Chicago’s food scene is genuinely impressive. No matter what you’re in the mood for Chicago will have an excellent dining option for you. From 3-Michelin-Starred restaurants to restaurants some have called the most difficult reservation in the country. From the best under $10 lunch specials to the $400 Brandy Julep at the JW Marriot. Chicago has it all. And our Chicago food tours show it off well.
Sure. we’re known for our hot dogs, Italian beef and pizza. But what makes Chicago really special is there are so many small, unique and delicious places to try tucked away in our various neighborhoods. No two neighborhoods are alike. Wicker Park, Logan Square, The Loop, River North, and Lincoln Park all bring their own style to the food scene. And if you’re local you’re so lucky. You get to spend a lifetime trying all these places in all of the neighborhoods. And even then it’s probably not enough. According to TripAdvisor, there are more than 8,600 restaurants in Chicago!
Chicago food tours give guests an opportunity to sample foods at a number of restaurants in a short amount of time. They’re great for locals and for visitors. Depending on which food tour you choose you might sample a variety of pizzas visiting each location by bus, you might walk a neighborhood and try an assortment of the best that part of town has to offer or maybe you’ll even indulge in a chocolate-only or beer-focused tour. We have them all.
There are a couple of different ways you can get to and from the restaurants themselves. Some tours require transportation by bus or van while others you walk to each destination. When traveling by van or bus you can expect the tours to last 3-4 hours and you’ll get a really nice general Chicago tour from your guide along the way.
Regardless if your tour is by bus or walking you’ll be lead by a tour guide who helps coordinate with all of the restaurants. They call ahead of time and confirm the number of guests on the tour so that tables and food are ready, they keep the group on time and they’ll share a little bit about Chicago, the food you’re eating, the places you visit and the neighborhood you’re in.
One of our favorite parts of the tour (besides the food) is when a restaurant does a great job of introducing themselves, the food and the business. It can be hit or miss. We’ve had tours where I would have loved to listen to the employee talk for longer about their business and others who seemed to be annoyed that another food tour was coming through. If the tour company is doing a good job that stop will either be removed or improved. No one wants to feel like they’re a burden on the business – especially since you’re paying for the food!
Probably our favorite tours are outside of the main tourist areas of the cities and explore locally owned businesses in neighborhoods such as Andersonville & Little Italy. Chicago Foodway Tours was started by a professionally trained and current Chicago food business owner, Phyllis Petrilli. Her tours exceed your expectations on the food front, but also include some incredibly thoughtful history and culture stories as well.
Her tours have small groups so it feels almost like a VIP experience. Tours last 3.5 hours and will cost about $60 – well worth it for what you get.
As a local these never get old. It’s really hard to explain the subtle (or sometimes not so subtle) differences between deep dish pizza. At almost every place you’re going to love what they serve – there is tons of cheese, sauce and a delicious crust. What isn’t there to like. But trust us, you’ll finish a pizza tour with a clear preference.
The leader in Chicago pizza tours is none other than a business built specifically around this concept – Chicago Pizza Tours. They’ve been doing an incredible job since 2009 and we love how they let the pizza shine. The guides are incredible, the tours are legit and the food is unreal. Chicago Pizza Tours takes their guests on a 3+ hour pizza tours by van with prices starting at $50. Private tours are also available.
Trying to take on a new neighborhood can be a daunting task. There is an overwhelming amount of information. What should you do? When should you do it? Where should you eat? The questions go on and on. It’s hard to beat settling for a neighborhood-specific food tour to check off multiple boxes and get a feel for the new local.
The top-rated food tour company in Chicago, Chicago Food Planet, specializes in exactly these types of tours. We’ve taken a number of their tours and it’s not hard to see why they’re so popular with both Chicagoans and out-of-towners. The stops are great, their guides do an incredible job and the walking through a new Chicago neighborhood and experiencing it through food is awesome.
They offer tours of the West Loop, Navy Pier as well as the best of Chicago foods, Chinatown and a unique World’s Fair food tour. These are walking tours that last between 2 and 3 hours and prices start at $45 per person.
Ever wanted to taste all that Chicago is known for in one tour? Well, you’re in luck. A number of tour companies offer exactly this. Tastebud Tours, which has operations in cities outside of Chicago as well, offers their version of a Chicago classic food tour that gives guests a chance to taste our famous pizza, Italian beef and a unique popcorn blend that has become synonymous with Chicago.
Chef Driven Food Tours is another one of our favorites. Their tour guides all have a ton of relevant experience in the food and restaurant industry which gives them a really unique spin on a traditional food tour. Their tours are definitely for the foodies out there. Tickets start at $135 and sell out fast!