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
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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
Helpful insight into the lifestyle of this unique city, things to do, a relaxed and fun time!
Sampler plates/tax/server gratuity at each stop
Private tours available-inquire
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
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
203 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Sarasota Food Tour!
khender12021,,Feb 21, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The Sarasota downtown food tour was exceptional. Christine was an excellent tour guide and shared her knowledge of Sarasota’s history in an engaging way. The restaurants we visited were all scratch kitchens and the food was delicious.
Great way to learn more about Sarasota
jlord1965,,Feb 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Knowledgeable and very relational host, of the three food stops one was excellent and the other two were OK. Recommend.
Fun and interesting experience
H8717WItoms,,Feb 14, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00A really good food tour coupled with a walking tour through historic downtown. Our guide Christine called out many interesting sites, artworkand history. Only reason not a 5-star is we weren't crazy about the food selection our 1st stop but the food at the other 2 stops was great....surprisingly good size tasting portions too.
Don’t go
Karen F,,Feb 14, 2026
- Review from Viator
3.00The guide got on us because we were five minutes late even though I had texted her we were stuck in traffic. The main thing that she wanted us to know was that Sarasota was a wealthy district and they had a lot of restaurants we did not care for the tour or our tour guide
Great experience on our food tour
TrailBlazer719458,,Feb 12, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had an amazing time visiting the sights and sounds of the downtown Sarasota food tour. Our guide, Christine told us about the downtown history, culture, arts, and an added bonus was the delicious food we tasted. A perfect outing for our visiting guests from Illinois. Will definitely do this tour again!
Crete Peeps!
Karen W,,Feb 11, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Very organized and interesting. Christine was a great guide! There is a lot of walking so wear comfortable shoes. Sarasota is rich in the arts culture.
This was a very enjoyable...
Karen G,,Feb 7, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00This was a very enjoyable experience. Our guide was delightful and knowledgeable. The stops provided more than enough food and the time allowed at each location was adequate.
Well worth it
kimlV1334JX,,Jan 30, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had an amazing experience with Christine! My husband and I have been coming to Sarasota for years and decided to do something different. This was great! We learned so much about the history and culture, along with delicious food. Highly recommend!
Food tour thirty-something cousins
pam l,,Jan 25, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Great food. Very fun tour operator. Group of four cousins, in 30s, from out of town. They loved the novelty of different restaurants, had a great time!
A really nice intro to downtown
Rich V,,Jan 17, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Christine was knowledgeable about the area and when she didn't know the answer to a question, which wasn't often, admitted that she didn't know but would find out. The eating stops were quite good and the portions were generous. A nice way to get to know a little about downtown Sarasota.
From US$112.99
Want a private experience? Upgrade to a private tour
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