The tour started out well with a visit to a coffee shop. We were served a small sample of their coffee which is brewed for 24 hours, and a half of a breakfast burrito with egg, chorizo, cheese and beans. Then we went to a small grocery store, which served us a taco. The taco had a great taste, but was very small, about 3 - 4 inches in diameter. Next stop was a place for Jamaican jerk chicken. Again, 2 - 3 bits was served. The alcohol was about a 4 oz cup of red striped beer, made in Jamaica and available in most states. Nothing special to Newport. There are local breweries.Next stop was a Mexican restaurant, which served us chips and guacamole. Margarita was ok. Again, nothing special to Newport. We can get chips and salsa anywhere,. The 4th stop was for a smoothie served in about a 2 oz cup, 2 gulps worth. Last stop was for 2 cookies and sampling of wine, which was choice of an Argentina melbac or California chardonnay. No local wine served. While the tour guide was very entertaining and knowledgeable, being the concierge at a local historical hotel, the food was not worth the $64.00, and with drinks, $84.00. The website says come hungry. You will be eating afterwards. Being Newport, we didn't sample any seafood. We had 3 similar ethnic samples and 2 dessert type items, smoothie and cookies. The tour should try promote local restaurants, but also promote why visitors are attracted to Newport, famous seaport. This would help with tourism. Change up the menu!
Réponse de l'hôte
Jul 2021
Hi Kathy,
Thank you for taking the time to write a review but I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the tastings.
We do bill the tour as an off-the beaten-path neighborhood tasting tour where the locals go, enough food in its entirety for a comfortable lunch.The restaurant locations are all locally owned businesses and show a more diverse side of Newport that tourists don't really know to go. Although seafood is very much a part of food you will find in the more touristy sections of Newport in the neighborhood we take the tours through there is far less of that, we chose to take you to a couple of ethnically owned restaurants, one was a Central American style bodega with traditional street food, another was Jamaican which btw is why you were served the Jamaican beer.
Unfortunately, the one day you were on the tour one of the most popular stops had an oven breakdown so all they were able to serve was chips and salsa which is not our usual tasting served with a margarita, so I apologize for that but the margaritas there are very popular.
Also, a couple of the tastings you mentioned have actually changed since you took the tour for various reasons, some of which is supply related.
All in all, our hope is that you see, learn and taste a different side of Newport and find it an enjoyable afternoon meeting and tasting different foods with new people.
Thank you for taking our tour.