For one price, you can indulge in a variety of dishes with a local guide and immerse yourself in a new culture.
Trying local cuisine when traveling is a great way to further immerse yourself in the culture of the destination you are visiting. It allows you to not only experience the differences in how food is prepared globally, but it can also be an easy way to bond with locals and get an even deeper perspective on their customs.
While finding restaurants on your own is certainly a great way to do all of this, booking a food tour or attending local food events and festivals is even better. For one price, you can indulge in a variety of dishes with a local guide or host who can give insight and answer questions along the way.
Looking for a new way to tap into local culture on your next trip? Here are some food tours and experiences you need to add to your itinerary.
Virgin Islands Food Tours
Based on the island of St. Croix, this intimate walking tour not only is a guided food tasting, but also a fun history lesson on the US Virgin Islands. For $90 you’ll visit six local restaurants during the 3-hour experience as well as get a deep dive into the area’s agriculture and how local food and drink is made. Tours are conducted on Mondays, Fridays, and sometimes on Saturdays starting at 10:30am local time.
Secret Food Tours Paris
Parisian cuisine can be hit or miss, according to most travelers. However, this Paris Secret Food Tour comes with rave reviews. Local residents conduct the experience, and there are several tour options to choose from. Whether you want to taste the best chocolate and pastries in the city or you want to see how Parisians source ingredients from local markets— you’ll be able to do all of this and more. Tours run anywhere from 2.5 to 3.5 hours and prices range from 79 Euros up to 119 Euros. Secret Food Tours can also be found in over 50 cities around the world, so even if you aren’t visiting Paris, you can still find this same local experience in other places.
St. Kitts and Nevis Restaurant Week
While this isn’t a food tour in the traditional sense, St. Kitts Restaurant Week is a great way to indulge in the island’s best cuisine for one affordable price. To kick off the week, both St. Kitts and Nevis host a tasting showcase where attendees can sample bites from many of the participating restaurants in one place. Each year, the islands choose a locally grown crop or ingredient to center the menus around while fusing them together with unique spices found in the area. Menus usually consist of 3-courses for about $60 and the event runs for about 10-days, usually in July.
Moroccan Food Tour
Morocco’s cuisine is bold and the flavors are unique. If you’ve ever been to the souks in Marrakech, then you’ve likely seen the assortment of fresh spices that are grown in the region. From saffron to the dozens of olive varieties. Moroccan Food Tours currently hosts eight tours across different cities in the country, including: Casablanca, Marrakech, Fes and more. Like many food tours around the world, the local guides offer insight on the country’s history. The tours are very affordable, ranging from 40 Euros up to 95 Euros depending on the destination chosen. The company also offers cooking classes, too.
Soul Stroll Charleston
Usually only held during the Charleston Food & Wine Festival, local resident and Black food advocate KJ Kearney of Black Food Fridays, takes guests to some of the Gullah’s best Black-owned establishments. Indulge in everything from Charleston chewies (a unique brown sugar based desert created in the area) made by family-owned bakery Daddy’s Girls to the best dishes native to the low country. You can also follow Black Food Fridays for additional pop-up food tours hosted around the city as well.
