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San Diego Food & gourmet tours

Our most recommended San Diego Food & gourmet tours

San Diego: Brothels, Bites and Booze Gaslamp Quarter Tour

1. San Diego: Brothels, Bites and Booze Gaslamp Quarter Tour

Join us on a tour of the Gaslamp Quarter and we’ll tell you about the infamous Stingaree District, once a center of scandal and debauchery. We’ll walk along streets that featured 120 brothels at one point, and served as one of Southern California’s major red light districts. On our Brothels, Bites, and Booze Tour you’ll hear tales from the past that are funny and some that are hard to believe! During our 2.5-hour excursion you’ll see how this area has been restored and is now home to San Diego’s main nightlife and dining destinations. The Gaslamp Quarter now features more than 100 restaurants and bars. We’ll take you to some of the best restaurants in the area so you can taste a variety of popular ethnic cuisines and some alcoholic beverages as well! Most guests find that the samples on the tour are quite filling and are at least as much food as a full meal. You might want to eat no more than a very light snack before the tour – or nothing at all!

San Diego: Little Italy Food Walking Tour with Tastings

2. San Diego: Little Italy Food Walking Tour with Tastings

Explore the neighborhood of Little Italy in San Diego on a guided walking food tour. Visit 3 local restaurants and 1 gelateria for tastings of San Diego favorites, and learn about the area's history. Discover the Little Italy area which in addition to the traditional pasta and pizza dishes, offers vegan breakfasts, juicy burgers, and lounges for dancing and fine cocktails. Meet your guide and head to the first stop on the tour at Sorrento Ristorante and Pizzeria, a lively family-owned Italian restaurant. Taste one of their homemade traditional dishes, Parpadelle Bolognese and calamari, with a glass of red or white Italian wine. Continue to Queenstown Public House, a New Zealand-inspired restaurant with whimsical decor, known for its grass-fed burgers and selection of local beer. Taste one of their Little Bitties – a grass-fed slider with onion mayo, cheddar, and sweet relish paired with a taster of a local beer or sangria. Next, continue to a local staple at Landini’s Pizzeria, known for its quality New York-style slices. Pick the slice that most appeals to you, with options such as La Piccante with jalapeños, ricotta, pineapple, and pepperoni or the Rustica with Brussel sprouts, pancetta, and balsamic glaze. Finally, make your way to the final stop on the tour at Pappalecco, a traditional Italian bistro. Enjoy some house-made gelato as your dessert, with a wide array of flavors available to choose from.

Carlsbad Village: 3-Hour Local Food Tour

3. Carlsbad Village: 3-Hour Local Food Tour

The tour sets off from the heart of downtown Carlsbad Village, where your 3-hour culinary adventure begins. Navigate the picturesque streets of the village with your local guide and discover its diverse history, architecture and culture. Stroll down some of the most famous streets in Carlsbad, home to a wonderful concentration of museums, restaurants, and iconic landmarks, uniquely mixed with shops, art galleries and vibrant street murals. Along the way, stop at 8 different eateries, popular with the locals, and taste the flavors of Carlsbad. The food samplings on this tour are sure to stimulate your salivary glands, and satisfy your appetite for a lunch that is chock-full of variety. Each tasting is served from a locally-owned specialty food store, and ethnic or locavore-style eateries. Some of the stops on the tour include one of Carlsbad’s most romantic restaurants and a dessert haven with recipes passed down through generations. There’s also time to delight your taste buds with a sampling of California’s award-winning wines at one of the village’s urban wineries.

San Diego: Guided Secret Food Tour

4. San Diego: Guided Secret Food Tour

San Diego is known across the states for its miles of sandy beaches, temperate weather, and as of recently, great food. With an incredibly diverse range of influences from across the globe, "America's finest city" has adopted an array of vibrant cuisines and added unique twists to make it their own. Using the freshest ingredients and some of the finest chefs, this city will provide the perfect foodie adventure for a delectable secret food tour. You'll be taken through one of the city's most culturally significant neighborhoods to get a true insider's perspective on the food culture of this extraordinary city. Throughout your experience, your guides will provide you with the stories and history that have made San Diego the world-renowned city it is today. You'll also learn lots of local tips you'll be able to utilize for the rest of your stay in town.

San Diego: Brewery Tour with Tastings and Food Pairings

5. San Diego: Brewery Tour with Tastings and Food Pairings

Discover America's beer mecca, San Diego's North Park neighborhood. Dive deep into the city's beer world and taste your way through multiple breweries. Learn about the different methods and ingredients of each brew, and revel in a tour filled with beers, art, and culture. Get educated with a brewery tour of North Park Neighborhood in San Diego. Meet your beer-enthusiast guide and walk around the streets, visiting 3-4 different craft breweries in the area. Discover the brewing process, food and beer pairing, and what it takes to start a successful brewery. At each stop, learn how to pair beer with food, while munching on delicious snacks. Test your newly acquired beer-ucation and taste the subtle flavors and different blends in each tasting. Learn about the neighborhood's history in between your visits and how it turned from a streetcar area to the hipster-ridden and trendy spot that it is today. Don't worry if you're not a beer nerd, there are other options available.

San Diego: Old Town Tales, Tacos, and Tequila Walking Tour

6. San Diego: Old Town Tales, Tacos, and Tequila Walking Tour

As the birthplace of California, Old Town San Diego has seen its fair share of history. Today, it’s also widely regarded for its restaurants, margaritas, and souvenir shops. Start your exploration at the Adobe Chapel which served both as a home and church in the 19th century. Then, you'll be treated to handmade tortillas, a world-famous dish that dates back to before Columbus landed in North America. After that, continue the tour and see one of the oldest brick buildings in Southern California, best known for its haunting ghost stories. Marvel at the wonderful examples of Victorian architecture, including San Diego's first Synagogue. The nourishment from the tortillas will be handy as you stroll past to the original European settlement on the West Coast of the U.S. You'll see the oldest 18th-century structure in the area and learn about the history of indigenous people living on this land at the time of the arrival of European settlers. You'll visit a hundred-year-old Catholic church, followed by a stroll through a landmark cemetery with graves dating back to the 1850s. By now you might be thirsty, so take a brief walk to a local tequileria boasting a collection of thousands of bottles. Here you will learn about the many different types of tequilas and be treated to a tasting of one of the best tequilas in the world. (This sample is included as part of your tour price, but you may instead choose a margarita, beer or another beverage of your choice). You’ll bid adios here, but feel free to linger over another drink, or dig into some great Mexican food. Or, if you want to keep moving, you can continue shopping and exploring this great San Diego neighborhood.

San Diego: East Village Food and Drink Walking Tour

7. San Diego: East Village Food and Drink Walking Tour

San Diego’s East East Village is fast becoming one of the city's top destinations for the best food and drinks in town. Visit a few of the area's most delicious locations on a guided food and drink tour that samples the flavors of this up-and-coming neighborhood. The East Village is one of the best neighborhoods for exciting cuisine of various types. Previously a warehouse district, it's now home to an eclectic array of eateries, award-winning restaurants, breweries, and cocktail bars. Get a taste of the area on this guided food and drink tour that stops at 3-4 local cocktail bars, breweries, and restaurants. Sample a range of local fare while your guide helps to give you some insight into the area and how it became such a local hotspot.

California Sunset Brewery Tour

8. California Sunset Brewery Tour

Discover San Diego beach communities the way they were meant to be explored with a cold local craft beer in your hand. This tour you will be taken to the top beach communities of San Diego and have the opportunity to take pictures along the California Coastline and hopefully you will catch a beautiful West Coast Sunset. Visit two breweries and learn the many ways to taste beer. At one of the breweries, do a production tour of the brewery with a talk on how beer is made! Afterwards, visit a new brewery gastro pub right along world famous Belmont Park, one of the most beautiful beach parks and boardwalks in San Diego.  

San Diego: Tequila, Tacos and Tombstones Walking Tour

9. San Diego: Tequila, Tacos and Tombstones Walking Tour

Travel back to a world of colorful customs and ruthless pride, as you walk the streets of San Diego’s Old Town, a neighborhood known as the first town of California. The 2.5-hour walking tour explains how the area has been restored to represent what the neighborhood looked like during the 1820-1870s, and includes stops at local restaurants to savor the great cuisine and sample a few drinks. As you check out the original buildings, built with the only natural resources the land had to offer, you will learn how and why the natives thrived in their dry and warm environment. Hear about bull fights, horse races, pistol shooting matches, dances, and political events, all carried out in the town plaza during the Mexican period, and then later during the great American Gold Rush. Discover the difference between the two, and the marriage between the cultures. As one of the nation’s most haunted neighborhoods, the ghost stories of the tour will have you checking over your shoulder for lingering spirits. Visit the second oldest cemetery in San Diego, and learn the stories of some of the notorious people who still haunt the streets of the eerie neighborhood. Visit the Whaley House, considered the most haunted house in America and see why the past still haunts the present. 

San Diego: Barrio Logan Food and Art Guided Walking Tour

10. San Diego: Barrio Logan Food and Art Guided Walking Tour

Discover the neighborhood of Barrio Logan, one of San Diego's hidden gems. Eat and drink your way through this lively area and check out art and murals along the way accompanied by your local guide. Explore a neighborhood that is filled with incredible street art, boutique shops, and some of the best food and drinks in San Diego. Sample some of the great food and art that this area has to offer and check out some of the local art galleries during the course of the tour. In between tastings, your tour guide will help you to learn more about this key San Diego district. It's an epicenter of Mexican-American culture where you can find the largest collection of Chicano murals in the world.

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What people are saying about San Diego

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 39 reviews

We had an excellent time with Stefan from foodelicious tours! He was so knowledgeable in beer making and he made it so fun. We went to several local breweries and tasted beer and food. It was amazing how the taste could change with what he paired it with. It was a fabulous time and I would highly recommend it for all. I have never liked beer but I did this for my husband’s birthday. Now I know what I like and what I can order going out. Thanks Stefan for an unforgettable experience!!

Merritt was an excellent tour guide. Super friendly and informative. Tour included a lot of food, a few margaritas and a delish churro. We were stuffed! My only suggestion would be less waiting time for food. That was zero fault of Merritt as he had called ahead to let them know we were coming. Guessing just staffing shortages.

Our guide Raul was very informative and friendly and helped to make this experience so enjoyable; I would definitely recommend doing this as it is well worth the money and you get to sample many different delicious wines and food of this community.

Wonderful experience! Our tour guide, Christie, was amazing and very knowledgeable. The birria taco and mango margarita at Tuetano Taqueria was delicious. 10/10 recommend!

We had a great time on the tour! The food was excellent and it was so interesting to see and hear the stories about old San Diego!