Chicago Food Planet Food Tours

This tour was fun and informative. The weather was very warm for November, and we had thunderstorms with heavy rain sweep through the area. Our tour guide was well prepared with ponchos for us, and she had us duck under some awnings for shelter when the rain got heavy. During that time she kept us entertained with stories of the Chicago fire, and the Chicago World's Fair and Columbian Exposition. When the rain let up we walked around Old Town and visited several places where we had amazing pizza, tea, toffee, spices, macaroons and pierogi. My favorite place, much to my surprise, was Old Town Oil, where we sampled flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars. My mouth is watering just thinking of it! That was an ingenious stop on the tour. I also loved the tea place and Lou Malnatis pizza. We went back and bought some of the oils and vinegars, tea and toffee after the tour. We also ate at Lou's again before we left the city. The tour brochure gives you coupons on the back page, and we took advantage of them! We are looking forward to our next visit to Chicago and would definitely do this tour again.

Went to local shops I never would have entered. The whole tour was a lot of fun and informative even in a November lightening and thunderstorm. Would recommend to all

Overall it was an interesting tour of the city. Our guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining but there wasn't a whole lot of food for being called a "food tour." You don't get a real tasting at every stop (one is a spice store and the other is an olive oil/vinegar store) so that was a little bit of a let down. It's hard to be very biased on though because our group got stuck in a torrential down pour for about 3/4 of the tour. I think it would have been more enjoyable if we'd had better weather. For people who enjoy history and tours in general I think this would be enjoyable for you. For those that like to be a little more spontaneous this might not be your cup of tea.

OK, well maybe it wasn't earth shattering, bu Kent, our tour guide, took us on a fun and interesting tour of the Bucktown/Wicker Park area. He was very engaging with all of the tour members and took several setbacks in stride and provided practical solutions. It began to rain during the tour, actually I think that rain is too mild a word, it was a deluge. He took us across the six-stop intersection at a full run and got us into the brewery at Piece without incident. Considering the lighting strikes that were incredibly close, this was a feat unto itself. All of the stops on the tour were interesting and provided us with a great look at these neighborhoods, both past and present. The staff in the restaurants were accommodating and efficient, and didn't treat us as though we were an inconvenience, although they were for the most part, really busy. The food samples were more than what I expected, this could and should be a lunch tour- don't eat a big breakfast before going. My sister and I especially liked the detour around Wicker Park and through some of the residential areas, with the corresponding history of the homes and architecture. Kent knows his stuff! At the end of the event, he gave everyone practical information for getting transportation back their hotels/homes and also provided some recommendations for great restaurants that weren't on the tour.

Fantastic tour which was made so enjoyable by our wonderful guide Jess. She was so informative and fun. The tour was a mixture of great food stops and great historical insights of the communities we travelled through. Amazing!

Lisa is an excellent guide...professional, knowledgeable, and personable. This was the first tour we tried of this type. It was a great respite from our professional meeting and introduced us to neighborhoods that were not on our radar. Despite the unexpected rain shower, we had a great time and lingered afterward to further explore the neighborhood and its shops.

We enjoyed this tour so much we took it a second time with friends. Our tour leader, Jess is absolutely the best!! As a coincidence we had her for both tours. The tour is both satisfying physically and mentally. Don't hesitate...you will totally enjoy your time!!! Thanks again Jess....you rock!!

My boyfriend, mom and I partook in the Chinatown tour this past Saturday... and if I could give more than 5 stars I would. Alliya (sp) was our tour guide, she is a chef herself and was so knowledgeable on Chinese culture. We went to 5 different locations which included dim sum, Szechuan style, Peking duck, Chinese pastries, and tea. One of the best attributes of these tours are the fusion of culture and food. We stepped into a Buddhist temple and gained so much info on the rich heritage of new and old Chinatown. The restaurants that were selected were all picked with care and were all top notch. I cant wait until I have guests in town again to do the Bucktown tour!!

This is a great way to learn and understand China Town and the different restaurants and food available here. Before this, I was unsure of where to go, what to eat, and my way around. It was wonderful to understand the culture better and get to know where the different foods originated from. This outing was a 50th BD gift to my husband that included our adult children. He loved it very much and what a great way to spend a day with your family. We had a great time. The tour was very well thought out, the tour guide was spectacular, and the food, although different than what I am used to eating, very good and so glad we got to try different things. Highly recommended....

Although I grew up in the Chicago area (90 min South), I'd never thought of taking a "tour" in my own city, per se. I did, and loved it! You get an insiders perspective on the history and culture of Chicago. I've taken this and the Old Town tour and really enjoyed the tour guides on both with their knowledge not only of culture, but of the food, store, and owners. A must do whether a visitor or local to the city!

Tour guide was awesome and we had a wonderful time

Sophie, our guide, was great. She was enthusiastic without being overbearing. Even though I live in Chicago I learned a lot about the area. Plus the restaurants were great picks.

Love love love. This was a blast and will definitely do a tour in another neighborhood next time I'm in Chicago! Can we request Coleen? She was PERFECT! You shoul set this tour up in Minneapolis and St Paul.

Not only was the food on the tour fantastic. But our tour guide Colleen was awesome. She was funny, and informative, not only about the food, but the surrounding areas as well. I would definitely take another tour!

After taking the Street Food Vendors Tour of Istanbul, I checked the internet for a walking food tour of Chicago. Last Saturday we went on the Near North Tour and it was superb. Great tastes and a very knowledgeable guide with some architectural history added in made for a delightful experience. My friend from Izmir, Turkey, enjoyed the tour very much and wants to have her husband start such a tour in Izmir!