'Burgh Bits and Bites Food Tours

We enjoyed the tour and now feel comfortable exploring this part of the city on our own--which was our goal. The shops we visited represented a nice sampling of locally owned businesses. We did, however, expect that Gabe (our guide) would have more information about the area and its history. He was personable, and shared a few insights, but overall he didn't have much to add to the experience.

Sorry to say the foodie tour we planned for weeks in advance was aborted due to a Nor'easter that ruined our travel plans. We are out the money but we did not risk taking our trip with such bad weather. We will plan for the foodie tour next year.

I took my girlfriend on this tour as a surprise since she enjoys the Strip District area and is a minor foodie. The guide, Gabe, was very friendly and full of information. He really seemed to enjoy being down there and was enthusiastic about everywhere we went. We made stops at about 8 spots and probably had a sample to eat at about 6 including slices of sausage at Parma, a piece of a pizza roll at Mancini's, a piece of biscotti, a mele, hummus and pita, popcorn, and a couple pierogies. All of the food was tasty but for the price I was expecting something a bit more substantial - maybe I was just hungry that day. Overall it was a fun and interesting tour to go on and I think people interested in the area and local businesses would enjoy it.

My Wife and I were in Pittsburgh for business in August 2011. At the end of the week we had a free Friday afternoon before heading home. Having never been to Pittsburgh and wanting to learn and see more of the city, my wife scheduled us for a Strip District Market Tour with Gabe Funaro. What a great way to spend the afternoon in Pittsburgh! This market area is a gem of the city, full of life and steeped in history. Gabe gave us an excellent tour of the area! His insights on specific locations included traditional historical aspects coupled with his own personal experiences of the market place ranging from his boyhood through adulthood. Gabe was very personable and informative, which made the tour seem as if a family friend was taking you on a personal tour of the past and present. Added to the experience were visits to specific market site businesses, complete with samples of their food specialties, which provided a comprehensive view of various ethinic backgrounds represented in the district. This is an excellent tour for anyone interested in discovering a hidden treasure of the ciity. Ask for Gabe - you won't be disappointed!

Tour was really good, great variety of food and merchants. Tour guide seemed a little I'll at ease, but was very knowledgeable.

Wonderful recommend to everyone

My wife and I enjoyed the Strip District tour. We are natives of the Pittsburgh are a who relocated to Ohio for work several years ago. Although the area is not new to us we discovered many hidden gems in the strip and learned a lot of local history that was new to us. All of the food samples were delicious and it was great to hear the proprietors speak passionately about their products. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone, but I think locals who want to learn more about the amazing food and culture that is tucked away in the strip would especially appreciate the tour.

As you started at one end and traveled through the food was great along with that the participating merchants were super informative. We learned a lot about the local history from our guide who made the trip more fun in between each stop. We walked by and stoped at places we hadn't known were there.. after the tour we walked back to the start and shopped along way.

This was our first visit to Pittsburgh and we wanted to do something that was not "touristy". This tour fit the bill. It was an excellent way to learn something about Pittsburgh's history and see an area most often frequented by just locals. Definitely will do another tour on our next visit.

I live and work in the Strip, but I learned a lot about neighborhood on the tour and had a lot of fun! I highly recommended the tour, especially for people who think they have seen everything there is to see in the Strip.

Was well put together and well worth the money, would highly recommend to anyone interested in food or history.

I thought all destinations were great, host was great, etc. I thought it was well worth the time and money - and my wife and I are from Pittsburgh! It was a lot of fun. It's a great opportunity to promote all of the great aspects of Pittsburgh, and maybe some hand outs of other tours would be beneficial to help tourists find other activities i.e. Just Ducky or the double decker bus service out of South Side Works. Just a thought, but everything was great!

The food tour was very interesting, as well as informative. The food tastings were excellent, and we bought extra to take home. It was an easy walk, in spite of the very cold weather.

Our guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. Each of our tasting stops had great offerings and most of the owners spent a fair amount of time explaining their wares to us. We had people from the north-east and mid-west in our group (Beaver County and Ellwood) and they really enjoyed the area. This as a very nice snap shot of part of the 'Burgh whether you are local or not!

My wife and I have lived in Florida for the past 7 years and just moved back to the Pittsburgh area. Both of us grew up in Western PA and coming back to the area has given us such a great appreciation of the city and all that it offers. This tour was a perfect example of Pittsburgh at its finest! Coming from the sunbelt where all of the buildings are new and the residents come from somewhere else, this tour really brings into focus the rich history that surrounds us here in Western PA. You get a sense of the pride the local business owners have for their neighborhood and their businesses... not to mention you get to sample some delicious food! I would strongly recommend this tour to anyone that is from the local area or from out of the area who would like to get a better feel for what truly makes Pittsburgh the best place in the world to call home!