Downtown Charleston Food Tour in Charleston booking from $85.00

Downtown Charleston Food Tour

Overview

The 2.5-hour Downtown Charleston Culinary Tour visits four different food establishments and combines elements of a historical tour with a culinary adventure! Learn about Charleston's history as you enjoy tastings of traditional favorites and contemporary innovations, all of which highlight the cuisine of locally-owned restaurants. Insight into Lowcountry cuisine accompanies the broad range of samples on your food tour. This is our original tour around the French Quarter and City Market and focuses on the traditional flavors of the region.

City: Charleston

Mon 18 Nov

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Starting at $85.00

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Mon 18 Nov

Starting at $85.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

All pre-selected food tastings at 4 Charleston restaurants (meal for most)

2.5-Hour Downtown Charleston Culinary Walking Food Tour

City-Certified Tour Guide providing narration about Charleston's history and food

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
DIETARY RESTRICTIONS must be communicated directly to Charleston Culinary Tours (843-259-2966) at least *36 hours* before your scheduled tour in order to be accommodated.
Vegan, dairy/lactose, & soy restrictions cannot be adequately accommodated. Guests with multiple allergies should contact Charleston Culinary Tours prior to booking to confirm accommodation.
We cannot assume responsibility for those with severe allergies.
We make every effort to provide a full meal for all guests, however, substitutions for dietary restrictions may not be 1-for-1 with regular tour offerings.
We recommend weather-appropriate attire and comfortable walking shoes.
Tours operate rain or shine, hot or cold. In the rare cases of EXTREME weather (e.g. Hurricane!), we will notify all guests as soon as a decision to cancel has been made.
Not recommended for those under 8 years of age.
Not recommended for travelers with severe dietary needs
DIETARY RESTRICTIONS must be communicated in advance directly to Charleston Culinary Tours (843.259.2966 or [email protected])
DIETARY RESTRICTIONS cannot be accommodated without advance notice (at least 36 hours prior to tour time)
We cannot accommodate vegan, dairy/lactose, or soy restrictions
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitised between use
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons

What To Expect

Charleston

After meeting your foodie guide at the first restaurant location in downtown Charleston, you will begin your walking tour and visit 3-4 restaurants, where you'll sample dishes at each, and then a final stop for dessert. Each visit lasts 20 to 30 minutes, and you'll be seated to rest your legs. For most people, the amount of food served is enough for a meal. As you enjoy walking through this historical section of the city, listen to stories about Charleston's culture and cuisine from your guide, who points out landmarks along your route. This wonderful experience will end within walking distance of your starting point. *Please advise about Allergies in the ( Special Requirements section) during check out! *Dietary restrictions need to be communicated at least 24 hours in advance to be accommodated *Unfortunately we can not accommodate Vegan, Dairy Free or Soy Free diets

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (792)

Rodney F

Aug 2018

This tour was great fun. We learned about some of the history of Charleston and sample some great food. The tour guide was very interesting and knowledgeable. The tour ended with a great dessert.

jtullco2324

Aug 2018

Fun way to try some great restaurants while learning more about Charleston. Tour guide Dustin very knowledgeable and pleasant.

Deborah B

Aug 2018

My mother and I booked a tour a few hours before it began, and that was not enough time to accommodate my mom’s vegetarian preference. Our guide Houn was friendly, informative, and funny, but at times I was extremely put off by the way he referred to historical white South Carolinians as “we” and enslaved Africans as “they” when speaking about South Carolina’s history. At one point he even said that “we” were susceptible to malaria if “we” had worked in the rice paddies, so “we” had to go to summer homes inland, while “they” worked. He also made reference to who was the most “valuable” slave, without qualifiers. This was difficult to stomach. The first restaurant, Eli’s Table, was excellent, but it was the only restaurant we visited where I felt like there was a legitimate portion of food and enough time to eat it. We each had a quarter of a waffle with a piece of fried chicken on top, half a pancake, and a small bowl of grits (about the size of a scoop of ice cream) and one shrimp on top. The next restaurant, Baleo, served a few sips of melon gazpacho, which included shreds of crab. Around the room, only about 3-5 people finished this. Most took one sip and then stopped. I did not enjoy it, but that could just be my taste. Some people were disappointed they’d ordered expensive drinks when we only ended up staying for a few minutes and got no other food. The third restaurant was fine. We got a small bowl of soup (just broth) and a small bowl of rice, small pieces of sausage, and one shrimp. These bowls were again about the size of a scoop of ice cream. Here, we again barely had time to finish our drinks. At the last restaurant, there was a small plastic cup of banana pudding, which was nothing special. I left this tour hungry, disappointed, and feeling as though I’d just wasted 2.5 hours and $130. I could have spent less money on another tour and gotten the same info and eaten lunch at Eli’s Table and been a lot happier.

Response from Host

Aug 2018

We were devastated to read that you did not have a good time on your tour. One of our points of pride is the leisurely nature of the dining experience and the amount of food provided; even going so far as to boast "more than a meal for most". We also like to play with our routing to keep the tours fresh, which means adjusting schedules and bringing on new restaurant partners, as was the case with your second and fourth stops. We're sorry that you felt rushed and that the food did not meet expectations. We are working to remedy this route immediately. We wish you had reached out to us about the vegetarian preference. We do state that we need 24-hours to guarantee full accommodation, but even so we can usually make it work with less notice if we are made aware of it. We were never informed of this restriction and therefore couldn't oblige, otherwise we would have certainly tried to be as accommodating as possible for her diet. We're glad you enjoyed the jambalaya and soup (usually she-crab soup, a Charleston classic, but sounds like you may have received the vegetarian option?) at Lowcountry Bistro, as well as the shrimp & grits, chicken & waffles, and sweet potato pancakes at Eli's Table. Finally, thank you very much for feedback about the content of your tour. We also feel that the city's appalling history of slavery is difficult to stomach. The notion that human beings could be viewed as property and therefore valued solely in dollar signs is a nauseous facet of our foundations to say the least. As unsettling as it is, we do feel it is an absolute necessity on any tour of the city. Thank you for also bringing up a critical opportunity for us to examine with our guides the implications of language (particularly pronouns) when discussing our history and culture. Again, we are so disappointed that your tour did not meet expectations. We would love if you would reach out to us so we can better address this situation personally.

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Downtown Charleston Food Tour

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