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This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind. This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind.

This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind.

This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind. This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind.

This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind.

This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind. This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind.

This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind.

This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind. This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind.

This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind.

This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind. This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind.

This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind.

This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind. This is an example of a WordPress post, you could edit this to put information about yourself or your site so readers know where you are coming from. You can create as many posts as you like in order to share with your readers what is on your mind.

“If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him…the people who give you their food give you their heart.” -Cesar Chavez

Cozumel is a vibrant island in the Caribbean Sea, just off the coast of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. With an abundance of stunning coral reef communities and balmy, tropical weather, the island is a diver’s (or in my case, snorkeler’s) paradise! While many visitors spend their days below the water’s surface, Cozumel has a rich cultural and culinary history to discover on dry land.

My husband and I love Cozumel for the diving and snorkeling (we’ve visited the island a few times) but we also live for the adventure of new recipes and cuisine. This time around, we convinced our travel buddies to set their fins and snorkels aside for an afternoon to join us on the Cozumel Chef Food Tour.

Our delightful guide Erin, gave our taste-buds a treat of local specialties – everything from street food to regional Yucatán dishes – while also inviting us to share in the hum of local culture and life. The restaurants we visited were small, hole in the wall establishments, often just small extensions from the owner’s home, and the foods we ate were all specialties of the house.

We ate. We drank. We laughed. We learned.

A small quesadilla hut was our first stop, serving up fresh, hot comfort food stuffed with Oaxacan cheese – the authentic cheese for a traditional quesadilla. The corn tortillas were homemade (yes, we were able to watch the creation of these little discs of perfection) and the filling options plentiful. We filled our quesadillas with two local favorites – Huitlacoche and Nopales. Huitlacoche is a black fungus that grows on corn, also known as corn smut, and is a delicacy is many areas of the world. Nopales are the thick, paddle-like leaf portions of the cactus plant. Both were unique, incredibly tasty and off the beaten path!

Cochinita pibil, a traditional Yucatán dish and my favorite of the day, was featured at our second stop. Pork is wrapped in banana leaf, marinated with citrus and annatto and then slow-roasted in the ground overnight. Scoop the juicy meat onto a torta or tortilla, top with pickled onion and you have yourself one delectable, savory bite. If you are a beer drinker, I highly recommend grabbing a cold Montejo from this shop’s cooler. A Mexican lager, it is popular along the Yucatán peninsula and is hard to find near the tourist areas of the city.

To give our quickly filling tummies a break, we headed to el mercado (the market) next. Brilliant displays of fresh produce, dried spices, cuts of meat and buckets of fresh, catch of the day, fish filled our senses. As we browsed the offerings at each stall, Erin explained the importance of local ingredients, teaching us the roles each played in creating the flavors of dishes we ate on the tour. We loved the vibe and prices of the market so much we ventured back on our own later in the week. We had to try our hand at making homemade ceviche with Erin’s tips and a few fresh fish.

Not far from the market, we stepped into a colorful little cocina economica or neighborhood diner. These restaurants are known for inexpensive, homemade bites and are only open in the afternoon. We munched on fresh salsa & homemade beans and sipped cold Coca-Colas as we waited for the featured soup of the day – Sopa de Lima or chicken lime soup. The limes used in this soup are not the typical tart limes used in the United States, but are actually a bittersweet lime of the Yucatán. Before squeezing our limes, Erin encouraged us to try the soup without so we could truly appreciate the sweet lime flavor once it was added. Amazing what a small slice of fruit can do!

My husband was in foodie heaven at our next stop. Ceviche is one of his all-time, favorite foods and this pescaderia or fish shop, had the best we’ve ever tried! Ceviche is raw fish cured in citrus juices along with seasonings and spices, and this version was flavorful, tender and not the least bit “fishy”. Simply amazing.

While we enjoyed our ceviche, Erin picked out two fish caught that morning from the chef’s cooler, and in no time, we were presented with fried fish platters, heads and all, along with all the necessities for fish tacos. A fish fry will never be the same again. We devoured every piece of meat and even a few fins…they taste like chips!

A few pan dulces or sweet treats from a local Mexican bakery marked our last stop of the tour. We each selected a pastry of choice to take home for mid-afternoon snacking as we were way too full to eat them on the spot. Our treats were so good, we ended up stopping back at this little shop later during the week for another sweet-tooth fix.

Would I recommend setting your fins aside for an afternoon on land with Cozumel Chef Food Tours? Absolutely! The cost includes all food, local beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), transport via taxi for the duration of the tour, and a wonderful, knowledgeable guide.

Treat your taste-buds to some great bites and discover authentic foods of the island from the kitchens of locals.

Read about more of our favorite food tours around the world!

Disclaimer: Cozumel Chef Tours provided me with a complimentary ticket to attend this food tour, as with always all opinions are my own! 

Food tours are my favorite way to experience a destination. Whenever we are going somewhere new the first thing I look for is a food tour. This is also how we came up with the idea to start our own food tour in Marrakech. If you have never taken one, I highly recommend it! They are popping up all over the world and can be very broadly focused (ex: the best of Rome) or narrowly focused (ex: Chocolate of Brussels). Really you might be very surprised what you find! I’ve been on many tours in several countries and after running our own tour for almost a year there are a few things I’ve taken away as keys to having a great tour.

 

8 Components of a Great Food Tour

1. The food should be items you couldn’t find on your own or wouldn’t know to look for.
2. Plenty of locals eating in the same places you  go.
3. The focus is on the food so you walk away learning a bit about what you’ve eaten and why it’s important to that location.
4. A variety of foods are offered.
5. Cost should be representative of experience and food provided.
6. The guide is knowledgeable, approachable, friendly and you’re able to understand them.
7. At least one stop should include something substantial.
8. Never, ever, walk away hungry.

Yes I bolded that last one because it can and does happen. I am remembering a particular tour that I took with my mom when we were in the Caribbean this summer (*cough Carnival ** cough cough** Grand Turk food tour*). I talked her into doing the food tour, instead of something else. I was so upset when it was done. This was literally the “tour.” No I didn’t touch anything on this plate, and yes that is one single plantain and the tour cost $60 per person!

Now that we’ve talked about the bad and the ugly let’s talk about the good! I asked some amazing travel bloggers to share their favorite food tours from around the world to compile this list. Bookmark it for your next trip!

North America

A Slice of Brooklyn Pizza Tour – Brooklyn, New York:  The Traveling Praters “My daughter and I went on an amazing pizza tour in Brooklyn. We saw some sights, learned about the city and ate some amazing pizza.”

Ahoy! – New York City, NY   Dangerous Business: Take a walk through Little Italy and Chinatown and do it while eating delicious foods. Next time you’re in New York this is a tour to seek out. 

Hiphost Tours Chocolate Tour – Boston, MA:   Around the World “L” Boston isn’t the first place that comes to mind when I think chocolate but Lillie proves me wrong and highly recommends this tour.

Boston Pizza Tour  – Boston, MA: Travel Mindset Traci shares her family experience on Boston’s North End pizza trail. How do you take your Paul Revere? Cheese, please!

Scott’s Pizza Tour – New York, NY: Travel’s with Carole  Carole shares her experience with this tasty New York pizza based tour.

DC Metro Food Tours – Washington D.C. – The Capitol Hill Food Tour was the first food tour I ever took and it was an amazing start. I’d also recommend checking out the Little Ethiopia and Del Ray tours.

Savor Oakland – Oakland, CA:   RTW Girl This tour brought together not only food but also highlighted a district in Oakland. I’d be going to get my paws on the pizza and cupcakes!

Local Taste of the City – San Francisco, CA:  Ever in Transit New York’s Little Italy may be famous but you can explore Italian immigrant culture and food in San Francisco too! 

South Beach Miami Culinary Tours – Miami, FL:   Calculated Traveler This was Mary’s first food tour and it was a big success, the tour did a great job of introducing great food that was not typical tourist fare. 

Chicago Chocolate Tours – Chicago, IL:  Luxe Adventure Traveler I’ve been to Chicago more times than I can count but had no idea it had such a chocolate scene. Even the coldest winter day can be made brighter with chocolate!

TasteBud Food Tour – New Orleans, LA: Life with 4 Boys “We did a TasteBud Food Tour in New Orleans. Everything was incredible from the guide to the food. The guide was informative and told us so much history of the city and its food background, and we left stuffed.” Looking for more tours in New Orleans? 

Taste of Kilohana – Kauai, HI  Travel the World: If you think a food tour in Hawaii is just pineapple and SPAM you’d be wrong. A visit to a plantation to sample unique produce, a delicious multi-course meal and plenty of other surprises make up this agricultural and eating extravaganza. 

When Pigs Fry – Toronto, Canada:  Dangerous Business: I probably won’t take this pork-y tour anytime soon but for those visiting the pork capital of Canada (who knew?) and wanting to dig into some delicious pork consider this tour. Pulled Pork Poutine – enough said. 

Du Tortillard Gourmand –  Lanaudiere, Canada:   Moi mes souliers These tours in Quebec are a slightly different twist on food tours, some are self guided and while offered in French, English may be an option. Check for dates and times. 

Flavours on the Main – Montreal, Canada:  The Velvet Escape  Eating through Montreal’s Chinatown, sampling poutine, and multiple immigrant contributions to the Montreal food scene sounds like a dream come true. 

Benazuza – Cancun, Mexico:  Points and Travel Molecular gastronomy on a food tour? What a great way to try something new without a huge investment!

Make Your Own Tour! Becky from Kid World Citizen said, “I spent a summer in the Yucatan and made my own food tour- AMAZING. I found a woman through a contact who cooks and invited her to our rental to teach me and the kids different dishes from the Yucatan. It was SO good! She also would take us to the market and show us how to buy some of the more exotic ingredients. Yucatecan cuisine is very unique!”

South America

Know a great food tour in South America? Leave it in the comments so I can add it!

Europe

Eating London – London,England: Travel with Bender “I have to say I was so surprised by the Food Tour we did in London. When I thought of British food, I thought of bland flavours, plain dishes and an overall lack of excitement. I wasn’t expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised. It was cultural, international and delicious. I did not leave hungry.”

Eating Prague – Prague, Czech Republic: from Autumn, “I recommend checking out Eating Prague food tours – it’s fun because people don’t think of Prague as a “foodie” place, but there’s a ton of great food (and beer!) here.”

Eating Italy night tour- Rome, Italy: MarocMama  “Italy is known for amazing food and so when we had an overnight layover we wandered the streets with this food tour to taste as much as we could in our short time. It was a great option to eat a variety of things with only a little time.”

Eating Italy day tour – Rome, Italy: We 3 Travel “I absolutely loved the food tour we did in Rome this summer with Eating Italy.” 

It’s pretty safe to say any of the Eating Europe food tours (of which London, Prague, and Rome belong to) are going to be a great bet!)

Breakfast at the Vatican – Vatican, Italy: Saverocity

Paksi Sir – Pag Island, Croatia: Chasing the Donkey “This cheese tasting (with tour of factory) is cheap and offers loads of cheese and is very family friendly.”

Spanish Tapas Madrid – Madrid, Spain: MarocMama This is the tour that jump started my idea to do food tours in Marrakech. The food was amazing and the time with Luis showed me exactly how I would want people to walk away from an experience. 

Walking Tours of Thessaloniki – Thessaloniki, Greece: My Travel Affairs “Thessaloniki Food and Flavors Tour was one of the best I have even taken. I’m a big foodie so such activities always makes me a happy person!” 

We Hate Tourism Tours – Lisbon, Portugal: We did the Eat Dinner with us or Starve tour when we visited in May 2014. This is part food tour part glimpse into Lisbon at night. We even stopped at a super local fado bar after the eating was done. 

Istanbul Eats – Istanbul, Turkey: A Taste of Travel With four different walking tours throughout the city there’s something for everyone in Istanbul. 

Savoring Athens – Athens, Greece: World Wide Writer Get to know Athens from a food level with this walking tour where you’ll taste traditional Greek foods and some things you may not consider Greek at all. 

Asia

UnTour Shanghai – Shanghai, China: Travel the World There aren’t  lot of breakfast food tours but this one looks downright amazing. Chinese street breakfast!

Beijing Food Tour with Intrepid Travel – Shanghai, China: Travel the World This tour is the ideal way to dip your toes into a very different type of food, especially when you have no idea where to start! 

Africa

Addis Eats – Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Want to get hands on with Ethiopian food? This is the tour!

Marrakech Food Tours – Marrakech, Morocco: Sure this is a shameless plug but don’t take it from me! Read some of the reviews from others that have taken our tour!

Food tours are just starting to catch on outside of North America and Europe. I know you have some amazing food tour experiences to share so please leave a comment with your favorites so that I can update this list with the very best!