St. Louis Food Tour: Gilded-Age Central West End Walk
Overview
Available languages
3 hours
Mobile ticket
Join a St. Louis local on a leisurely 2-mile walk through the Central West End, where America's richest families built their mansions at the turn of the 20th century. We call it the "Taste of Two Cities" tour because you'll get both sides of St. Louis along the way. You'll taste dishes only St. Louis could invent: toasted ravioli, gooey butter cake, St. Louis-style pizza with its unmistakable Provel cheese, and more from neighborhood mainstays. Most guests skip dinner afterward.
Between bites, you'll hear stories guidebooks skip — how a Gilded-Age neighborhood of beer barons, shoe magnates, and railroad heirs became the backdrop for the 1904 World's Fair, aviation firsts, young T.S. Eliot, and the long arc of American wealth, race, and power that still shapes this city. We don't dress up the uncomfortable parts: displacements, redlines, moments that made national news. This isn't a Chamber-of-Commerce tour. Come hungry for the real story of a real American neighborhood.
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.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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.
What‘s Included
Cooling towels when the heat is a factor.
Bottled water
A full spread of dishes sampled at neighborhood mainstays along the route. Most 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.
Options
Iconic STL Flavors Tour
Reviews
40 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
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.
Walking history and food tour
kellyeB5745IP,Sep 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Mike was excellent. This is a tour you don’t want to miss. Mike had so much to share he was articulate, funny and well versed on the history of STL. The food was absolutely Delicious. I always book a walking history/food tour in every city I visit and this was hands down the best.
We had a great time. ...
Barbara F,Sep 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We had a great time. Mike was very interesting he knew so much about St. Louis. We really learned a lot from him.
Great day of learning!
Q2439ZYlaurenh,Aug 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00This was a great history and walking tour of the CWE. I learned so much. As for the food, I thought it was excellent and nice-sized portions. Yummy! Mike is passionate about the history and his stories are good…sprinkled with a bit of humor.
Fun learning experience!
dont969,Aug 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Fun tour! We are local to the area and still learned a TON that we didn't know! Mike is a great guide and his passion for history shines through.
From US$119.00
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Operated by TourCWE