The tour group meets at Amara Cafe, 55 South Raymond, Pasadena 91105 There is a public parking structure immediately next door where we recommend you park ($15 for the full day). For help, call or text 323 640 1753
Description
Experience the culture, architecture, folklore and food of Old Pasadena on this small-group food walking tour. Admire the colorful alleys, hidden courtyards and secret thruways as you seek out spectacular ethnic eateries and sweet havens for food tastings. Your local guide will entertain you with fascinating stories behind the food and local eateries of this charming Los Angeles-area enclave.
Tour Options
Old Pasadena Food Tour
Itinerary
Old Pasadena
210 min
Explore the original commercial district in Pasadena, first settled in the late 1800's. Old Pasadena, best known for the Tournament of Roses Parade, elegant architecture and cultural landmarks, is also a place for exceptional and diverse dining. On this food walking tour, a local, knowledgeable guide will lead you on a delightful epicurean stroll through the hidden alleyways and charming courtyards of this US Historic District. You’ll enjoy 8 tasting stops, ranging from Middle Eastern falafel and Indian specialties to a California olive oil, an authentic Venzuelan cafe and handmade photo-worthy cupcakes..
Your guide will keep you entertained between tasting stops with engaging stories of how Old Pasadena transitioned from the center of town to the local skid row to the one of the most successful urban renewal projects in the country. You'll never think of Pasadena as simply the home of the Rose Parade again!
What's included
Included
Local guide
Food tastings & Beverages
Small-group walking tour
Not included
Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Gratuities
Parking
Traveller Ratings
4.9
22 reviews
5
21
4
0
3
1
2
0
1
0
Important Information
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
Please advise of dietary restrictions or food allergies for any member of your group at time of booking. We cannot arrange for substitute tastings if we do not learn of restrictions until the tour start time.
Children and infants under 5 years old are welcome on the tour, however should they become restless or uncomfortable please take the appropriate steps to minimize distraction to the other guests. Strollers are recommended.
Children and infants under 5 years are complimentary given that they are not participating in tastings.
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Tour covers 1.25 miles of flat terrain; no inclines or stairs.
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does Old Pasadena Small-Group Food Walking Tour take?
Old Pasadena Small-Group Food Walking Tour lasts about 3h 30min. The itinerary has 1 stop.
How much does Old Pasadena Small-Group Food Walking Tour cost?
Prices start at $135 per person for this Los Angeles experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Can I cancel Old Pasadena Small-Group Food Walking Tour for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Where does the tour start?
The meeting point is The tour group meets at Amara Cafe, 55 South Raymond, Pasadena 91105 There is a public parking structure immediately next door where we recommend you park ($15 for the full day). For help, call or text 323 640 1753. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is Old Pasadena Small-Group Food Walking Tour offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 15 participants.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller Children and infants under 5 years old are welcome on the tour, however should they become restless or uncomfortable please take the appropriate steps to minimize distraction to the other guests. Strollers are recommended. Children and infants under 5 years are complimentary given that they are not participating in tastings.
Is the tour wheelchair accessible?
Wheelchair accessible Transportation options are wheelchair accessible All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Reviews(22)
J
jcl850
October 16, 2023
Are we getting a bit too personal?
This was not what we expected. It felt like we were in a group counseling session, as the tour guide was just too intrusive. In fact, she crossed quite a few personal boundaries. Definitely, not a comfortable or enjoyable experience, in our opinion.
However, if you are looking for the "unusual" in terms of dining experiences, this may be the one for you.
Thankfully, my wife and I drank plenty of water throughout the tour... the variety of foods we sampled on the tour did not sit well with us.
Again, it is our opinion that the tour guide was just a bit too intrusive.
We won't be doing this again, nor will we recommend it to our friends or family.
5
552jeanettek
December 30, 2019
Great way to get familiar with Old Pasadena
Nick was a very personable and experienced guide. He told us about Pasadena's history and took us to a variety of shops. We had Indian, Mexican, and Middle eastern food and did an olive oil tasting and visited a bakery and chocolate shop. Definitely enough food to fill you up for your lunch. Very easy and enjoyable tour.
Operator response
Thank you for coming out to enjoy our Old Pasadena Tour and taking time to post this very kind review - we'll share your comments with our great guy Nick. We hope you will return to enjoy some of our favorite places again, and we hope to host you again soon!
S
sandim519
December 10, 2019
Exceptional tour
The food tour through Old Pasadena was informative, delicious and fun. I learned so much about Pasadena and was able to sample the best of the city. Our tour guide was personable, energetic and knowledgeable. A great value too!
Operator response
Thank you for coming out to explore our Old Pasadena tour and for your time to post these very kind words! We hope you'll tour with us again soon, we're waiting to welcome you back.
T
Tracey_LeeS_12
July 27, 2019
Loved this food tour
We did this tour today with Barbara and had a fabulous time.
Barbara is super lovely, really informative and quite laid back so we had plenty of laughs.
Pasadena itself is the most stunning little town to wander around and a huge contrast to Hollywood where we were staying (we just grabbed an Uber out to Pasenda to meet the tour took half an hour and cost $20 so pretty easy).
We had around 7 or 8 food stops (so many it is hard to keep track!!) these ranged from Mexican tortas, felafels, chicken tikka, empanadas and hot chocolate, olive oil tasting, cupcakes and chocolates - all delicious and a great experience.
Would thoroughly reccomend.
1 people found this helpful
Operator response
Thank you for coming out to explore Old Pasadena with us, and for taking time to post so many kind comments. We love that you enjoyed the tour so much, we agree that Pasadena is not-to-be-missed and that Barbara is fantastic to be with, we will share your compliments with her. We hope you will tour with us when you are in town again!
F
France D
April 11, 2019
Delicious and Delightful!
When visiting LA, Old Pasadena doesn’t jump to mind first. Thanks to this Food Tour it should be one of your top 5 spots. Enjoy a nice variety of world tastes and products offered by friendly and diverse local business owners (they all have an interesting story and our guide knew them all!). Also, soak in the well explained history of the area and look for great examples of 19th & 20th century architectural details in the historically preserved downtown district. It was a real treat for us! Will definitely sign up for one of their other 4 Food Tours on our next visit!
2 people found this helpful
Operator response
Thank you for your very kind words and for taking a chance on Old Pasadena! We agree that its sights, flavors, and merchants are all so very special and worth exploring and we love that you enjoyed the tour. We are waiting to welcome you back for each of our other tours, very soon!
B
Barbara_H
March 26, 2019
Fantastic Tour in Old Town Pasadena
We have been on many food tours in different cities and states, and this was by far one of our favorites. Nick was the absolute perfect tour guide - very knowledgeable, friendly, and obviously has a deep passion for Old Town Pasadena. There was not one single food served that we didn’t love - best falafel and mole sauce ever! I highly recommend this tour - ask for Nick - and we can’t wait to go back and explore more.
C
Cheryl K
January 13, 2019
hidden gem
We took the walking tour of Old Pasadena. Small group of just 10. Visited several small ethnic restaurants, unique shops - olive oil, soap, etc. Met owners. Heart history of the city told by native born guide. Great food, good exercise, nice pace.
3 people found this helpful
Operator response
Thank you for posting this very kind review and recommendation. We love that you had such a positive experience and we hope you will tour with us again soon!
N
NZ_Rick_n_Kay
January 5, 2019
A great way to learn a little about Pasadena and sample some lovely food.
My wife and I had some time before we flew out to New Zealand, so we decided that this would be a great way to spend our last day in America.
Our host Barbara was great. She was very friendly and knowledgeable about old Pasadena.
The cafes that we visited were great and each offered a different taste of the world.
Well worth going on!
Operator response
Thank you for taking time to post this very kind review, and for choosing our Tour during your visit to America, we're honored! We love that you enjoyed Barbara, we agree she is fantastic. We love that you got a taste of the very special cuisine and color we are privileged to share in Old Pasadena, so wonderful to host you!
C
ca717us
October 22, 2018
A great way to spend a sunny day!
I purchased a tour for myself and my wife for her birthday and couldn’t have been more pleased! It was great to taste food from really great, fun local restaurants and shops. Our tour guide Sabrina was phenomenal and had a ton of great local info to share in Pasadena too!
1 people found this helpful
Operator response
To begin, happiest birthday to your wife, and we hope that all of her wishes come true! Thank you so much for choosing our tour to celebrate, we are always honored to be included in such special occasions! We love that you enjoyed everything that we too love, about Old Pasadena and it warms our hearts to know how pleased you were. We love Sabrina too ;) and we'll share your comments with her, we very much appreciate all of your kind words!
C
cdgrizz2018
July 8, 2018
Good walking tour
Awesome we had a great time. The guide Laura was very easy going and knowledgeable and the places we visited were perfect. Would highly recommend 👍
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