Hotel and conference centers have upped their catering game in recent years, but meeting attendees will likely want to get out and experience the cuisine of their host city during their stay. In lieu of a traditional dine-around setup, give guests the chance to sample the local food scene by booking a progressive food tour. Here are five guided tour options suitable for private groups in cities across the United States.
Based in Dallas, Food Tours of America offers two customizable options for private groups: a two-and-a-half-hour walking tour, which costs $65 per person and includes three stops at sit-down restaurants plus a made-from-scratch dessert, or a three-and-half-hour walking tour of the city’s Uptown neighborhood, which costs $85 per person. In addition to seated tastings of local grub such as barbecue brisket nachos, chicken shawarma, fried pickles, and chimichangas, the second option also includes a visit to a local art gallery and a souvenir tour photo. Alcohol pairings and wine tastings can be added on for an additional fee. There is a maximum of 18 people per tour guide, but larger groups can book multiple guides.
Chicago Dine Around’s progressive dining option for private groups gives out-of-towners the chance to experience an interactive city tour aboard a luxury coach bus while en route to visit three different restaurants: one for appetizers, one for the main course, and one for dessert. Tour guides encourage interaction by quizzing attendees on Chicago trivia during the three-hour event, and there’s also the option to end with a post-meal show at a local theater. The private tour is available for as many as 450 guests; packages start from $65 per person.
Whether guests are looking to dine at a swanky restaurant or a local cheap-eats favorite, Miami Culinary Tours can deliver. The company offers guided food tours that also educate participants on local culture, history, and architecture. Private tours are customizable but typically last four hours and include five stops. Options cost between $59 and $79 per person and include the South Beach Cocktail Tour, the Wynwood, Midtown, and Design District Tour, the Cuban-Inspired Food Tour, and the Miami City Food Tour. Outings can be conducted by foot or aboard a festive Chiva bus, a colorful open-air form of transportation popular in Colombia and Ecuador.
Six Taste Food Tours in Los Angeles has relaunched, specializing in three- to four-hour guided walking tours of local neighborhoods for private groups of six or more people. Guests get the chance to sample popular dishes from as many as eight different restaurants while learning about the history and culture of areas such as Little Tokyo, downtown, Santa Monica, Hollywood, Arcadia, New Chinatown, and Thai Town. Itineraries are based on the group’s preferences and budget, which can range from $40 to $250 per person. Adding on a wine and dessert tasting at the end of the tour is an option, and all but the Delicious Dumpling and New Chinatown tours are vegetarian-friendly.
DC Metro Food Tours’ evening dine-arounds combine a multicourse, progressive meal set up with a historical and architectural walking tour of neighborhoods such as Old Town, Georgetown, Capitol Hill, Penn Quarter, and Loudoun. While private tours, which have room for more than 200 people, are customizable when it comes to the number and types of restaurants included on the itinerary, a standard three-hour tour has guests visiting two to three restaurants, including casual holes-in-the-wall and five-star eateries, with menus highlighting local specialties and ethnic favorites. Food-focused teambuilding challenges and scavenger hunts are also available. Evening dine-arounds start from $67 per person.
