San Diego · FOOD
This is the shortlist you would text a friend: 15 food experiences that hold up, each with its price, its traveler verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
Walk 16 blocks of San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter with guides such as Blerta, Magda, Benedict, or Ben. Taste food, sample cocktails or mocktails, hear stories of brothels and Prohibition, and finish with dessert in a group of up to 15.
“Knowledgeable guide with fun stops for drinks and snacks. A good look at the history of San Diego. Mediocre vegetarian options.”
Explore San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter on a three-hour walking food tour with stops for bagels, Greek tapas, street tacos, Cuban empanadas, and homemade ice cream. Guides such as Stefan, Noah, and Lydia add local history and restaurant tips. Lunch is included, but alcohol costs extra.
“Great tour! Stephan was great with the history of San Diego and the Gaslamp Quarter. Very entertaining and all the food was very good. And restaurant staff was very engaging as well. We were a small group, just us lol so we got personalized attention. We did this on second day and glad we did because Stephan gave us a lot of recommendations for food and areas to visit based on our interests.”
Walk San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter with a small group of up to 15, stopping for six modern Californian tastings. Expect lumpia, a burger, burrito, fish taco, specialty coffee, ice cream, and stories from guides such as Doug, Sydney, Cindy, and Riohn.
“Five stars for our tour guide Sydney. Very friendly and talkative without being overbearing. All of the food was good, and a few items were excellent. I would return to most of the places we were shown, albeit perhaps making different choices based on personal preferences such as chicken over beef etc.”
Walk Old Town San Diego with guides such as Blerta, Ben, Magda, or Bleu, stopping for tacos, salsa, tortillas, tequila cocktails, and other Mexican specialties. Hear stories about Whaley House and El Campo Santo Cemetery, with mariachi at some stops. The tour ends at Fiesta de Reyes.
“This was so much fun and a cool way to see San Diego! The food was great and I loved that we had enough time at each place to sit down and enjoy it! Sometimes on food tours you eat while standing and walking but it was nice to sit and take it all it. Blerta was so great! She made sure to ask us all our favorite food and then give a local recommendation to try for that food. Would highly recommend. Come hungry it’s a lot of food!!”
Walk from San Ysidro into Tijuana for tacos, Mexican breakfast, lunch, dinner, sweets, markets, and drinks. Guides such as Tadeo, Victor, Marisol, Carlos, and Humberto tailor the day to your interests, but you must bring a valid passport and allow extra time to return to the United States.
“If you are looking for a fun filled day in Tijuana seeing where the locals go—look no further this is the tour for you! Tadeo was incredible- he asked our group what we wanted out of tour and he tailored it to make sure we had the experience we wanted! The food, the history, the tequila and shopping were such an awesome way to see Tijuana! This was a 10/10. Highly recommend!”
Walk San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter for 2.5 hours with guides such as Magda, Kaylee, or Bleu, stopping at three restaurants and Cali Cream Homemade Ice Cream. Expect generous food portions, drink samples, and stories about the former Stingaree red-light district.
“Super fun, great food and overall lovely experience. Our guide Bleu was energetic, informative and had a very positive energy to make the tour even more pleasant.”
Travel from San Diego to Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe for three boutique winery visits, 10 to 12 tastings, Rosarito fish or shrimp tacos, and a tapas lunch at Adobe Guadalupe. Guides such as Oscar and Priscilla bring local color, while a stocked van keeps the long day comfortable.
“Fantastic experience! Great food, wine, and people! Highly recommend! If you have global entry, makes getting back across the border when you return back easier.”
Join local guides such as Stefan or Angela for a three-hour East Village food walk from Fault Line Park to Sixth Avenue. Expect changing tastings of craft beer, cocktails, pizza, Thai, Greek, Mexican-inspired dishes, and more in a small group of up to 15.
“Stefan, our guide, was such a character -- and I mean that in the best sense. From our first moments together he was gregarious, outgoing and quickly showed that he knew what he was talking about. Every one of the establishments he took us to was excellent. We gladly look forward to returning to each one of them. He was so tight and friendly with the bar staff that it kind of felt like we were on a "behind the scenes" tour. This was a memorable, fun experience that we would unreservedly recommend.”
Walk San Diego’s Old Town for 2.5 hours with an English-speaking guide such as Ben, Blerta, or Magda. Expect food at three restaurants, Mexican dessert, tequila or cocktail samples, stories of the Mexican and American periods, and a look at the Whaley House.
“Blerta was amazing so knowledgeable about everything!!! It was our first time visiting SD and she was so knowledgeable about what she was talking about!! She made us feel comfortable and I loved our group!! Hopefully we get her once we book again!!♥️”
Join Maria for a three-hour walking food tour from San Diego’s waterfront to Coronado Island. You’ll sample food from four local favorites, see the USS Midway and Coronado Bridge, ride the ferry, and finish with a historic carousel ride at Seaport Village.
“Superb time in San Diego. Recommended 100% if you are visiting, start with the food tour. Great way to get a feel and great advice about places to visit.”
Spend 2.5 hours walking San Diego’s Little Italy, stopping at four food spots for pappardelle Bolognese, pizza, a slider, drinks, and gelato. Guides such as Anna, Amy, Kirk, and Bianca bring neighborhood stories to life, while the small group size keeps the outing friendly and relaxed.
“What is a very interesting walk, with good food and various drinks. We really liked and Magda excellent guide.Auto-translated”
Spend three hours walking San Diego’s North Park with beer guide Stefan, visiting 3 to 4 craft breweries for tastings and snack pairings. Learn how ingredients, brewing methods, and business choices shape each pint while hearing how North Park changed from a streetcar area into one of the city’s trendiest neighborhoods.
“We had the best afternoon. We learned a lot about beer, tasted some great brews and food and had a ton of fun with Stephan. Highly recommend this tour.”
Join Ben from San Diego Street Tours for a two-hour vegan food walk in Downtown San Diego or North Park. Expect generous tastings, including pizza, tofu-filled tacos, fresh juice, and oat milk ice cream, plus local history, street art, architecture, and practical food tips.
“Ben was a fun and enthusiastic tour guide, and he provided pro tips and kickass food for our vegan family! We learned a bit about San Diego history, enjoyed some street art and architecture, and tasted some of the best pizza any of us have ever had. We then sat down for overflowing tacos full of savory tofu and topped it off with creamy oat milk ice cream from another great location. Ben gave us a well rounded activity and was a great resource for us. We enjoyed our time so much that we booked another tour with him for the following day!”
You’ll walk through San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter with a private guide, stopping for lumpia, avocado toast, a California burger, burrito, fish tacos, specialty coffee, a secret dish, and homemade ice cream. Guides such as Doug and Richard add local stories, though menus and stops can change.
“Doug did an amazing job! He had great stories about the different areas we visited and even showed us a few hidden gems. The food was delicious. Everyone in our group had a different favorite which I thought was pretty awesome! Great time was had by all in our family (from 9 years old to 76)!”
Join a small group of up to 12 for a six- to seven-hour Tijuana food tour from San Diego. Guides such as Andres, Marisol, Humberto, Umberto, and Sarah lead you to street tacos, local bakeries, coffee shops, microbreweries, markets, and family-run restaurants.
“We had such a great experience on our tour with Andres as our guide! He took us for delicious food throughout the day mixed in with history of the city and gorgeous views. Walking around the city city felt like walking with a friend. Through the different plazas and markets, you can tell that Andres has many connections and his love for the city is shown at each location he brought us to. He was very receptive to any input of locations we would like to see along the tour, and never felt rushed or slow. Overall this was a great time and would let others who travel to Tijuana…”
Water, streets, neighborhoods, or a run out of town.
