U Street: Food, History, and Street Art Tour

Overview

Experience a culinary exploration in one of DC’s iconic neighborhoods. Here, you will discover what makes U Street so delicious. This adventure will satisfy your stomach and leave you excited to explore more of our delicious city.

As you stroll through these famous streets, you can learn how music has shaped the culture starting with ‘Black Broadway’ and the jazz era. You’ll learn about other great eats, how the architecture has shaped the city, and the ways the neighborhood has evolved over the last century.

Explore one of DC's great neighborhoods and go on a culinary adventure. Whether you are looking for somewhere to take a date, or out of town guests, this food tour will satisfy all appetites.

Please indicate any food allergies when booking.

A portion of each ticket sale is donated to Bread For The City, an organization who provides food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services to reduce the burden of poverty for DC residents.

City: Washington DC

Sat 16 Nov

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $103.64

Make a reservation

Sat 16 Nov

Starting at $103.64

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Local/professional guide

Lunch

Historical Content

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking - we cannot accommodate vegans :(
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Please note: Unfortunately, we are not able to accommodate vegan diets or dairy allergies on this tour.
We are following all current mandates and regulations. We are working closely with our restaurant partners to ensure that they are complying with all recommended safe practices.

What To Expect

U Street

Our tour will take place predominantly along the U St corridor, which is rich with history. We'll stop in several places between restaurants to share the history and culture of this diverse neighborhood.

Lincoln Theatre

We'll stop outside of Lincoln Theater and speak briefly about the history of the building and events that have happened there.

African American Civil War Memorial Museum

We'll point out the African American Civil War Memorial, outside of the Civil War Museum. We encourage everyone to return and explore the memorial and the museum on your own time.

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Reviews (202)

Muskrat083015

May 2018

In a recent long weekend visit to DC, my boyfriend and I wanted to do something different in addition to visiting The Mall and the many fascinating museums and galleries, but weren't sure what. I searched TripAdvisor and came across this food tour. We were so glad that we booked it! It was an interesting way to learn about the history and culture of a local DC neighborhood. The bonus was that the food stops were wonderful as well as our tour guide Tiffany, and keeping company with 6 people we just met proved to be a lot of fun. Accessing the tour was simple. The directions provided from Carpe DC on our voucher were clear and easy to follow. We took an Uber right to the meeting spot and found Tiffany easily. She was a terrific tour guide being very knowledgeable, friendly and enthusiastic about the day. Yet she was laid back and let us spend extra time in the spots that were of more interest to us. We were lucky enough to meet and get a picture with the original owner of Ben's Chili Bowl! This tour is like spending a few hours strolling a neighborhood with friends tasting, learning and drinking along the way. All of the stops were wonderful, but I think that our first food stop Ben's Next Door for a "half-smoke", and our last stop at Calabash Tea & Tonic were our favorites! I would highly recommend this tour and Tiffany herself as your guide if you can arrange that. Oh, and did I mention, that as you are enjoying the tour, someone in need of a meal in DC will also eat for a day because of your patronage. It doesn't get much better! Remember comfortable walking shoes and maybe a small backpack or body bag so that you are not laid down with lots of "stuff" as you stroll. After our tour ended, we spent a little more time at Calabash before making a final stop at the African-American Civil War Museum. It was a very enjoyable afternoon! Book it. You will be happy you did!

Response from Host

May 2018

Hi Muskrat83015~ So glad that you and your boyfriend enjoyed your afternoon with Carpe DC. Exploring the monuments and memorials on the National Mall is always a must, but we love being able to share a bit more of the local perspective. Isn't Virginia Ali a gem? She and her late husband are iconic figures in the whole history of the U St neighborhood. And she is always so gracious with her guests! We hope you come back and explore another neighborhood with us on your next visit. :) Cheers, Mary

gcoleman110

May 2018

This is a great way to learn the history and culture of DC. The U Street area is home to many locally owned businesses and a reflection of how the past helped define the culture. In this area, there is exposure to the "real" people of DC and not only to out-of-town tourists in the museum/sight-seeing areas. Though not every person in my party liked every food experience in terms of taste. All of us appreciated the cultural and historical links to the area. Also like that part of the ticket prices helps locals. Would recommend it highly. Our tour guide (Marissa?) was terrific and had a lot of credibility and knowledge because she's a native of DC . Our tour included a person in a wheel chair to it is also an accessible tour.

tarinmd

May 2018

Great to here the history of such a vibrant community. Loved learning about the murals and buildings. Great to try the iconic food stops! Tiffany was lovely and knowledgble. We got lucky and had a private tour!

Response from Host

May 2018

Hi tarinmd~ I'm so thrilled you enjoyed your experience with us. We always appreciate when our guests appreciate the fact that we are much more than just a food tour. Carpe DC is all about weaving the stories of the neighborhood in with the tastings that we share which help tell the history of the neighborhood. I hope you consider joining us in Georgetown in the future. :) Cheers, Mary