Gold Coast & Old Town Food Tour

My wife and I did the Near North tour this weekend for my 31st birthday. It was so great. We live out in the Chicago suburbs and get into the city about once or twice a month. This was something completely different than the normal Mag Mile walking, eating at the Grand Lux, and whatever tourist stuff we typically do. I highly recommend that everyone do this tour. I can't wait to do the Bucktown/Wicker Park tour soon!

A fun thing to do in the city on a nice day especially if food is a hobby!

This tour is a great way to see the neighborhoods and the off-the-beaten path restaurants you would normally never get to see as a tourist. Chicago is more than just Miracle Mile - it's an eclectic group of communities with a diverse group of inhabitants. Not only does this tour take you to some fantastic restaurants, you will also learn some history about the city and the architecture along the way. Our guide was funny, energetic, and informative. I learned more about Chicago in three hours than I had in the two prior trips I'd taken before. I highly recommend!

The tour was a great way to learn about the history of some of these neighborhoods, the city of Chicago and sample local foods. Since you're sampling some yummy items, the walk definitely helps burn calories for those that are health conscience. Our tour guide Jennifer had a remarkable personality and was open to questions during the tour. If you're planning on staying local this summer, head out to the city to see what they have to offer.

I went on the Near North Food Tour with 5 of my closest girlfriends. We had a GREAT time. Our tour guide, Kate, was wonderful and we loved all of the stops. The tour was fun and educational and I would highly recommend it. It was a great way to see parts of Chicago I might otherwise have never seen (including Old Town and the Gold Coast). Don't miss it!

Although we had lived in Chicago for seven years, we returned to visit now that we moved away. This is an activity/service that was long overdue for a city with excellent food and culture. We expected to try some good food, which we did, but was pleasantly surprised to have all the additional neighborhood information along the walk. I learned new things about buildings, parks, and areas that I had been in countless times. Jennifer (our tour guide) had wonderful energy and really engaged well with a diverse group. Be prepared to walk...the Near North tour covered a pretty significant distance that would be difficult for someone with mobility problems. I highly recommend this tour and look forward to trying others if/when they expand to some of the lesser known but equally interesting neighborhoods.

Jennifer our tour guide was awesome. Engaging, knowledgable and entertaining. We learned about the history and culture of the area and loads of information on our many tastings. Great tour for 'Foody's' . All the shop owners were welcoming and you could tell they genuinely enjoyed what they did. Our next time in Chicago we will be taking another Chicago FoodPlanet Tour! One negative note - not impressed by the Chocolate Catering stop.

Wonderful balance of tasting some great products, along with some interesting food science, and a relaxed and informative walk through some of Chicago's neighborhoods! A relaxed and entertaining tour and some unexepected surprises! My favorite tasting was the tangerine balsamic vinegar with blood orange olive oil...YUM!

It is impossible to get this good of a feel and history for the neighborhoods and restaurants without the Food Planet tour. I recommend without hesitation!! A trip to Chicago wouldn't be complete without Food Planet!

My husband and I signed up for this tour on a strong recommendation from friends who had been to Chicago and thought this was the best tour they had taken while there. We concur, and therefore, would also highly recommend this tour to others. It was an excellent way to begin our four days in Chicago as it gave us a great introduction to some of the neighbourhoods in Chicago and a taste of some of the rich culture, history, and the food of this fabulous city. We were very impressed with our guide who was not only very knowledgeable but equally delightful in her presentations at each destination and in responding to our questions throughout the tour. She was very professional and personable. We enjoyed all of the stops along the way but were particularly pleased with the visit to the tea shop, the oil and vinegar shop, and the very delicious finish at Bacino's for a slice of the best stuffed pizza (with an option to slide into the lounge, hop onto a bar stool ,and order a cold one with the other tourists in the group)! My husband and I also want to relay how much we appreciated the wonderful facts and anecdotes Arijiana (sp?) shared with us regarding the history of some of the buildings we stopped to notice along the way . I am going to look for the "Miracle tea maker "online as I have learned that what I am drinking (from a teabag) is actually tea dust!! We learned a lot and had the bonus of sampling the best in reuben sandwiches, chocolate, pizza and much more.... a wonderful tour that made us aware of and appreciate the professionalism, creativity, high standards and pride evident in the merchants/entrepeneurs of these neighbourhoods who opened their doors to us. Take the tour early in your visit and enjoy!