A Taste of Two Cities: St. Louis Food + History Walking Tour
Overview
Available languages
3 hours
Mobile ticket
Join a neighborhood local in the Central West End and enjoy "A Taste of Two Cities", a curated sampling of hidden gems and only-in-STL eats like toasted ravioli, gooey butter cake, and the perennially controversial Provel cheese. Most guests skip dinner.
In between, you'll enjoy an easy 2-mile walk accompanied by sights and tales of two distinct eras of St. Louis' (and American) history.
The first, one of opulent Gilded-Age wealth culminating in a globally-attended showcase of human achievement in 1904 - a World's Fair we still won't shut up about.
And the second - a less-spoken-of chapter of self-inflicted wounds that would create the Delmar Divide and come to a head when the Black Lives Matter movement is born in nearby Ferguson in 2014.
"A balanced view of history. No punches pulled. Every part is human, beautiful and ugly." — ahunkins, Minneapolis MN
"I always book a walking history/food tour in every city I visit, and this was hands down the best." — Kelly E.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
This tour runs about 3 hours, covers roughly 2 miles of walking on city sidewalks, and happens mostly outdoors. On hot days we bring cooling towels and build in shaded breaks. History and food get roughly equal weight — if you're looking for strictly food-focused stops with short narration between, this isn't that tour.
What To Expect
We'll meet up near Writer's Corner at a brewpub that has been a favorite haunt of Central West End locals since 1980 and sample a one-of-a-kind sandwich Guy Fieri once took two bites of before telling the executive chef to "Tear up the rest of the menu - you don't need it!". While you partake in your first nibbles, your guide will give you a background of St. Louis' early history, leading up to the time that the Central West End becomes the epicenter of concentrated wealth in the fourth largest city in America during her illustrious Gilded Age - culminating in a global event that would celebrate all of human achievement right next door in Forest Park - the 1904 World's Fair.
Holy Corners District
Within a literal stone's throw of the Delmar Divide sits some of the most impressive architecture from the World's Fair era that still remains, and it's completely outside of Forest Park. Hear hidden history and see artifacts from the early days of this "Valley of the Giants" listed in the National Register of Historic Places. We'll discuss the dichotomy of living in St. Louis, including the long term effects of the 32 of our 79 neighborhoods collectively referred to as the "Northside" that sit north of Delmar Boulevard and have borne witness to many generations of disinvestment and abandonment.
Options
History + Culinary Tour - 3hrs
Hidden Gems and Must-Try STL: We'll enjoy an unsung Guy Fieri fave and many quintessentially "St. Louis" flavors + water and soft drinks throughout..
What‘s Included
Cooling towels when the heat is a factor.
Soda/Pop
Bottled water
A full spread of dishes sampled from pub tables to park benches along a lovely CWE stroll. A lot of guests skip dinner afterward.
Drinks are not included in the tour price. Travelers can purchase beverages (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) on their own at restaurant stops along the route.
Metered parking is available at the meeting site, and free street parking is available one block away.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
44 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
A Terrific Walk of St. Louis!
janemR4271NO,Jun 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was a terrific experience with a very knowledgeable guide. Even though we were St. Louisans, we learned a lot of new facts. The walk was fun along with our stops for very appropriate tastes of St. Louis.
Expect more history, less food
1111jesj,Jun 3, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00The tour is extremely heavy on the history, specifically architectural history, and lighter on the food than other food tours we have taken. Most food tours have you sit down at local places, enjoy the establishment, have the opportunity to order a drink, this only happened once during this tour. The rest was take out options, eaten outside places, in a park, etc. We felt the cost was not worth the amount of food we received, typically you leave stuffed, we had dinner afterwards with this tour. The guide was very knowledgeable but the tour was long! I could not imagine doing this on a mid-summer day. We were thankful for temps only in the 80s and cloudy skies.
History, Flavor, St. Louis!
surferdude32,May 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Such a great tour! Mike was engaging, knowledgeable and passionate about the area. He made the tour feel personal rather than scripted and each delicious food stop highlighted something distinctly St. Louis.
A wonderful combination of history and food
WENDY M,May 2, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00An interesting, well researched history of St. Louis that includes the origins of the city as well as more current events. And the food portion is good too!
Mike is an exceptional tour guide. He has an extensive knowledge of the city and all its historical events. Highly recommend th
Jon C,Apr 12, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This is a great way to learn about not only the fabulous CWE, but St. Louis as a whole
Great tour!
Safari51333456918,Apr 12, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The tour was a lot of fun. Very well organized. There were lots of interesting stories and very good food!
Can't recommend this tour highly enough!!
Heather S,Oct 26, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Dave was a fantastic tour guide. He was so knowledgeable about the Central West End and St. Louis in general! It was wonderful learning so much information! The food stops were wonderful too, introducing me to new eateries in St. Louis I didn't know were there. I loved that the food was St. Louis-themed, too. I recommend this tour to anyone!
Well Rounded & Delicious Food Tour
974brookeh,Oct 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A great combo of history, walking, and food. Mike was SO knowledgeable about the area and we loved his passion for sharing that knowledge with others. He was well organized, the walking was just the right amount, and we liked the variety of the foods. Highly recommend this one!
Informative and delicious
Gail K,Oct 11, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This was a great experience. There was plenty of delicious food and interesting facts about the history of St. Louis, past amd present. It went the whole 3 hours plus some and I was definitely full at the end.
Learn a ton. Oh, yeah, the food is great too.
ahunkins,Oct 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Mike is the consummate storyteller. A very balanced view of history. No punches pulled. Every part is human, beautiful and ugly.
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Operated by TourCWE