Gourmet Downtown LA Walking Food Tour with Delicious Dish Tours





Description
Taste your way around Downtown LA with Delicious Dish Tours! Sample the variety of cuisines LA offers without fighting traffic. From its Mexican roots to Chinatown and Little Tokyo, Downtown is where it all began. On this tour you will: - Enjoy tastings at 7 top-rated eateries - Discover LA style tacos and Central American favorites at Grand Central Market - Find out if the food Seb and Mia ate in the movie La La Land was good - Experience Chinatown before it fades away - Learn why chefs from Japan come to Little Tokyo and taste Japanese fusion dishes only found in LA - Learn to identify specialty ingredients at Chinese and Japanese neighborhood markets - Marvel at the soaring art-deco ceilings of the last grand train station built in the USA - Hear why no one should ride the Angel’s Flight Railway up Bunker Hill - Visit the site of the first Academy Awards Ceremony - Learn how City Hall corruption killed the streetcar system to create a car obsessed LA
Tour Options
Itinerary
Los Angeles Union Station is the main train station in Los Angeles, California, and the largest passenger rail terminal in the Western United States. Conceived on a grand scale, Union Station became known as the "Last of the Great Railway Stations" built in the United States. The structure combines Art Deco, Mission Revival, and Streamline Moderne style. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
El Pueblo de Los Ángeles Historical Monument is a historic district which includes the oldest section of Los Angeles. The district, centered on the old plaza, was the city's center under Spanish (1781–1821), Mexican (1821–1847), and United States (after 1847) rule through most of the 19th century. The 44-acre park area was designated a state historic monument in 1953 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
Chinatown is a festive destination for dining and shopping. Pagoda-style buildings with red lanterns house traditional Chinese restaurants, dim sum houses and bakeries, plus specialty grocery stores and gift shops. There’s also the Taoist Thien Hau Temple, small art galleries and dark bars.
Little Tokyo, also known as Little Tokyo Historic District, is an ethnically Japanese American district in downtown Los Angeles and the heart of the largest Japanese-American population in North America.Founded around the beginning of the 20th century, the area, sometimes called Lil' Tokyo, J-Town, Shō-Tōkyō (小東京), is the cultural center for Japanese Americans in Southern California. It was declared a National Historic Landmark District in 1995.
Los Angeles City Hall was completed in 1928, its towering three-tiered form embodying all the energy and ambition of its day. Now seismically stabilized and restored to its original splendor, City Hall stands both as a monument to the era of its creation and as an example of architectural preservation at its best.City Hall is arguably the city’s most widely recognized landmark and is featured on all official City documents, from commendations to business licenses. The versatility of the building’s eclectic styling has long made it a popular location for film and television productions.
The Bradbury Building is an architectural landmark in downtown Los Angeles, California, United States. Built in 1893, the five-story office building is best known for its extraordinary skylit atrium of access walkways, stairs and elevators, and their ornate ironwork. The building was commissioned by Los Angeles gold-mining millionaire Lewis L. Bradbury and constructed by architect George Wyman from the original design by Sumner Hunt. It appears in numerous works of fiction and has been the site of many movie and television shoots and music videos.
Grand Central Market provides Los Angeles with a national-caliber eating experience that showcases California's best ingredients, chefs, and entrepreneurs. the doors first opened in October 1917, the "Wonder Market," as it was then called, was billed as "the largest and finest public market on the Pacific Coast." Today, the Market's 40 stalls are home to an only-in-LA blend of legacy vendors like China Cafe and Roast To Go (Grand Central Market tenants for over half a century), rising stars, and success stories from the city's buzzing food scene. The Market is a microcosm of the historic immigrant communities that have shaped Los Angeles and a mosaic of the creativity and vision of the people who call this city home.
Angels Flight is a landmark and historic 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow-gauge funicular railway in the Bunker Hill district of Downtown Los Angeles, California. The 118-year-old funicular takes passengers on a short ride between Hill Street and Grand Avenue on Bunker Hill. Originally opened in 1901, Angels Flight® — the world’s shortest railway — has given more than 100 million rides on its hillside track.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Not recommended for travelers with serious food allergies
- Not recommended for vegetarians and vegans
Reviews(41)
We had Niall and he was AMAZING!!! The local food was the best part. We got to experience so many local communities and staples. Would highly recommend!
Cassie was an engaging guide who answered all of our questions about LA. The food was mostly good (the Thai dish at the end, candy and ice cream were just ok), but there was way too much of it (full portions provided), no beverages other than water provided and the pacing of the food was odd-3 items at the last stop and no water provided at this last stop. We enjoyed seeing the historic center of town, Chinatown, Little Tokyo and the Grand Central Market, but only some historical and/or current information about some places were provided (never were told about history of Grand Central Station for example) and hardly any information provided about the food and why it was chosen. For example, stopped at a candy shop and were given two pieces of prepackaged candy with no explanation as to what/why we were eating it or when given the Thai dish we were simply told what it was but nothing else such as about the Thai population of LA, if the dish was representative of Thai food in LA, etc.). My mother felt that with all of the great food, diverse populations, etc. in LA it was an odd selection/representation of food from LA. Lastly, none of the food was preordered which I have never experienced on a food tour and so the pacing/management of the tour was off. At one point we waited 20-25 minutes at table for the guide while she went to pick up food.
Thank you for taking the time to share such thoughtful and detailed feedback. We're glad you enjoyed exploring Downtown LA with Cassie and appreciated her knowledge of the city and her engaging style. We're sorry the overall experience didn't live up to your expectations. One of our goals is to connect each tasting to the history of the neighborhood and explain why it was selected as part of LA's diverse culinary story. From your comments, it's clear we didn't provide enough of that context during your tour, and we'll be using your feedback to reinforce that expectation with our guides. We also appreciate your comments about the pacing. While some vendors—particularly inside Grand Central Market—don't allow us to pre-order, we recognize that extended waits can interrupt the flow of the experience and are always looking for ways to improve. In your case, we also customized several stops to accommodate vegetarian preferences within the group and to avoid repeating locations that some guests had visited on one of our other tours the previous day. Although we strive to personalize the experience whenever possible, we're sorry those substitutions didn't feel like the strongest representation of Los Angeles' food culture. We sincerely appreciate your feedback. Reviews like yours help us continue improving, and we'll be taking your comments into account as we refine both our storytelling and the overall flow of the tour.
It’s a great way to see downtown LA and experience many different kinds of food. Walking is a great way to explore. The guide was excellent.
We had Romayne as our guide and it was an amazing experience. We are not strangers to LA but she showed us areas and history that we had not heard of. The food at each establishment was fantastic and the portions were big. At the end of the tour we left feeling like we had just been hanging out with a friend that knew all the cool spots and had the best stories
Thank you for the fantastic review! We’re so glad Romayne helped you discover a new side of LA. Hearing that it felt like exploring the city with a friend is one of the best compliments we could receive—we’ll be sure to share your kind words with her! 😊
Delicious and fun tour of downtown food spots I wouldn’t have found myself - Nial was a great guide.
Thank you for the great review! It was a pleasure meeting you, and we’re so glad you enjoyed discovering some of Downtown LA’s hidden gems with Niall. Hope to see you again on another tour soon!
Really loved this tour. Loved the food, great stops, and our guide Denisse made it special. She was so knowledgeable about the history of LA and how different communities have shaped the food scene, which added so much context to everything we ate. One of the best things I did on my trip.
Thank you for the fantastic review—we’re so glad you loved the food and experience, and that Denisse brought LA’s history and culture to life! Honored to be one of the highlights of your trip 😊
Denisse was amazing! All the food was great. If Denisse ain’t your tour guide dont even go!
Thanks so much for the awesome review—we’re thrilled you had such a great time with Denisse! We’ll be sure to pass along the kudos! 😊
A very cool, informative, delicious experience! A full afternoon of eating, walking, and history. Our group was one tour guide plus three tour participants. I came in as a solo traveller and it went great. Wear your good walking shoes and bring your sunscreen! I walked so much, I learned so much, I tried a very diverse set of foods that I would not have encountered otherwise. The history the guide taught us was very candid, layered, and real. Would recommend!
Thank you for the wonderful review—we’re so glad you enjoyed the food, history, and welcoming experience as a solo traveler! Appreciate the great tips and recommendation 😊
Fantastic experience and opportunity to learn more about the history of LA and cultural fabric, through food! We stopped in at both small holes in the wall as well as new trendy hot spots, and a few unexpected gems along the way. Would definitely recommend to friend and family
Thank you for the great review—we’re so glad you enjoyed the mix of hidden gems and trendy spots while learning about LA’s culture through food! We truly appreciate the recommendation.
Pearl took us on a wonderful tour through LA! From Banh Mis, China town, little Tokyo, old little Italy. It was so informative and fun and a slow paced vibe even though we did a lot. Loved the Japanese market and opportunities to pick up little trinkets and treasure along the way. Great history tour which I loved and all the food was fantastic! Such a good way to try a lot of things and learn what you like!
Thank you so much for the kind words—we’re thrilled you had such a great time exploring Downtown LA with Pearl! We’ll be sure to pass along your praise, and hope to have you join us again soon.



