Seek • October 22, 2024
by Cara
Fabulous Food Tours
The Perfect Way to Find Hidden Culinary Gems
You’ve just pulled the trigger on a long weekend in a city that you’ve always wanted to visit; now comes the planning. If you are anything like me, food/dining is the first thing that you start to think about. You make all the necessary reservations at the “must visit” places but you’re afraid that you will miss out on some of the locals’ favorite spots. Fear not- you can always book a food tour!!
Food tours are a really fun way to get a feel for the food culture of a city, while also learning about its history and even its architecture. Some are private tours, while others are small groups; either way, you will taste some of the best of what that city has to offer.
We’ve uncovered five of the most highly rated food tours in some of the most popular destinations in the country. If you find yourself heading to one of these cities, check them out!
Overwhelmingly one of the most 5-star reviewed tours, this 2.5 hour, half-mile walking tour of Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood has it all: Cuban coffee and pastries, Mojitos, Cubano sandwiches and even a visit to a local factory to see Cuban cigars being hand rolled. Always a small group of less than 14 people, these tours offer a lunch or dinner option. Price: $69.99/adult, $49.99/child.
Now, Carmel isn’t a large city, but if you find yourself in Northern California, you would be smart to head to this quaint, coastal town. This tour is 3 hours and 5-6 “tastes” of locally owned farm-to-table restaurants, small batch wineries and even gourmet chocolatiers. You’ll walk through hidden passageways that only locals (and ex-mayor Clint Eastwood) know about! Price: $139/person
We all know that the locals like to “keep things weird” in Austin, but it also has some of the country’s most highly rated barbecue. This is a private tour with concierge service - they will pick up your group and even supply a cooler for your BYOB drinks (they’ll even get you a musician to play while you’re tooling around the city). It’s 3.5 hours and 4 restaurants and food trucks, along with trivia and lots of folklore.
Price: 1-6 people $900, 7-13 people $1,900.
Sin City has truly become a food town, with most celebrity chefs having restaurants here. If you go during a busy time, it’s very hard to get into some of these places. Enter Savors of the Strip. This is a VIP experience, hitting 3 of the city's most acclaimed restaurants where you will sample 3-4 dishes. Alcohol is not included, but you can add that to your package if you’d like. Price: From $199/person.
Always high on the girls’ weekend list, Charleston is full of cute shops and southern hospitality. On this tour, you will get immersed in the mouth-watering cuisine of the “Lowcountry” - think fried green tomatoes and she-crab soup. It’s 2.5 hours long and is always limited to 12 guests or less. Price: $95/person.