Melting Pot Food Tours

I enthusiastically recommend the Melting Pot Old Pasadena Food Tasting Tour. I was looking for something out of the ordinary to do with my parents visiting from out of town. They like to eat (and who doesn't?) but are in no way "foodies" like my husband and I are. We all enjoyed the tour equally. We learned about many new restaurants we'd like to return to and my parents had several ethnic foods they have never tried before. We stopped in about 10 local establishments while exploring the Old Pasadena area. The food was varied from Mexican to Asian to Peruvian with about 3 sweet stops as well including a bakery, hand made chocolates and gelato. Many businesses also offered discounts to visitors with the tour who wish to return and shop. The Old Pasadena Food Tasting Tour was a fabulous way to spend a beautiful Autumn weekend. I'd highly recommend it to anyone visiting the city or just looking to explore a new area of town and some wonderful independent businesses in Pasadena.

We had a brilliant time on the tour. Our guide Kendall was friendly and very knowledgable. All of the food we tasted on the tour was wonderful and there was plenty to go around between our group. We even went back a few days later when in the area to buy some Caviar Cheese from Monsieur Marcel! If you are looking for a truly local experience I would highly recommend you visit Farmers Market & W 3rd Street and take a tour with Melting Pot.

This tour is just as much fun for the locals as it is for the tourists visiting L.A., our guide Diane was lots of fun and full of information about the area. Learned a lot!! Prepare to have a full stomach at the end of the tour! Do not eat breakfast prior. can't wait to try the Old town Pasadena tour.

We had a great time on our tour. It was our first time in Los Angeles and we were surprised to find that even the locals on the tour weren't familiar with some of the stops we made. The Farmer's Market was wonderful, and the tour guide was entertaining and very knowledgeable. Next time we're in LA we'll try the Old Pasadena tour.

I took my mom on this tour on Oct 24th after reading about it in the LA Times and AAA's Westways magazine. You could not have spent a better $49 anywhere else. Summer was a fun, personable and organized guide. Where ever we went, the venue was set up for us. The food was delicious and learning about the history was a bonus. Yes, you will be full at the end of the tour so it is important to pace yourself in the beginning. The walking was fine - mom is 82. It was such a perfect way to spend a Sunday. I plan to bring 2 friends on a tour as a Xmas gift but I might do this tour again before the holidays.

While our guide Diane was very knowledgable and enthusiastic, I guess we just expected more. There was 4 of us, my Fiancee and I, and my aunt and uncle. We all thought there would be more food involved in the tastings, instead of just bites here and there. While I knew there would be alot of walking, I didnt anticipate walking all the way down 3rd st. While I am glad I went, as I had never been to Farmers Market before, I am not sure if I would go on a similiar type tour again.

We enthusiastically recommend this wonderful Old Pasadena Food Tasting Tour!! We had the best time and it was perfect for us and for our parents. Our tour guide was SUMMER and she was exceptional and a real blessing for our group. We have lived in Pasadena for about a year but were unfamiliar with many of the restaurants spotlighted on this tour. My parents, visiting from out of town, joined us for this adventure and I was a bit hesitant when I booked it. This was their introduction to Pasadena, only having arrived the night before. My Dad is active but is 80 and can't walk for long periods without a little stop. How would he like this? He loves adventure, food, and architecture so it seemed like a good fit. Boy, was it ever!! This tour could not have been MORE PERFECT for our family. The four of us had the best time discovering fantastic places to eat and also the history of Old Pasadena. The restaurants and establishments chosen for this tour were all different but all outstanding. We fell in love with a part of Old Pasadena we never knew existed. Even though there is lots of walking and the tour lasts 3 hours, my Dad had no trouble because you are sitting down often to eat! Summer was a gracious hostess and guide and was accessible, friendly, and outgoing. You can tell that she loves her job because it shows! We plan to support those places we visited and we would definitely take this tour again! DON'T EAT BREAKFAST & PACE YOURSELF- there is an abundance of delicious food!! We are looking forward to also going on the other Melting Pot Tour of the LA Farmers Market sometime in the near future!

This tour was one of the highlights of my recent trip to LA from Baltimore, Maryland. I invited my sister and her family who live in LA to do the tasting tour. The Farmers Market and the 3rd Street eateries were a revelation to all of us. Diane, our tour leader, was personable, knowledgeable and a font of information. I had listed a couple of food restrictions when I registered and she graciously had substitutes available when necessary. I hadn't heard of this walking tour until I stumbled across it on TripAdvisor. What good fortune. I would highly recommend this to anyone entertaining out-of-towners, or as in my case, and excellent opportunity to reciprocate with your hosts by taking them on the tour.

I had a lot of fun on the tour and we went to so many places! We tried tons of great food and drink and had a great time seeing the city. The only slightly negative thing I can say about the tour was that we added on the optional wine and cheese portion which I thought was going to be a wine tasting. It ended up being one glass of wine with some cheeses to sample which were all very good but I had expected a little more for the extra $15. Overall I thought the tour was well worth it though and I would definitely go on another one when I come back to LA.

The tour guide was great, the samplings were diverse and all quite yummy. A great way to spend three hours in LA.

The Old Pasadena Tasting tour was a fun morning outing for my wife and me. We'd been to Pasadena before, but this was a new and different way of looking at the city. The tour guide, Summer, was very informative and nice. The restaurant stops along the way provided a good variety of different foods, snacks, and desserts. These are mostly family-owned restaurants. No need to have breakfast or lunch if you are taking this tour! Summer informed us about many aspects of Pasadena architecture and history. We think it was a good value, and would recommend it to our friends.

As restaurant tours go, this was a good one. Selection of food was very good, all the restaurant and store hosts were very pleasant, our tour guide was knowledgeable and friendly. Even though we are senior citizens, the pace was fine and we didn't get tired at all. I thought the time allotted at each stop was particularly well-planned. Never felt rushed. Never felt bored. One criticism: I did not personally hear Diane, our tour guide say this, but one person in our group reported that at the end of the tour, Diane said "Tips are accepted." If she did indeed say this, I am embarrassed for her. I consider it an insult that a guide--particularly a part owner of the business--would beg for tips. Thanks for listening.

The tour of Old Pasadena eateries was fantastic....the tour could have gone on forever as there are endless places to fill your belly in Old Pasadena. Our guide was very knowledgable and personable. Not only did we get to sample several different types of food/drink, we also received some education on the historic value of this part of Pasadena. This tour is recommended for anyone looking for a new experience or for a local looking for a way to entertain guests for an afternoon. Worth the price of admission....and you will be full at the end.

This is a great concept, excellently executed. We wanted to visit Old Pasadena, and the tour gave us good exposure to its history and architecture. The food (and soap) was great as well. Diane is a wonderful host. This is a highly recommended tour. Don't miss the Farmer's Market/Third Street tour, either.

I moved part of my life to Southern California three years ago and try to adventure from time to time to learn new things. Whether you are local or from a foreign country don't miss this fun walking tour. You will make approx 8 stops sampling food. Don't eat before you arrive!!! You will be full when the tour is over.