Walking Food Tour of Chicago
- Tour locations: Gold Coast and Old Town
- 6 food tastings, rich history, treasured architecture and neighborhood stories
- Award winning pizzeria, gourmet chocolate and cheese shops, and more tasty stops
- This unique food tour will have you leave feeling like a native Chicagoan
Description:
Enjoy this unique food tasting and cultural walking tour through Chicago's most delicious and historic neighborhoods.
Suitable for all age groups and fitness levels, you will have a true "locals" experience and will feel like a native Chicagoan.
Your guided and fully narrated tour includes mouth-watering food tastings from one-of-a-kind specialty food shops and ethnic eateries as well as an insider's view of Chicago -- the rich history, treasured architecture, dazzling entertainment offerings, and neighborhood restaurants.
Gain a unique glimpse into hidden parks, historic mansions, offbeat venues, and majestic row houses while traversing Chicago's famous tree-lined streets.
After the tour, explore Chicago with confidence and take advantage of its full spectrum of cuisine, entertainment, and cultural offerings on and off-the-beaten-path.
Delicious food specialties served on the Tour may include:
- Award-winning Chicago-stuffed pizzeria (est. 1978)
- America's top spice & herb specialty shop (est. 1957)
- An authentic European bakery & pastry shop (est. 1998)
- An aged balsamic vinegar and olive oil specialty store (est. 2007)
- A high-end specialty loose tea and tisanes merchant (est. 1978)
- A chocolate confectioner and fudge shop (est. 1963)
Availability:
Typically begins at 11:00am.
April to Mid-May, 7 days a week.
Mid-May to August, Sunday - Friday.
September to November, 7 days a week.
Location(s):
Chicago, IL - Starting point: Corner of Rush Street and State Street
Essential Information:
This Near North Tour visits Gold Coast and Old Town neighborhoods! (approx. 1.5 miles) All tastings are included in the price. Please notify us of any food concerns prior to the tour so accommodations can be made. You will visit 6 different shops that will happily fill most stomachs. There are meat tastings on the tour, but vegetarian alternatives are provided as long as we are notified at the time of booking.
What to Bring:
- Participants are urged to bring cameras and recorders. There are plenty of photo opportunities during the tour.
- Participants are urged to bring sun glasses, sun screen, and/or a hat during the summer months.
- We love pets too, but because the tour visits food establishments, you'll need to leave your pets at home/hotel.
The tour does not finish at the same starting point. Map and return instructions are provided.
Duration:
3 hours
Maximum Participants:
Up to 20 people on the tour
Spectators:
This experience is only for those on the tour.
Weather Dependent:
This experience is not weather dependent.
What to Wear:
You will be on your feet and outdoors for most of the 3 hours, so please wear comfortable clothing and walking shoes. Flip-flops, high heels, and dress-shoes are not recommended. Umbrellas on rainy days, warm layers on cold days, and cool clothing on hot days will make your experience much more enjoyable.
Booking Information:
For this experience, it is recommended to request bookings at least 14 days in advance of intended date of use.
Cancellation Policy:
Prior to scheduling/booking a date for this experience, Cloud 9's standard return and exchange policy shall apply. Once you have scheduled a date and received a booking confirmation, all bookings for this experience are final.
Experience ID:
LIF-CHI-0001
My sister and I went on the Chicago Food Tour on 4/30/11, 11:00 am. Hilary was our tour guide. She was extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and extremely pleasant to be with. You have a very good employee and should take very good care of her!!
Our guide, Nicole, was wonderful. She was very knowledgeable and had a great personality. She did much more than I expected. I loved that along with the food tour, we also got an education about spices, oils, teas, etc, along with an architecture tour. It was wonderful. I can't wait to go on the Chinatown food tour.
Guide was great, very friendly and knowledgeable and fun. Weather was beautiful and it was an overall enjoyable experience.
Our tour guide Jes was just great. Lots of knowledge about food and the city!
We had a wonderful time and can't wait to check out other tours that you offer. Thank you Gina Tiberi
Nicole our guide was AWESOME. give her a raise.
Hillary did a fantastic job in keeping the pace moving, yet providing excellent information about each place we stopped at. We highly recommend the tour, and Hillary.
Jess was terrific. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
I have recommended Cloud 9 to many friends since my experience. This was a fantastic experience. Thank you for a wonderful day for me and my daughter.
This tour is a must do. Not only was the food recommendations great but the things we learned along the way about Chicago were most interesting. Without the tour guide we would have just walked right by some very interesting places and homes. Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. Anytime I visit a new city, I will be seeking this tour. It's the only way to get the real experience.
Jess was our guide and she did a great job! Such fun and very interesting. Would recommend to others..
Heather, our guide for the Walking Food Tour in Chicago, was awesome! Very knowledgeable, articulate, and friendly. She paced things well and didn't miss a beat. Outstanding experience from beginning to end! Well done!
The variety of tasting experiences was especially good--from sandwich to a tiny oil & vinegar sample, for example. The placement of the tea tasting was just right, so we could carry the tea along to drink the rest of the walk.
Our food tour experience turned out great! Our guide was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. We had a great time! No problems at all. Thanks!
The walking food tour of Chicago was a relaxing and fun experience. The tour gave us the reason to explore other neighborhoods in Chicago in addition to our regular areas. Our guide was informative and knowledgeable yet fun and humorous. I will sign up to take the other walking food tours at a later date.
Jess was our guide and was fabulous! She was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and kept us moving. She couldn't have been any better! This tour changed the way we will visit different cities. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed every stop we made. Thank you all!
Kent was a great guide - very knowledgeable about the history and cultural background of tour.
Our guide Kent was great. It was an informative and enjoyable experience and definitely plan to try another one!
Our guide, Heather, was fantastic. She was friendly, knowledgable, and a joy to be around. The tour itself was well thought out and very interesting. We are locals and still learned a great deal and enjoyed the experience thoroughly. Thank you for the tour!
Martha, our tour guide, was excellent. Well-versed in Chicago history, great fun and knew a lot about all the food stops. Would highly recommend this tour.
Our guide was exceptionally knowledgeable, courteous, very friendly, and displayed high level of positive energy towards her job. We are already planning our next adventure and would love to have the same guide for our next tour. P.S. (She was the best!!!)
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How much food is served on the food tour?
The tour serves enough food that for most participants, lunch afterward is not necessary. With the combination of drink and food tastings combined with breaks for architectural, cultural, and historical insight, most participants are comfortably full after our food tours. Please understand our food tours are not intended to replace breakfast and lunch combined, so please consider eating breakfast before the tour.
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How much walking is involved? Is it a fast-paced tour?
Tours generally last between 3 and 3.5 hours and participants can expect to be standing or walking for a majority of the time. We walk at a moderate pace and also provide at least two resting locations for at least 45 minutes total.
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Do your tours have anything to offer a native Chicagoan?
A majority of attendees live right here in Chicago. Chicago locals participate to learn about the neighborhoods and the city in which they live in as well as take advantage of knowing the best specialty food store locations and local restaurants in Chicago's tastiest neighborhoods, away from Downtown and traditional tourists.
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Does the tour leader accept gratuities?
Gratuities are greatly appreciated, although not mandatory. The standard gratuity in the service industry is 15%.
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What if I have dietary restrictions or allergies?
Please be sure and let us know if you (or anyone in your group) has a dietary restriction (e.g. vegetarian, diabetic, allergy, etc.) when you book your experience. As long as we know in advance, we can accommodate your needs.
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Can I shop during the tour?
We ask that you please wait to shop until after the tour so that we can stay on our food-tasting schedule and continue with the informative tour and food tastings in a timely manner. We ask you allow time at the end of the tour to return to your favorite locations and/or stores. The tours are on a schedule to arrive at each tasting location so its important to stay on schedule so the food is freshly prepared for the participants.
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Is the tour wheelchair and baby stroller accessible?
Yes, routes and tasting establishments are wheelchair and baby stroller friendly and accessible.
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Are there vegetarian options on the tour?
Yes, both tours offer alternative tasting options for vegetarians.
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Are any beverages served on the tour?
There is a drink tasting included in the tour. You can however purchase water and/or beverages at the beginning of both tours at the specified meeting locations. Additionally, most of the tasting locations sell water and/or beverages during the tour.
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Is wine tasting included on the tour?
Currently, we do not participate in wine tastings on this food tour.
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Does the tour end at the same place we meet?
No, the tour does not finish at the same meeting point. However, detailed instructions are provided once you are booked with starting and ending point locations, and all participants receive a map with return directions included at the beginning of the tour. Return trips can be accomplished by walking, taking a Chicago taxi, or taking the CTA "L" trains or bus.
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Do we only walk around and sample food?
Absolutely not! This tour combines architectural commentary, historical facts, local culture and culinary insight into a unique 3-hour experience. Imagine walking through Chicago eating our local artisans most delicious foods while learning the neighborhoods from real locals.
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What restaurants will we visit on the tour?
We do not sample food from any sit-down restaurants during our food tours. Most food tasting are done on the go, and the food is provided by ethnic eateries and specialty food shops and stores. However, insights to Chicago's best restaurants off-the-beaten-path are shared by the tour guide during the tour, and we provide a list of all the restaurants that we highlight so you can revisit or contact them after the tour.
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What happens if it rains or snows?
The tours are held rain, shine, or snow. In the event of inclement weather, we will be able to go inside many of the establishments on the tour. We also provide ponchos in case of sudden weather changes or if you do not have your own umbrella. However, we advise to check the weather conditions for your days event and dress appropriately.
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Are bathrooms available during the tour?
Yes, bathrooms are available during the tour at selected food-tasting locations.
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Are cameras allowed on the tour?
Yes. Cameras and filming are allowed during the tour. We strongly encourage participants to take photos during the tour.
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Is there parking near the tour meeting point?
Yes, there is both private and public parking located near the meeting point of the Tour. Specific parking details are included in the meeting location directions found in your booking confirmation email.
My sister and I went on the Chicago Food Tour on 4/30/11, 11:00 am. Hilary was our tour guide. She was extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and extremely pleasant to be with. You have a very good employee and should take very good care of her!!
Our guide, Nicole, was wonderful. She was very knowledgeable and had a great personality. She did much more than I expected. I loved that along with the food tour, we also got an education about spices, oils, teas, etc, along with an architecture tou ... Read More>>