Taste of Downtown Sarasota : Guided Walking History & Food Tour
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Our most popular tour and it often sells out! Guided by a local expert, you will walk and learn fascinating facts, folklore, culture, famous founders and current residents, the food scene and current events.
Sarasota is a unique city, with a vibrant downtown comprised of small, locally-owned restaurants, boutiques and art galleries. Our restaurants are very busy during "season" so are so fortunate that a handful choose to partner with us! This tour includes food but should not be considered a "foodie" tour-it's quick bites of favorite places, among the locals.
The emphasis of this tour is on the unique history, culture and lifestyle of Sarasota! Light bites are experienced along the route for quick introductions to some of the popular spots.
This is a group activity that requires a minimum of 4 guests to operate! For personal tour groups 10+ and all corporate tours, please inquire-those require advanced planning and more detailed information.
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
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Please consult with your medical advisor-this is a walking tour
No smoking or vaping is allowed during a tour-some guests may have allergies, asthma, autoimmune conditions
What To Expect
This tour is for you if you are looking for a unique culinary experience, a romantic night out, or to just have fun socializing with friends and family. Our 3.5-hour walking tour of Downtown Sarasota is a combination of food, fun and folklore that intertwines local history, art, and culture, along with a few diverse sampler plates, creating a culinary journey to remember! Some treasures along the way: Miramar, 1st train depot, speakeasys, Orange Blossom Hotel, 1st skyscraper, and more!
What‘s Included
History of the city, landmarks, popular spots & art/culture
Personal Tour Guide
Scenic Walk
Sampler plates/tax/server gratuity at each stop
Private tours available-inquire
Helpful insight into the lifestyle of this unique city, things to do, a relaxed and fun time!
Gratuities for your tour guide (recommend 15%-25% of purchase price). Will be added to private tours
Beverages not included (water IS)
Parking fees or transportation-pls arrange for a ride if drinking alcohol
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Options
Taste of Downtown Sarasota
Professional tour guide: Guided walking tour led by an area expert who brings his/her own personality to the experience. This is not a scripted tour. Duration: 3 hours: tours last 3-3.5 hours, depending on size of group, and pace of walking tastings from restaurants: light bites/water (server gratuity/sales tax included). Sodas/tea/coffee/alcoholic beverages can be purchased by guests downtown Sarasota: Generally a perimeter tour through several blocks of downtown w/ stops for talking points & food samplers. Around 1.5-2 miles
Reviews
217 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Hidden Gems!
Terry C,May 21, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Colleen was fabulous and incredibly knowledgeable about the Sarasota area. Honestly, we were full after the first stop! She took us to places we likely would have walked right by on our own, but once we stepped inside, each one was such a pleasant surprise. The food, local insight, and overall experience made for a wonderful tour. Highly recommend!
History, culture, art and FOOD combined!
Kim K,Apr 28, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Christine provided a history and cultural tour WITH the food tour. Never knew Sarasota has such a huge personality today and past! The combo of walking, food and art was a true winner.
Amazing Experience
303lindseya,Apr 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Christine was a fantastic tour guide and very knowledgeable. I went on the tour with my grandma, who had been living in Sarasota for over 30 years. She learned so much about the city’s history during this tour and could not stop talking about how much she loved it afterwards. The food was great, and there was plenty of it. Come hungry!
Sarasota Food Tour
Marvin P,Apr 25, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This food tour was amazing! The food was such high quality. The guide was informative and fun. Her knowledge of the city and the businesses was top notch. It was our 45th anniversary and at the last stop she surprised us with a couple of desserts. What an extraordinary treat. I highly recommend this tour.
Fun and informational evening!
200juliaw,Apr 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Wonderful way to spend time downtown with couples and friends! Christine, our host, was full of interesting history of the area which included stops at multiple restaurants. She shared info about downtown and the restaurants. Frankly, I’m thinking it’s an opportunity for downtown restaurants to entice people to enjoy whether local or just visiting. We live local and discovered new places! Thank you to the participating establishments and to Christine’s extensive knowledge! 🙌
Great tour guide and food was awesome
Sherri B,Apr 16, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00We had a small group, only 4 of us. Our tour guide Christine was fun and gave us tons of info about Sarasota’s history as we walked around downtown. We had 3 food stops (Brick, Classico, and Comida) and they were excellent choices. Food was delicious and we were completely stuffed after the second stop, but still managed to enjoy the third. Christine pointed out several other interesting restaurants that we’d love to try sometime. We learned a lot of things we didn’t know and had fun. Would absolutely recommend this tour!
Must do in Sarasota!
Alison B,Apr 15, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Christine gave a fabulous overview of the Sarasota food scene, culture, and history. Time flew by and it was great getting to know Sarasota from a local. Christine is wonderful—very kind, inclusive, and knowledgeable.
Thoroughly enjoyed!
V2321KPkimc,Apr 9, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We took this tour on a weekday with three generations of family members, ranging in age from 17 to 74. There was some walking but it was flat and manageable without health issues. We ate at 3 restaurants and got a lot of food. Everything was very tasty. Christine, our tour guide, was very knowledgeable about the area and shared a lot of history. We learned about various art installations, philanthropists, the city's founders, and so much more! I'm really glad we booked this tour. Everyone in our group of 4 thoroughly enjoyed it!
Sarasota food tour
Donna B,Apr 1, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Christine was absolutely phenomenal! Not only did we get three wonderful food restaurants on this tour, her knowledge of the history of Sarasota was outstanding! I cannot recommend her enough!
Pelican Pointe Women
D9555WMkarenp,Mar 26, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I am leader of a group of women from Venice and we try to find new and unusual things to do that also include food. We had 24 women over two days that did the tour. All 24 enjoyed the tour and food! Everyone remarked that they were glad they did this tour. We learned a bit about Sarasota and enjoyed some new and exciting restaurants that we had never been to. Thank you Christine!
From US$112.99
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