Taste of Downtown Sarasota: History and Tasting Walking Tour

Overview

Available languages

English

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.

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 corporate groups, 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‘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

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!

Admission Not Applicable

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

4.73

188 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

157

A fun Taste of Sarasota
A928EIkathleenh,
Nov 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
We enjoyed our food tour, we had a great group of people. Our tour guide Damon was delightful and made the experience a lot of fun.
Good little downtown tour.
Beth R,
Nov 7, 2025
- Review from Viator
3.00
The food choices were varied and tasty. We lucked out having a group of lively ladies who made this more fun. Damon was very nice and he definitely had some knowledge of the area, though I was expecting a little more structure to the presentation. His presentation seemed very haphazard.
All good!
jamesrC9592IZ,
Nov 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Damon was a fantastic guide! Food was very good at all 3 stops and we stopped at a unique bar at the end which capped off a great evening!
Good tour
DaleShetler,
Nov 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We like to do food tours when we travel. This one did not disappoint. Colleen was very knowledgeable about Sarasota history and restaurants. Well worth the time and cost.
Fantastic tour!
Catherine L,
Sep 30, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
The walking food tour was awesome! Christine shared a ton of history of the area and lined up amazing food! Our group had an amazing time. Thank you!
Local Culture
Donna S,
Aug 14, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Our Guide, Christine, provided so much local knowledge on Sarasota. The restaurants we visited were awesome and the food plentiful. Highly recommended for an evening out.
Do not skip out on this tour
Euneke R,
Jul 31, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
This tour was amazing. Christine was great the food was amazing. My favorite place was bricks. That was the first place we stopped at and it didn’t disappoint. I’m super happy to went on the tour. We learned so much about Sarasota history
Taste of Sarasota
rwO2057DQ,
Jul 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00
Damon was a funny, informative guide. This tour was a fabulous way to see Downtown Sarasota and taste some of the locals flavors!! Due to the afternoon heat, it would have made more sense to eat inside one of the restaurants vs at the sidewalk table. I would definitely recommend this tour for anyone visiting the city
We went to 3 restaurants...
Anne F,
Jun 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
We went to 3 restaurants for small plates. We had an Italian, BBQ and Farm to Table places. Gelato for dessert. The food was all really good! In between walking to next stop ( not a long walk) our guide,Christine, gave us a quick interesting history lesson . It was a small group so easy to chat with the others. Christine was a very knowledgeable and considerate guide!
Come hungry! Lots of...
Brittany J,
Jun 24, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Come hungry! Lots of delicious food and diverse restaurant stops. Enjoyed strolling from place to place and hearing about the history of the area. Fantastic experience. Book now!