26 Unmissable Food Tours In The US

It's no secret that some cities in the U.S. are known for their unique cuisines. Even the simple word "Chicago" may immediately conjure mental images of deep-dish pizza. Philadelphia is instantly associated with the acclaimed cheesesteak, and New Orleans and Po' Boys are about as inseparable as peanut butter and jelly. It goes without saying, then, that a visit to any number of cities includes an almost mandatory food itinerary. Maybe you're the type of person who loves researching popular eats in unfamiliar cities and planning your own itinerary. If you aren't, you don't have to miss out on the must-eat cuisines in any given city — just book a food tour.

Food tours take the guesswork out of choosing where to eat in a new city. Most food tours will charge a fee that includes at least a few eats at your tour stops, and many are 3 hours or less, making these tours an economical way to become familiar with your chosen city's go-to spots. When booking a food tour, it's a good idea to take note of what's included in the tour (it may or may not include tour guide gratuity and alcoholic beverages), the required walking distance, and any requirements of what to bring. We're highlighting some U.S. food tours that are already widely acclaimed in their respective cities, all of which have at least a 4.5-star rating and include at least a meal's worth of food, and several different stops.

If you ever find yourself vacationing around the French Quarter in New Orleans, you'd be crazy not to explore and try some of the local cuisine. Don't want to plan your own food tour? Go on Destination Kitchen's Walking Food Tour of the French Quarter instead! For under $100, you'll be treated to a 3-hour food tour complete with at least six tastings (including gumbo or jambalaya) and you'll get to taste what the French Market has to offer. Moreover, this walking foodie tour has over 2,000 5-star ratings on Tripadvisor.

It's no secret that Miami's Little Havana community is a treasure trove for foodies wanting a unique cultural experience. To that end, if you ever find yourself near the iconic Little Havana area, it would be a good idea to take Miami Culinary Tour's Little Havana Food and Cultural Tour, which boasts a whopping 4,400 5-star Tripadvisor reviews. You'll see and experience the best of the area's Cuban cuisine (like Cuban coffee and the famous Cuban sandwich) and you'll even get a close look at hand-rolled Cuban cigars. 

Sure, Charleston, South Carolina is famous for its historical significance, but you can't take a trip to the city without indulging in some of its incredible food offerings. Rather than touring yourself around the city, take one of Secret Food Tours' 5-star Charleston Food Tours. The company has a French Quarter Food Tour that will have you tasting iconic dishes like BBQ, shrimp and grits, and ice cream, while its Upper King St. Brunch Tour treats you to Southern brunch foods and coffee shops — personally, we think both are can't-miss experiences to get the full Charleston foodie experience. 

Seattle's Pike Place Market is a foodie's paradise, but given its sprawling size, making a first trip on your own can be overwhelming. Of course, you have to check out the fish market that still throws fish, but what other stops should you make? Take the guesswork out of your trip and join Eat Seattle Tours' Chef-Guided Food Tour of Pike Place Market. This 2-hour, fast-paced walking tour will give you the inside scoop on some of the market's vendors and cuisines, with tastings along the way.

If you find yourself with a day to spare in Boston, it's only natural to wonder about the local eats — where can you get great pizza, and what are Boston's best ice cream spots? Secret Food Tours' Boston tour will give you a sampling of all the region's iconic cuisines, from clam chowder and lobster rolls to pizza and cannoli. Hundreds of tourists have given this trip a 5-star rating on Tripadvisor, with one calling it their favorite of the many food tours they've experienced through the years. Rather than exploring Boston on your own, do yourself a favor and taste the diverse foods offered on this tour.

Have you ever wondered what makes Chicago's deep-dish pizza so unique? Or maybe you're infatuated with the city's food in general (in fact, touring Guy Fieri's favorite Chicago restaurants wouldn't be a bad way to spend your time). To get the fullest taste of what Chicago has to offer, we recommend taking Bobby's Bike Hike's Chicago Favorites Food & Walking Tour. At 1.4 miles, it's one of the shorter walking tours on this list and will let you taste Chicago classics including the deep dish pizza, a Chicago hot dog, and a scrumptious dessert. 

When in Oahu, you can't not indulge in the local cuisine — and though it would be easy enough to find popular eats on your own, we think you should get the local experience with Hawaii Free Tours' Off The Beaten Path food tour. You'll get to sample at least 13 tastings while only walking a half mile, and dishes range from pork adobo to sweet bread pastries and even balut. Although Hawaii Free Tours does indeed offer free walking tours, you'll have to pay for this all-inclusive food experience.

Foodies local to New York City may already be familiar with the thriving culinary scene of Greenwich Village. Tourists may be overwhelmed by the experience, in which case Nice Guy Tours is prepared with a Greenwich Village Food Tour to introduce you to the local cuisine. This vegetarian-friendly food tour will take you to at least six spots to taste foods like falafel, pizza, and cupcakes, and you'll get treated to scenes of some spots from your favorite movies and TV shows along the way.

Nashville may be famous for its bustling music scene, but visitors to the city can't neglect its fantastic cuisine. Secret Food Tours' East Nashville Walking Food Tour has cultivated the ideal Nashville foodie experience so you don't have to, complete with sweet and savory tastings, a BBQ sampling, and a few alcoholic beverages should you choose to upgrade your experience. With over 1,300 5-star Tripadvisor ratings, this is a can't-miss Nashville food experience, especially considering the small-group tour won't accommodate more than 12 people at a time. 

Vegas visitors are likely as excited about experiencing the city's food as they are about living in its bustling nightlife scene. When you're in the city and want a high-class food tour experience, look no further than Lip Smacking Foodie Tours. Though more expensive than most other tours on this list, the company offers a variety of Vegas food tours to choose from, each of which will have you dining like a Vegas VIP. Oh, and one tour (Savory Bites and Neon Lights) even includes a helicopter ride over the Strip. 

It's impossible to think about New York City's food culture without bringing to mind Chinatown and Little Italy. The vibrant neighborhoods are full of delicious eats, and Ahoy New York Tours wants to guide you through where to eat in each neighborhood. The company's Chinatown & Little Italy Food Fest Walking Tour will give you a whole lunch's worth of eight different tastings, and you'll become knowledgeable about other popular eateries to enjoy when your tour is over. 

Wondering where to dine on your next trip to San Francisco? Let Secret Food Tours plan your stops for you. The company's Mission District Food Tour will guide you through the neighborhood's Mexican cuisines and will have you tasting foods like Mission-style burritos, quesabirria, and sweet bread. It has hundreds of 5-star reviews on Tripadvisor, with reviewers lauding both the food and their newfound knowledge of the Mission District's history. If you want to understand the historical context of the Mission's stellar culinary reputation, this tour is for you!

While we've already covered one Charleston food tour, we'd be remiss not to mention this Undiscovered Charleston Food Tour. This tour stands apart in that it's guided by Chef Forrest Parker, an acclaimed South Carolina Chef who also happens to be incredibly knowledgeable about the city's history. Chef Parker's 5-star tour includes a wine and lunch pairing and a cooking demonstration. The chef will even give you some of his recipes so you can continue the adventure at home. 

We all know by now that Little Havana is a must-visit Miami foodie destination, but we can't let South Beach fall to the wayside. The neighborhood is so full of Mediterranean and Latin eats that it can be a chore choosing where to go on your own. Instead, just take Miami Culinary Tours' South Beach Food and Art Deco Tour. Not only will you taste a whole meal's worth of food samplings, but you'll also enjoy three cocktails and get a history lesson on South Beach's Art Deco period. 

Visitors to Santa Fe, New Mexico are probably as excited about the food as they are about experiencing the city's rich, vibrant history. If this sounds like you, treat yourself to Food Tour New Mexico's Flavors of the Santa Fe Plaza Tour. You'll taste foods like street tacos, chile enchiladas, and chocolate, with alcoholic beverages included in your ticket price. Along the way, you'll visit and learn about some of the city's most famous sites, like the San Miguel Mission and the Loretto Chapel.

Another fabulous tour from Nice Guy Tours is for visitors to New York City's Lower East Side. The company's Lower East Side Food Tour will teach you all about the neighborhood's history and will see you tasting a wide variety of cuisines like pastrami, pickled vegetables, bialys, dumplings, and candy. Hundreds of 5-star Tripadvisor reviews rave over the experience, with some saying it's especially worth it to avoid the typically long lines at the restaurants you'll be sampling from, making this food tour a can't-miss experience. 

How could one take a trip to Memphis without gorging themselves on the best cuisine the city has to offer? Memphis is chock full of delicious Southern eats, and Tastin' 'Round Town's Taste of Downtown Memphis Food Tour is the key to experiencing Memphis' best food. Starting on the iconic Beale Street, you'll be treated to many comfort cuisines like mac and cheese, BBQ nachos, and yummy desserts, and you'll learn about Memphis history along the way; plus, reviews suggest portions are "huge" and that you definitely get your money's worth with this tour. 

If you've never visited the Venice Beach neighborhood of Los Angeles before, you owe it to yourself to dive headfirst into the area's creative, vibrant culture and cuisine. Secret Food Tours would be a great guide with its Venice Beach LA Food Tour. You'll eat a little bit of everything the seaside neighborhood has to offer, from scrumptious seafood like fish tacos to hearty smoothie bowls, quesabirria, and authentic Hawaiian shaved ice and Dole whip. Plus, the company promises to take you by some hidden gems that you may not discover on your own.  

Why not go on more than one food tour in New Orleans' French Quarter? The area certainly has enough cuisines for several food tours, so in addition to our earlier pick, you should also take Tastebud Tours' Flavors of the French Quarter Food Tour. You'll try gumbo, Creole pralines, po-boys, and jambalaya, and you'll leave absolutely stuffed — the tastings make up more than a meal's worth of food. That plus the fact that the experience has over 2,000 5-star reviews, and it's safe to say you shouldn't sit this one out.

Maybe your primary reason for visiting Savannah, Georgia is to explore its spooky history or gaze at antebellum architecture. No matter how you find yourself in the city, exploring its local food scene is a must-do. Savannah Taste Experience's Distinctly Savannah Food Tour will show you some lesser-known spots in Savannah's culinary scene and treat you to experiences you couldn't have on your own, like front-of-line dining opportunities, rooftop views, and behind-the-scenes theater access. If you want to have an experience other Savannah tourists won't get, this is the food tour for you.

You can't blame us for recommending multiple food tours in New York City — with its diverse collection of neighborhoods featuring a huge variety of cultural cuisines, we couldn't possibly highlight just one. When in Hell's Kitchen, then, treat yourself to Manhattan Food Tours' Hell's Kitchen Food Tour. You'll taste all kinds of foods — from Southern cooking to Japanese food and even Druze food — making this the perfect tour for an adventurous foodie who wants to experience a little bit of everything. 

San Diego might not immediately come to mind when thinking of famous foodie cities, but that doesn't mean the city lacks vibrancy when it comes to its cuisines. This is especially true when considering its Gaslamp Quarter; in fact, we think it would be a shame not to go on So Diego's Brothels, Bites, and Booze Tour of the Gaslamp Quarter. While learning about the city's history as a popular red light district, you'll be treated to food tastings at four popular local restaurants, three of which also include a boozy accompaniment. 

Though most of the tours on this list are walking tours, an hours-long walk around a city won't be feasible for some foodies. For those who find themselves wanting to go on a Chicago food tour without the walking, Chicago Pizza Tours will happily take you on a bus tour of the city's famous pizza scene. You'll visit four pizzerias and try at least six slices. As a bonus, because you'll be traveling via bus, the tour is accessible no matter the city's weather conditions. 

When in Brooklyn it would be easy enough to find eateries on your own. You could visit the neighborhood's oldest Italian restaurant that just so happens to have mob ties, or you could eat simply and indulge in pizza. Those wanting a comprehensive Brooklyn food experience should go on Intrepid Urban Adventures' New York Neighborhood Eats Tour: Brownstone Brooklyn Experience. You'll feel like part of a tight-knit community as you eat your way through this city, stopping at many family-owned food spots to taste a variety of ethnic cuisines. 

No trip to Philadelphia is complete without indulging in the city's lively food scene (and getting creative with a Philly cheesesteak while you're there). Marriott Bonvoy's Center City Philadelphia Food Tour will give you a great overview of all the food the city has to offer, with stops at the famous Reading Market (where you can get foods like soft pretzels and cannoli), a Philly cheesesteak shop, and inventive food locations on Sansom Street. Take this tour if you feel overwhelmed by Philadelphia's food options and need a tailored experience. 

San Francisco visitors should make it a priority to take Local Tastes of the City Tours' North Beach and Little Italy Walking Food Tour. This tour is ideal for lovers of Italian cuisine, as you'll get to explore the best of the city's Italian offerings from fresh bread to pizza, chocolate, coffee, and even olive oils. The 3-hour tour has hundreds of 5-star reviews on Tripadvisor, with reviewers especially mentioning the ample amount of food they sampled during the tour. 

It goes without saying that the U.S. is rife with reputable food tours, and naming all of them would be a monumental task. Nevertheless, we narrowed down some of the most popular food tours to 26 of the country's best by focusing on certain criteria. You may have noticed that wine tours didn't make this list — to get a spot on this "best of" list, a tour had to be primarily focused on food rather than beverages. Though some tours on this list include alcoholic beverages, a sole focus on drinks excluded certain highly acclaimed tours from the list.

All the tours we mentioned have at least several hundred 5-star Tripadvisor ratings, a good metric to determine whether the tour is worth the price you'd pay for it. Additionally, all tours make at least four food stops and include the cost of food in your ticket price. We took into consideration how a tour incorporated other elements into its foodie experience — for example, tours that gave an opportunity to taste delicious food while learning about a city's history easily earned a spot on the list, as did tours that offer VIP experiences (such as Vegas's Lip Smacking Foodie Tours). Each tour on this list will also give you at least a meal's worth of food, so there's little chance of you leaving hungry.