Downtown Charleston Food Tour
Description
This Downtown Culinary Tour is provided by CHARLESTON CULINARY TOURS, the longest-running food tour company in Charleston. Visit four food establishments on this 2.5-hour tour that 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.
Tour Options
Itinerary
After meeting your foodie guide at the provided meeting location in downtown Charleston, you will begin your walking tour. Sample dishes at 4 restaurants, finishing with dessert. Each stop lasts ~30 minutes, and you'll be seated to rest your legs. For most people, the amount of food served overal 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. *Food restrictions must be separately communicated to Charleston Culinary Tours at least 24 hours in advance to be accommodated. *We cannot accommodate Vegan, Dairy/Lactose-Free, or Soy-Free diets.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- 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 info@charlestonculinarytours.com)
- 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
Reviews(1,437)
Great restaurants. Dana was awesome! Food was very good. Lots of good history and information. Definitely recommend
Gina, thank you! Dana brings such a great mix of history and food knowledge to every stop, and we're so glad the restaurant lineup hit the mark for you. We appreciate the recommendation!
Delicious food and interesting / informative tout guide. We took the competing food tour (Secret Food Tour) and this one was much better. We were seated in four different air conditioned restaurants to sample food during this tour while the other one had us seated outside in 90 degree heat and standing around. Very full after this tour. Had small pulled pork sandwich, shrimp, fried chicken along with various veggies with each entry and a desert at the last restaurant. Would do this one again if we return since they change restaurants periodically according to the guide.
Keith, thank you for this! We're so glad the comfort and pacing made for a much better experience, and we're always mindful of how much Charleston's heat can shape a tour, so a thoughtful route matters as much as the food itself. Glad it all came together for a full and satisfying afternoon. Let us know when you book again and we'll do our best to curate a brand new restaurant lineup for your next visit!
Our guide, Michael, was amazing. He was knowledgeable, and he was charming. The tour was great, but he truly added to it. He had wonderful stories and asides to share with us. I highly recommend it. The tour owner was also so welcoming, it was a pleasure to speak with him, as well. In addition, they have some wonderful items available for purchase to enhance your memories and taste buds!
Thank you for this wonderful review! Michael has a gift for weaving stories and little asides into every stop that make the history of Charleston feel personal, not just informative. We're so glad you got to meet the team behind the scenes too, and that our take-home goodies added a little extra to the experience. We appreciate you recommending us!
We had so much fun. There was a nice variety of foods to try and something for everyone. We were part of a group of 12 so got to meet other people visiting and had some lovely conversations Michael had a lot of interesting history to provide and did a good job keeping everyone engaged. The pace was just right and made for a fun afternoon. I would definitely do another tour with Michael.
Bekka, a group of twelve strangers turning into a table full of good conversation is one of our favorite parts of this experience, and Michael has a real talent for keeping that energy going while weaving in the history of Charleston along the way. We'd love to have you and Michael together again on a future visit!
The food was delicious at each of the 4 stops. The combined amount of food we received during the tour was definitely equivalent to a full meal. We were stuffed when the tour ended.
Terri, four stops worth of delicious Lowcountry cuisine adds up fast, and leaving full is exactly the goal of our Downtown Charleston food tour. Thanks so much for joining us!
Informative fun and delicious Lace up your sneakers and come with an empty belly to soak it all up!!
Stacy, "Charlestoning" with an empty belly and comfortable shoes is honestly the perfect game plan and we love that you arrived ready! Thank you for joining the Downtown Charleston Food Tour and for sharing the experience so enthusiastically!
Great storytelling and the food was amazing! Highly recommend and look forward to doing this again!!
3:00 PM Freddie, we look forward to hosting you again! Great storytelling and amazing food in Charleston is exactly what we set out to deliver every single time. Thank you for joining us!
What an informative and fun tour. Our guide Jessica was a font of information and was just lovely. Restaurant choices were great. Loved the Ultimate Coconut Cake!
The Ultimate Coconut Cake has a way of making a lasting impression, and we are so glad it delivered! Jessi brings such a genuine warmth and depth of knowledge to every Downtown Charleston Food Tour, and we love that it all came together so beautifully for your group. Thank you for the enthusiastic endorsement!
Dana was very informative and gave history about restaurants, the area and low country cuisine. A good variety of foods were provided. All were delicious and filling.
Ann, informative, delicious, and filling is a trifecta we are very happy to stand behind! Dana's knowledge of Charleston's culinary heritage and the stories behind every stop makes the whole experience come alive in a way that goes well beyond the food itself. Thank you for joining us!
Was sadly disappointed. The guide was wonderful, however the food was lacking significantly. It appeared that the food was prepared long before our arrival. Was barely warm (except for the cornbread, which fell apart at first bite). The cake at the last stop had been sitting on the table for I don't know how long. And then we had to cut it in three even pieces. Not what I expected. I would highly recommend the guide but not the tour.
Amy, we are glad the guide made such a strong impression, but hate to hear that the experience did not fully land for you. A little context that may help: our restaurant partners are briefed on our arrival time and prepare dishes to be ready when we walk in, which most guests find a delightful touch. At our final stop, the stunning presentation of the full cake slice at a table reserved just for our group is very much intentional and something guests typically love before dividing into more manageable portions. We appreciate the honest feedback and hope to welcome you back for another chance to impress!
