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Food Walking Tours San Francisco: 8 Best to Savor the Goodies of SF
by Jill Loeffler •
Updated: May 11, 2022
The food walking tours in San Francisco offer you the best of our diverse foodie culture. You will savor several treats during each tour while learning more about the local neighborhood or market.
This is one of my favorite ways to try different cuisines while on vacation and find some great restaurants to check out during my stay. Some of the top districts you could visit include Chinatown, North Beach, and Alamo Square. Each offer a distinct set of dishes.
Below is a list of the 8 top food walking tours in San Francisco.
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
1. Little Italy and North Beach Walking Tour
Do you love Italian food? If so, then this San Francisco food walking tour is a must for you!
This 3-hour walk heads through the North Beach neighborhood also called Little Italy. During the trip, you will taste several Italian goodies, from cappuccinos to authentic Italian pizza. You also get to sample chocolates, olive oils, and Italian pastries.
As you are sampling, you will learn a little about the history of the neighborhood, see how coffee is roasted, and watch as chocolates are made. You will also get a peek at 130-year-old ovens and explore some places where the Beat Generation hung out in the 1960s.
This tour is so popular that it runs twice a day, at 10 am and 2 pm. It covers around seven to eight blocks, all on a flat path. All food and drinks sampled during the trip are included in the price.
You can find tickets for this North Beach walking tour on GetYourGuide.
2. Chinatown and North Beach Night Walking Tour
Another one of the best food walking tours in San Francisco is the combined Chinatown and North Beach night tour. During this one, you get the chance to taste authentic Italian and Chinese treats.
This 2-hour trek starts at 6 pm in Chinatown, where you will enjoy dim sum from Chinatown's oldest bakery, see how fortune cookies are made, and even savor some traditional Chinese teas.
You will also explore the real Chinatown. You will learn more about its culture, sculptures, and architecture.
After the Chinatown portion, you will head just a couple of blocks to North Beach. Here you will savor Italian coffees, explore the Beat Generation's favorite hangouts, and sample some delicious authentic Italian pizza and wine.
Tickets for this daily tour are available on GetYourGuide. Reserve your spot today!
>> Find additional walking tours of Chinatown
3. "Taste the Mission" Walking Tour of San Francisco
The Mission District in San Francisco has an unprecedented mix of ethnic cuisines due to the rich diversity of its community. While most people are familiar with their Latin-inspired dishes, here you will also find dishes from places such as Italy, Germany, and Vietnam.
On this 3-hour journey, you get to walk the streets of this eclectic neighborhood while you learn more about its cuisines. You get to sample everything from delicious bakery-style cookies to some of SF's best clam chowder. In total, you will have six tastings and a little California wine.
The Mission District has hundreds of beautifully crafted murals that celebrate the history of the area and its people. Once you are done sampling the foods of the neighborhood, you will then get a chance to see some of its most colorful murals. See some photos of the Mission District murals here.
This is one of the food walking tours in San Francisco that runs most days of the week. It starts at 5 pm. You can buy tickets for this tour on GetYourGuide, one of the top online travel agencies and one that I use quite often.
4. Chinatown: Tea & Dim Sum Food Tour
Want to check out the best dim sum places in Chinatown? Your local guide takes you to the best spots around this colorful district on this stroll.
You'll sample food from a 100-year-old restaurant, sip bubble tea, try some amazing baked goods, and even stop by the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory.
You'll learn about this district's history and the role of tea in traditional Chinese medicine during a 30-minute tasting.
The tour lasts around 3 hours. All tastings and lunch are included.
>> Learn more about this tour and book your spot today
5. Ferry Building and Ferry Plaza Farmers Market
The Ferry Building in San Francisco is a gourmet food lover's dream. This renovated ferry terminal is home to dozens of specialty shops selling everything from freshly baked bread to locally produced chocolates.
Many local and famous chefs shop here frequently to create their daily masterpieces.
During this 2-hour walk, you will sample your way through the Ferry Building's delicacies while you learn more about each one.
The Ferry Building food tour runs twice a week: on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
This is one of the most popular food walking tours in San Francisco due to the location and the quality of samples available at the Ferry Building. All tastings are included in the price.
6. North Beach Pizza and Pub Crawl
The North Beach District is also called "Little Italy." This is where you will find some of the best Italian dishes, including pizza in the city.
On this fun tour, you'll stroll from one pizza joint to the next as you learn about the history of each location and pizza. It includes enough samples not to have to go out for dinner after!
You'll sample clam pizza at Golden Boy Pizza (one of my favorite pizza places in SF), check out some tasty thin-crust pies, and enjoy beer and pizza pairings.
This tour runs a couple of nights a week.
>> Learn more about this tour and check for ticket availability
7. Painted Ladies: Artisan Brunch Tour
This is a fun way to get to know our famous Painted Ladies.
This tour starts with a couple of stops along Divisadero Street as you sample some local coffee, donuts, and brunch items. At each stop, you will hear stories about San Francisco and the history our gorgeous Painted Ladies.
You'll stop at a local café, gourmet food store, and bakery. You'll learn about the Gold Rush, the 1906 Earthquake, and more.
The tour then takes you up a small hill and over to Alamo Square, where you will find the best places to photograph Postcard Row. You'll then continue down the hill to Hayes Valley, where you'll do a couple of additional tastings of local goodies.
This tour usually runs just one day a week.
>> Find out more about the tour and check for availability
8. Chinatown Food & History Tour
My final recommendation is another tour in Chinatown. These tours are always so popular, so I like to offer a few different options.
This one will take you on a walk through Chinatown, the largest and oldest Chinatown in the US. You'll learn all about this district and find some of the best spots to eat.
You'll learn more about the Dragon's Gate and get tips on how to order and sample dim sum. You'll also stop by the fortune cookie factory and get the chance to ask questions about this colorful, historic district.
The tour includes the cost of the food and coffee/tea. It runs for about 2 hours and 30 minutes.
>> Find out more about this tour and check for availability during your stay
Night Tours: Are you looking for something fun to do at night? Here you will find the best night tours, including neighborhood-specific ghost walks to romantic sunset cruises.
Other Guided Treks: Here you will find a wide range of walking journeys in San Francisco. Find options for Fisherman's Wharf and some of the most visited SF attractions. This is also where you can find a list of the current discounted tickets offered on Goldstar.
Self-Guided: Do you prefer to head out on your own while still learning more about where you are visiting? If so, then these self-guided trips might be your answer.