Gold Coast & Old Town Food Tasting & Cultural Tour

Our group really enjoyed the ability to walk around the neighborhoods. The food tasting was fantastic and we returned later to share our favorite spots with a friend who couldn't go on the tour. Our most favorite stores were the Oil and Vinegar, Spice Merchant and the Tea shop, although we did enjoy each stop.

Great experience, very informative, it was very interesting to visit the different areas of the city and how they developed. Also to visit some of the landmarks of Chicago and the best places to eat.

We enjoyed our "windy" day touring the various areas of Chicago; however, these are my comments: 1.) it was a bit more walking than I anticipated 2.) tour guide was new, although she seemed well informed. 3.) the tastings were very far between each other for the most part 4.) excellent information at the Spice House with educational value 5.) the Fudge Pot was interesting, but a demostration would have been educationa/informative 6.) it seemed that we walked a long way to a tasting and then was fairly rushed through..i.e. the pizza place. 7. nice opportunity to meet people from other parts of the country. I just experienced the walking culinary tour of Greenwhich village in NYC and it was more of an "educational foodie" tour and not 2 hours of walking in the 3.5 hour span. With all of that said, it is nice that the city has this culinary tour to offer because Chicago is so rich in its food cultures.

I learned so many things about herbs & spices, tea and even chocolate. It was a lot of fun and great exercise!

The walking tour was more informative than tasting. The foods, spices, and oils were all very good and interesting. The oils and spices were very unique and were a nice touch to the tour. I would have added another food tasting rather than have two chocolate places since I am not a big chocolate fan. There was a stretch of the walk where we walked for 25 minutes without tasting or receiving information, which was a bit long. Also, it would be nice to arrange with store owners the use of their restrooms for tour members rather than waiting until nearly the end of the tour to go. It would also be nice to have time limited shopping, so people from out of the area could have a chance to purchase some of the unique items we sampled. The tour guide was informative and super friendly. She was engaging and accommodating. The places we visited were very quaint and had their own unique style. The employees were receptive and engaging, helping the tour be enjoyable. I loved the oil and spices portion of the tour so much that I went back with my out of town guests the following week. We all walked out of each place with something we liked. I loved walking through each neighborhood and seeing the differences that set each apart from the other. Chicago is a wonderful city with lots to offer. for all the locals, get out and see the different neighborhoods. The tour is VERY affordable and you get plenty to eat and if you don't think yo do, you may be able to slip in purchasing something to eat or drink while others are still sampling at some places. DO wear comfortable shoes and bring extra water, but remember, only one bathroom stop, unless you have a nice tour guide like we did who accommodated some of us. Don't forget he camera because you will get a chance to see some architect, art, and homes. That was a nice perk of the tour since I thought it was only going to be walking and eating. We got a history lesson of each neighborhood and that added to the interest of the tour. Enjoy!!!

I really enjoyed this tour. I actually learned a lot while enjoying some tasty samplings of a variety of foods and walking about some of the Chicago neighborhoods. It was a great way to get my bearings on my second day in the City. If you have a huge appetite, you may not be totally satisfied with the food provided, after all it is a tasting/sampling tour. However, we were given enough tasty delights were a normal appetite would be satisfied ... or at least held until dinner. The tour guide, Tad, was enthusiastic about what he was showing us and the constant smile on his face was refreshing. It showed he was enjoying showing us about as well. If you, the reader, are contemplating this tour, I highly recommend it. You will also get some really nice ideas about where to come back for nice dinners and lunches. Enjoy!!!!

Unique and intresting foods. Really enjoyed the history and architecture of Chicago. Thanks

The tour was a great way for an individual to get a limited exposure to a number of neighborhoods and the culinary experiences that they provide. On my tour we had people from both sides of the US which was fun but most people were in couples so the whole getting to know you experience was weak. For someone that is passionate about food and had never been to Chicago it was a good opportunity to see what was out there.

Great tour. The combination of the food stops and the local history provided by an energetic knowledgeable guide was a pleasure.

We had Jen as our tour guide. She did a great job guiding us through the Chicago tour. I was on the tour with my parent while they were up visiting me in Chicago. The tour was made up of 8 people, which was a good size. I found out about the tour from metromix. It was great. Jen mentioned that there might be a Chicago loop tour going south. That would be a good idea. I would like to do the tour again next year, but with different spots. We went back that day and the next to the merchants and used some of the coupons that were handed out with the tour packet. Bob