Taste of Downtown Sarasota : Local Food, History & Culture Tour
Description
Experience Sarasota as the locals do! Taste of Downtown Sarasota offers insight, meet & greets w/ some locals, perhaps a surprise visit with Sarasota's tiniest residents, and other gems that only the locals know! Guided by a local expert, you will walk and learn fascinating facts, folklore, culture, famous founders and current residents, the food scene & speakeasy spots. Sarasota offers the charm of bygone days, with incredible architecture from the early 1900s. with a vibrant downtown comprised of small, locally-owned restaurants, boutiques and art galleries. This tour offers comfortable seated tastings w/ generous portions, that allow guests to connect & chat. Guests often exchange numbers and hugs at the end of the tour. Winner of Best of Florida and SRQ Local Readers contests, this is a memorable experience that even the locals enjoy. It's a fantastic way to support several local Sarasota businesses. Sunset Food Tours was founded in Sarasota over half a decade ago.
Tour Options
Itinerary
This tour is for you if you are looking for a unique culinary experience, a romantic night out, or to just have fun socializing with friends and family. Our 3.5-hour walking tour of Downtown Sarasota is a combination of food, fun and folklore that intertwines local history, art, and culture, along with a few diverse sampler plates, creating a culinary journey to remember! Some treasures along the way: Miramar, 1st train depot, speakeasys, Orange Blossom Hotel, 1st skyscraper, & surprise stops along the route. Sunset Food Tours won the Silver Award in the 2026 Best of SRQ and was the Regional Winner for Guided Tour Services in the 2025 Best of Florida contests. This tour is an immersive experience into the Sarasota lifestyle-both historically and current. Seated food stops in air-conditioned restaurants loved by locals, is what sets us apart from food tours that provide quick bites while walking.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
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
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please consult with your medical advisor-this is a walking tour
- No smoking or vaping is allowed during a tour-some guests may have allergies, asthma, autoimmune conditions
Reviews(223)
Wonderful experience. The guide was amazing.
We give seven out of five stars for the tour. Christine was an excellent hostess, with great knowledge. You can tell she lives and loves the neighborhood. We had a great time. Many thanks to Christine. You're just magical.
Ein ganz herzliches und aufrichtiges Dankeschön an Sie beide. Es war mir eine absolute Freude und Ehre, mein Sarasota mit Ihnen zu teilen! Sollte es mich jemals nach Hamburg verschlagen, würde ich mich von ganzem Herzen freuen, wieder mit Ihnen in Kontakt zu treten. Bitte genießen Sie jede verbleibende Minute Ihres Urlaubs im wunderschönen Florida. Sie sind in Sarasota jederzeit ein überaus willkommener und geschätzter Gast!
I always go for a food tour in cities visiting and this one did not disappoint. My guide Colleen was very knowledgeable about Sarasota and the restaurants picked (Toastique, Classico and El Comida) were excellent choices. The food was delicious. Our group also did an unexpected art activity on the tour. I would highly recommend the tour and Colleen.
Thank you so much for taking the time to provide this great feedback of your experience! Colleen is an invaluable human being!
I enjoyed every moment of my tour from the history to the fun facts and especially the food. Christine was great! She made everyone feel included and offered personalized recommendations which helped make my solo travel experience even better. I will definitely be recommending Sunset Food Tours.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience! I'm SO thankful that you disclosed this was your birthday trip! I truly enjoyed meeting you, too! You have a very positive outlook on life and I wish for you, many years of happy birthdays, adventures, and all the good that life offers!
Our guide was very warm, upbeat, and personal, plus had a wealth of historical and current information about Sarasota. Her choice of stops was delightful and we highly recommend her to others.
Thank you a million for these kinds words. Spending time with your group has left an incredibly positive impression on me as well! I hope our trip created lots of great memories! Please keep in touch!
The guide was very engaging. Great tour and historical information. Got to see a very cool local speak easy. Food was good.
Thank you for taking a few minutes to provide positive feedback! It is so valuable to small businesses. We are thrilled that you had an enjoyable experience. You are welcome back anytime!
Colleen was fabulous and incredibly knowledgeable about the Sarasota area. Honestly, we were full after the first stop! She took us to places we likely would have walked right by on our own, but once we stepped inside, each one was such a pleasant surprise. The food, local insight, and overall experience made for a wonderful tour. Highly recommend!
I will certainly share this with Colleen. I am so happy that we were a part of your wedding anniversary celebration! We would love to have you again!
Christine provided a history and cultural tour WITH the food tour. Never knew Sarasota has such a huge personality today and past! The combo of walking, food and art was a true winner.
Thank you a million! I truly enjoyed sharing Sarasota with you and Gary!
Christine was a fantastic tour guide and very knowledgeable. I went on the tour with my grandma, who had been living in Sarasota for over 30 years. She learned so much about the city’s history during this tour and could not stop talking about how much she loved it afterwards. The food was great, and there was plenty of it. Come hungry!
Lindsay, thank you a million! I'm so happy that you your mom & grandmother shared this experience. Hopefully it provides treasured memories to cherish!
This food tour was amazing! The food was such high quality. The guide was informative and fun. Her knowledge of the city and the businesses was top notch. It was our 45th anniversary and at the last stop she surprised us with a couple of desserts. What an extraordinary treat. I highly recommend this tour.
I am SO thankful that I was able to make your anniversary memorable! Wishing you two decades more of ❤️!
