Santa Barbara Funk Zone Food and Photo Tour

Overview

Eat your way through the Funk Zone - Santa Barbara's hip, new 'hood - while learning about local culture and how to take great food photos.

This food & photo tour starts on lower State Street and will walk you through the Funk Zone neighborhood where you will taste what Santa Barbara is known for with bites of fresh seafood, gastropub creations, Mexican food, artisan beer, and locally grown wines several different locations. Along the way, you’ll get immersed in the local culture and hear interesting stories about each place you’ll visit.

You’ll also learn easy-to-shoot photo tips from your pro tour guide and take your food photo skills to the next level using your smartphone’s camera app. By the end of your 3 hour tour, you’ll be eating like a local and shooting like a pro!
(Please note: we cannot accommodate shellfish allergies, vegan or celiac restrictions at this time. However, we only have one shellfish/seafood tasting on the tour.)

City: Santa Barbara

Wed 25 Dec

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

Wed 25 Dec

Starting at $135.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Local guide

Wine tasting

Beverages

Food tasting

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Infant meals not included
Minimum drinking age is 21 years
Not recommended for vegan or celiac dietary restrictions. Shellfish allergies cannot be accommodated, but will only miss out partially on one tasting.
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Regular temperature checks for staff
Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons
We are still adhering to all current guidelines for Santa Barbara County. Please do a quick online search for "mask mandate Santa Barbara County" so you can stay in-the-know for your trip! We will also be updating all our guests on any COVID guideline changes as is needed.

What To Expect

Funk Zone

Begin your 3-hour Santa Barbara walking food tour at a central location in the Funk Zone, located near lower State Street. This region once housing warehouses and scuba shops — now revitalized into a bustling neighborhood of hip eateries, wine-tasting rooms, and artist studios — is where you’ll meet your guide for an afternoon food tasting and photo tour. Set out on foot at a moderate pace as your guide shares insights into Santa Barbara’s history and burgeoning art culture. Keep your smartphone ready so you can practice the helpful photo tips your guide offers along the way. You'll have many opportunities to take food photos and colorful portraits in the lively Funk Zone. Along the way, your guide stops for food & drink tastings (all included) at restaurants, a wine bar/bakery, & one microbrewery. Learn how to properly position your food for the best photos as you sample local fare. After your tour you can continue to explore and capture this fun & funky neighborhood on your own.

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Reviews (93)

Diana G

Jul 2018

I did not know what to expect from a food tour, but I definitely left super happy we did it. We met with Andrew, who was just awesome and was very knowledgeable about Santa Barbara. We started at Enterprise Fish Co, where we had the most amazing lobster bisque, we literally went back there for happy hour + another lobster bisque. Definitely got to taste some great spots I probably wouldn’t have ever thought of stopping by like Shalhoob, where we had a delicious tri trip sandwich. If you’re unsure of what to do in Santa Barbara, I highly recommend starting with this tour. You’ll get to walk around the funk zone having great food and tasting lovely wine!

Response from Host

Jul 2018

Thanks for the review, Diana! Glad you enjoyed your time with us and discovered how tasty Enterprise Fish Co is!! We hope to see you again sometime on our wine tour!

Adrienne1218

Jul 2018

What a great afternoon! Andrew met us right at the appointed place and it was just us and another couple, who were awesome and really fun! We learned some Santa Barbara history, saw the famous GIGANTIC fig tree, and ate and drank our way through the Funk Zone for just about 3 hours. We had amazing lobster bisque at the Enterprise Fish Company! At Poquita we had 2 pinchas-a savory pepperoni, date and chorizo bite and an olive, goat cheese and pickled pepper bite served with a delicious Spanish vermouth. Then on to a Blonde Ale at the Figuero Brewery, a tri-tip steak sandwich at Shalhoob-WE ARE GOING BACK TOMORROW-a white and a red from Notary Public served with Helena bread and fresh churned butter, and a breakfast pizza from the Lucky Penny-seriously delicious with spicy chorizo, thin sliced baby potatoes, Mexican cheese and a fried egg in the middle. We finished with a tasting of Cutler's Distillery, a fourth generation business, serving really smooth and sumptuous liquor. I bought the vodka, but the Cold Brew liquor-better than Kahlua-was my real favorite. We highly recommend this tour-interesting, delicious and very entertaining since Andrew really knows his stuff! Thanks for a great day!

Response from Host

Jul 2018

What a great review--THANKS!! So glad you enjoyed your time eating with us!

Kelli B

Jul 2018

My husband and I decided last minute to do this food tour and we're so glad we did! It was our first time ever doing a food tour and now I hope we can do one in every city we go to! Andrew was so fun to talk to and knew a lot of history about Santa Barbara and the funk zone. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who wants to eat delicious food and learn about the history of Santa Barbara.

Response from Host

Jul 2018

Glad we got to be your first food tour! Thanks for joining us!