Best Chicago Food Tours: Savor Deep-Dish Pizza, Hot Dogs & Michelin Gems
Chicago’s dining scene is unbelievably diverse — we have world-famous burgers, our own signature style of hot dogs, Michelin-starred spots, international cuisine from all over the world, deep dish pizza, one of the best restaurants in the world…the list goes on. It’s more than anyone could eat in a lifetime, but you can try your best on a food tour of the city.
These Chicago food tours can help you get a true taste of the local dining scene, whether you want to hit all the fine-dining hot spots or try every deep dish pizza the city has to offer.
Chicago Food Planet
Chicago Food Planet Food Tours gives you a sense of the melting pot that is Chicago’s restaurant scene. Experience the city’s diverse cuisine on one of their epicurean adventures. Get a taste for classic Chicago on their Best in Chow Food Tour, which lets you sample the city’s most iconic eats (pizza, hot dog, Italian beef, popcorn, and brownies) in less than three hours — plus you get to skip the lines. They also offer food tour of Navy Pier, the foodie-favorite West Loop neighborhood, Chinatown, and more.
Spice of Life Tours
Explore Chicago’s “Little India” in the West Ridge neighborhood with Spice of Life Tours. Devon Avenue is the center of a thriving Indian/Pakistani community, with plenty of authentic, locally owned restaurants and specialty food shops. Your expert guide will lead you on a relaxed four-hour tour where you’ll sample flavorful South Asian cuisine, stop by a spice market, visit a temple, and try out cultural activities like henna tattoos.
Tastebud Tours
You can’t leave Chicago without trying deep dish pizza, a Chicago-style hot dog, and an Italian beef sandwich. Check them all off your list during a tour with Tastebud Tours. Their Taste of Chicago tour hits all the big spots in the Loop neighborhood, including a Chicago-born chocolatier and the oldest family-run establishment in the city. Other Tastebud Tours include their Chicago World’s Fair Food Tour, which takes a history-focused look at Chicago’s food scene.
Chicago Pizza Tours
Savor the city one slice at a time with Chicago Pizza Tours. These bus and walking tours visit culturally significant and locally-owned pizzerias in Chicago’s downtown and neighborhoods. You’ll learn a little about the history and the tricks of the pizza trade — and try six different pizzas from off-the-beaten-path spots. Or try their Pizza & Cocktails Tour, if you like some sips with your slices.
Chicago Foodways Tours
Go “deeper than deep dish” with Chicago Foodways Tours. Get your fill of Chicago’s culinary history and diversity from a seasoned local and trained chef. These food and culture walking tours guide you through the past and present of the city’s immigrant neighborhoods, like their Saigon to Stockholm Tour that takes you into Chicago’s Vietnamese and Swedish enclaves. Their Little Italy Food Tour explores the historic neighborhoods through a six-course meal.
Bobby’s Bike Hike
Work up an appetite with a biking food tour. Cruise through different Chicago neighborhoods on a Bikes, Bites & Brews Tour from Bobby’s Bike Hike. You’ll get a true taste of the area, with stops at quintessential spots that will give you a sense of each neighborhood you visit. If you’d rather use two feet than two wheels, check out their selection of walking tours, like Sweets & Spirits or Comedy & Craft Beer.
Chicago Beer Experience
Want more pub than grub? Check out Chicago Beer Experience, which celebrates one of the world’s most beloved beverages in the craft beer capital of the country. Choose from three neighborhood routes that are guided by certified beer experts, like Sin & Suds in the South Loop or Bacon & Brews in Lakeview and Lincoln Park. The tours include tastings of locally made brews, and a dose of local history as well.
Please note: some of the above tours are available seasonally and are weather dependent. Please check with each tour company for availability.
