store to another, tasting all the delicious little bits each is famous for. By the end of the tour, you will have pretty good idea of why Savannah is known as the Hostess City of the South. Phone: 912-221-4439

4.Burgh Bits and Bites Food Tour

You can often learn more about the spirit of a place by tasting its food than by visiting its monuments and attractions. Burgh Bits and Bites Food Tour will show you a Pittsburgh you did not know existed, by walking through its unique and colorful neighborhoods and tasting its specialties in small local eateries and food stores. While strolling through the city streets, your passionate local guide will share stories about the city’s history and culture. There are tours that will take you walking and eating through Bloomfield/Little Italy, the historic market district, Brookline, Lawrenceville, Northside, Allentown, and South Side. If you are living in Pittsburgh and think you know all the best eating places, go with your out of town visitors on one of the Burgh Bits and Bites tours and you will be surprised by many hidden jewels.

Pittsburgh, PA, Phone: 866-736-6343

5.Secret Food Tours

Established in 2013 by Londoner Oliver Mernick-Levene and his French partner Nico Jacquart, both passionate travelers and foodies, Secret Food Tours organizes very popular food tours in 20 cities in Europe, Asia, and the USA. In each city, knowledgeable local guides take small groups of people to the most interesting places serving the most delicious food and drinks the city has to offer. They take their guests to the places locals like, where tourists seldom venture, helping with the language and sharing the stories and history of each destination. These walking tours are relaxed and not too strenuous, with about 1 hour of walking required. Children are welcome. The phone numbers to book their food tours in various cities are listed on secretfoodtours.com.

6.Bite San Diego

There are many ways of exploring San Diego, but walking through some of the city’s coolest neighborhoods and spending an afternoon tasting food from four to five restaurants in each must be one of the best. You do not have to be a tourist to enjoy BITE San Diego tours. They will take you to little-known culinary jewels and delicious local secrets you might have never noticed. Their guides will also share fun and informative stories about the city’s culture, history, and architecture. BITE San Diego offers tours in North Park, Pacific Beach, La Jolla, Liberty Station, Coronado, Encinitas, Downtown, and Little Italy. Read more

600 W Broadway, Ste 700, San Diego, CA 92101, Phone: 619-634-8476

7.Baton Rouge Food Tours

“C'est si bon!” is what people in Baton Rouge say when they enjoy the traditional Cajun cuisine in one of many delightful eateries in this lovely Louisiana town. You will quickly learn that it means “this is so good” when you join one of the popular C'est Si Bon Food Tours. Their 2.5-hour guided walking tours of downtown Baton Rouge combine tasting great food at several local restaurants with informative and entertaining cultural and historical facts. You will visit some upscale gourmet restaurants as well as small traditional family cafes. You will get to taste all the main Cajun delights, such as gumbo, shrimps and grits, po’boys, and delicious beignets. You will be so full that the walk from one great eatery to another will be a welcome exercise.

Downtown Baton Rouge, LA, Phone: 800-838-3006

8.Ahoy NY Tours and Tasting

If you spend every day of your visit to New York City eating each meal in a different restaurant, you will still not come close to exploring all deliciousness this exciting city has to offer. Ahoy New York Tours and Tasting focuses its culinary adventures on Little Italy and Chinatown, where you will learn about the best ethnic food, have great conversation over the dining table, and have a fascinating sightseeing stroll through these lively neighborhoods. In each eatery you will be offered a generous portion of their most popular dishes. You will visit some completely unknown and overlooked spots only locals know about and discover some true hidden gems, some more than a century old. Don’t worry about eating too much, you will do a fair amount of walking, but you are sure to enjoy every minute.

New York, NY, Phone: 646-681-3994

9.Asheville Food Tours

Asheville is known for its spectacularly rich art scene, but less so for its fascinating culinary offerings. Asheville Food Tours provides you with the opportunity to discover little-known local eateries and culinary treasures through one of their 3 to 4-hour walking food tours. The passionate and knowledgeable local guides will take you to restaurants, markets, and food shops where you will get to taste artisanal cheeses and meats from nearby farms, crusty, freshly baked breads and pastries from local bakeries, hand-made chocolates, finely selected wines, and local craft beers. During the Downtown Tour you will visit six or seven places and sample their delights. On Sunday you can join the Brunch Tour or Food Fan Foot Tour with local food writer and blogger Stu Helm.

1 Page Ave, Grove Arcade, Asheville, NC 28801-2382, Phone: 828-243-7401

10.Taste of Kansas City Food Tours

Taste of Kansas City Food Tours invites you to explore this exciting city by tasting the food and drink in some of its unique neighborhoods and off-the-beaten-path eateries. They will take you to wonderful one-of-a-kind gourmet food stores, ethnic eateries, and famous or completely unknown local restaurants. Your guides will share with you informative and fun stories about the history, culture, and architecture of the “Paris of the Plains,” as Kansas City is known. You will be treated to not only amazing foods but also some of the most exciting entertainment venues in the city. You will taste delicious artisanal chocolate, fruity frozen cocktails, and some of the best barbecue in Kansas City. Three tours are offered: The Kansas City’s Lip Smacking Foodie Tour, the Kansas City Prohibition & Cocktail Tour, and KC’s Original Streetcar and Culinary Tour.

15832 Robinson St, Overland Park, KS 66223, Phone: 913-634-0444

11.Columbia Food Tours

Strolling through downtown Columbia is a pleasure on its own, but with the passionate local guides of Columbia Food Tours, you will discover little-known local eateries, cafes, bars, markets, and gourmet stores that only locals know about. You will spend 2 to 3 hours with a small group of food lovers sampling delicious specialties from South Carolina’s rich culinary heritage. While walking between the best city restaurants, you will also learn about the city’s history and architecture as well as the people who made the city what it is today. The Main Street Food Tour will introduce five to seven of the most interesting restaurants, where you will not only sample their specialties but also meet the chefs who created them. You can also try the new Nibbles & Narrative Tour, a Thursday afternoon walking tour of the city’s historical spots and popular eateries.

1100 Gervais St, Columbia, SC 29201-6215, Phone: 803-760-2618

12.Foods of NY Food Tours

More than 18 years of experience taking visitors and locals through New York City’s unique, colorful neighborhoods and introducing their delicious foods has gained Foods of NY the reputation of the best food tour in town. Even if you are a native New Yorker, you might be surprised by some hidden gems that you did not know of before. While eating your way through the exciting ethnic melting pot of NYC, you will also learn about the unique history, architecture, and culture of each neighborhood. At the “Heart and Soul” of Greenwich Village Tour, you will try Chef Pietro’s hand-made pasta and Bolognese sauce. Chelsea Market and the Highline will take you to the birthplace of the Oreo cookie. During the Original Greenwich Village Tour, you will visit some of the most iconic mom-and-pop stores and eateries and try meatball sauce and yummy cannoli. Each of the six tours has something unique to offer, but whatever tour you choose, you will leave with a full belly and be just that little bit more in love with NYC.

9 Barrow St, New York, NY 10014, Phone: 917-408-9539

13.Ventura Food Tours

Ventura is famous for its wonderful sandy beaches and long wooden pier, but you will also have a lot of fun exploring the local food scene and finding off-beat places out of tourist areas where the locals eat. The tours combine visits to restaurants, cafes, breweries, bakeries, markets, and much more with information on local history, culture, and architecture. Ventura Food Tours offers tours through downtown Ventura, Ojai, and Santa Barbara. You will be sampling goodies in a tiny bakery in Ojai, at the fish taco stand in Ventura, and in a hidden shop in Santa Barbara selling hand-made chocolates. During the 3-hour adventure, you will visit six places in total. In some you will sit down for a full meal, and in others you will get a bite or two of the special dishes while you talk to the chef. You will taste Polynesian food, clam chowder, handmade truffles, California wines, cheeses and olive oil, and much more.

Ventura, CA 93003, Phone: 805-295-8687

14.FEAST Food Tours and Culinary Events

FEAST Food Tours and Culinary Events will show you historic Charlotte, North Carolina, in a completely new way. Instead of visiting its best-known attractions, you will spend 3 hours walking through its unique neighborhoods and meeting its culinary artisans, chefs, restaurant owners, and farmers. You will get the opportunity to taste and drink your way through five to seven different venues, get a peek behind the scenes, talk to the chefs, and enjoy cooking and beer brewing demonstrations and wine classes. The tours are available several times a week. Private tours and special experiences such as cooking classes are also available.

100 N Tryon St, Charlotte, NC 28202-4000, Phone: 980-258-9992

15.Savor Gettysburg Food Tours

Gettysburg is full of history and is one of those American iconic must-visit places, especially if you are a history buff. However, there is more to Gettysburg than the Gettysburg Battlefield and Civil War history. Savor Gettysburg Food Tours will show you a different side of this great town. Through 3-hour walking tours you will not only learn about the city’s culture and history but will also visit some of the best local ethnic restaurants, mom-and-pop bistros, family-run vineyards, historical taverns, and colorful markets. It is all happening in Gettysburg’s downtown, and you will have to walk less than a mile, so do not worry if you are not fit for any serious hiking.

Chambersburg St, Gettysburg, PA 17325, Phone: 717-688-9584

16.Park City Food Tours

Park City is all about skiing, snowboarding, and mountain climbing. Or so you thought. Park City Food Tours will show you a different side of Park City and will present Main Street, the historic heart of Park City, with a delicious culinary twist. During the tour, your local guide will share historical and cultural details, town trivia, local current affairs, and other interesting information about Park City. You will visit three to four restaurants and food stores and get to taste their most popular dishes. It will not be a full meal, but just enough to know exactly where to come back. At the end of the tour, if you are tired from walking after a whole day of skiing, you can hop on a free trolley.

Park City, UT, Phone: 435-640-1271

17.Rhode Island Red Food Tours

Rhode Island Red Food Tours are determined to make your visit to Providence or Newport even more exciting than you expected. They will take you on a fascinating 3-hour walking tour of the local eateries, away from the regular tourist traps, through Rhode Island’s historical neighborhoods. Your guides will artfully merge food tastings with introductions to the local art scene as well as the history and architecture of the island’s largest towns. You will visit six local eateries and sample locally and regionally influenced dishes, enough for more than a regular lunch. You are sure to come back and thoroughly check the menus of these exceptional restaurants. The tours run from April to November.

270 Bellevue Ave, Newport, RI 02840, Phone: 866-736-6343

18.EAT Saint Louis Food Tours

EAT Saint Louis Food Tours offers a unique way to learn about historic Saint Louis by taking you on a walking adventure through the city’s most colorful neighborhoods. You will learn interesting facts about the city’s history, culture, and architecture as well as the best places to eat. You will visit delicious mom-and-pop restaurants and fascinating specialty food shops and markets and get to taste and smell the most delicious treats each has to offer. The Taste of the Hill tour will take you to the city’s large Italian neighborhood, where you will get to sample salami, ravioli, and fabulous pizza. During the Historic Soulard Food Tour, you will learn about this neighborhood’s European architecture and visit its most popular pubs, restaurants, markets, and brew houses.

5348 Devonshire Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63109, Phone: 800-656-0713

19.Tour Roanoke

Whether you are visiting Roanoke for the first time or you live in this exciting Virginia city on the slopes of Blue Ridge Mountains, you will enjoy fascinating food guided tours with one of the passionate locals, who know just where to go to find the most interesting food and drink. They will also share with you details about the local culture, wineries, breweries, markets, and much more. If you enjoy walking, spend 3 hours going through downtown Roanoke on a Downtown Roanoke Food and Cultural Tour, or perhaps just indulge for 3 hours on Sunday trying the best brunches in town. You can also hop on a bus for a Craft Beer Tour, an Appalachian Shine and Spirits Tour, or a Blue Ridge Wine Tour. Reserve about 5 hours for the bus tours.

2409 Lincoln Ave SW, Roanoke, VA 24015, Phone: 540-309-1781

20.Cape May Food Tours

Cape May Food Tours will take you on a 3-hour discovery of Cape May, the most beautiful Victorian resort not only in New Jersey but in the country. Your knowledgeable local guides will share with you the local lore and interesting historical details, and while you are walking through the historic downtown, they will show you examples of eight different architectural styles on one street. They will take you to the best eateries, restaurants, food stores, and markets and feed you with their best delicacies. They offer two different tours: Historic Downtown Food Tour and West Cape May Food Tour: The Soul of Cape May.

1002 Maryland Ave, Cape May, NJ 08204, Phone: 609-527-3131

21.Taste Harlem Food and Cultural Tours

Taste Harlem Food and Cultural Tours offers unique culture, history, and food tours of Harlem, one of the most colorful and interesting NYC neighborhoods. Tourists and residents are taken around Harlem to explore hidden and unknown places that you won’t find in any guide book. Guided by the passionate local guides, you will get to feel the spirit of Harlem by visiting famous churches, art galleries, restaurants, and small mom-and-pop eateries. You will be able to taste the flavors of real home-made soul food, African and Caribbean delicacies as well as many other cuisines that make up Harlem’s rich cultural and ethnic melting pot. There are several tours to choose from: Historical Food Tour, Historic Faces and Places (Architecture Tour), Taste El Barrio! (Spanish Harlem), and Tour Neighborhood Art Stroll.

Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027, Phone: 212-866-7427

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22.Hawaii Tasting Tours

There are many reasons to join one of the Hawaii Tasting Tours. One is to find out the best places to go for dinner. A much better reason is to learn about Oahu or Maui while walking with a friendly local guide who will tell you lore, stories, historical facts, and jokes about Hawaiian history, culture, and cuisine. They will take you to three or four renowned restaurants, where they will serve you with a specially designed dish that represents their most popular and characteristic delicacies. You will have the best table in the house and get a chance to talk to the chefs and try to learn their secrets.

744 Front St, Lahaina, HI 96761, Phone: 808-359-8159

23.A Taste of Carlsbad Food Tours

Known as the "Village by the Sea," Carlsbad is a charming, laidback coastal SoCal town full of Old World charms and a very special culinary scene. If you want to know where and what the locals eat and drink, join one of the Carlsbad Food Tours for a first-class foodie experience. Their 3-hour guided walking tours offer eight to nine stops at different restaurants and food stores. You will get to sample their specials and learn from your local guides about Carlsbad’s history and culture. They have two tours at the moment: Their original 3-hour Experience a Taste of Carlsbad Food Tour of Carlsbad Village & Barrio Carlsbad and the Indulgence Food Tour, which takes you through the newest eateries in town.

State and Grand Ave, California, Carlsbad, CA 92008, Phone: 760-215-9433