Baltimore Food Tour: Fells Point & Little Italy, 7 Tastings

Taste your way through two centuries of Baltimore's food history

This guided food tour walks through Fells Point and Little Italy in Baltimore, stopping at seven different spots to taste Maryland crab cakes, pierogies, cannoli, a potato knish, arancini or meatballs, and a surprise stop revealed on the day. A local guide shares the neighborhood's history (from the Polish dock workers who settled here to the Italian families who opened restaurants generations ago), while you stroll cobblestone streets and waterfront landmarks over three hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Baltimore food tour in historic neighborhoods

• Meet local guide
• Visit Baltimore's oldest public market
• Taste mixed pierogies at Polish deli
• Walk waterfront and learn Frederick Douglass history
• Taste Maryland crab cake at harbourside spot
• Explore Italian immigrant rail station
• Taste classic Little Italy plate
• Enjoy surprise culinary stop

The experience

The tour starts at Fells Point, Baltimore's oldest neighborhood, where your guide orients you at a landmark that has anchored the area for 250 years. From there you walk to the historic market that opened in 1786, where a Polish deli that's been running since 1985 serves mixed pierogies: the soft dumplings that fed generations of dock workers. Next is the crab cake: at a harbourside seafood counter, you taste the Maryland benchmark, sweet lump crab meat with barely any filler, the way Baltimore has made it for generations. The guide walks you past the Fells Point shipyards where Frederick Douglass worked and tells the story of the first African American-owned shipyard in the country.

Little Italy sits a few blocks from the rail station where Italian immigrants first arrived in the late 1800s. The neighborhood is a handful of narrow streets lined with multi-generational family restaurants, and at one of them you taste a classic plate (arancini, meatballs, or pizza) the deep, comforting flavors of Italian-American home cooking that these families have served since their grandparents opened the doors. You also stop at a century-old deli on Corned Beef Row for a homemade potato knish, split to share, and at a Little Italy pastry shop for a mini cannoli. A surprise tasting at a secret stop, revealed on the day, rounds out the seven tastings. The guide shares the story of Old Bay seasoning at its Fells Point home, a detail that ties the whole route together.

What’s included

• Seven tastings including Maryland crab cake at a waterfront seafood counter, mixed pierogies at a traditional Polish deli, a homemade potato knish at a century-old deli on Corned Beef Row, a classic Italian plate at a family restaurant in Little Italy, a mini cannoli at a pastry shop, the story of Old Bay seasoning at its Fells Point home, and a surprise tasting at a secret stop.
• a local guide in English who shares neighborhood history and insider stories throughout the three-hour walk.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 11:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 14

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Secret Food Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to taste the food that shaped Baltimore's neighborhoods rather than just pass through them: the guide's stories about the Polish dock workers, Italian immigrants, and Frederick Douglass turn each stop into a piece of the city's history, not just a meal.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly are the seven tastings on this Baltimore food tour?

The seven tastings are Maryland crab cake at a waterfront seafood counter; mixed pierogies at a traditional Polish deli in Fells Point's historic market; a homemade potato knish at a century-old deli on Corned Beef Row; a classic Italian plate (arancini, meatballs, or pizza) at a family restaurant in Little Italy; a mini cannoli at a Little Italy pastry shop; the story and tasting of Old Bay seasoning at its Fells Point home; and a surprise tasting at a secret stop revealed on the day.

How long does the tour take and what neighborhoods do you walk through?

The tour takes three hours and walks through Fells Point and Little Italy, two of Baltimore's oldest neighborhoods. You'll stroll cobblestone streets and pass waterfront landmarks, including the Fells Point shipyards and the rail station where Italian immigrants arrived in the late 1800s.

Who is the guide and what kind of stories do they share?

A local guide leads the tour in English and shares insider stories and historical insights about the neighborhoods. You'll hear about Frederick Douglass and the first African American-owned shipyard, the Polish dock-working families who settled Fells Point, the Italian immigrants who arrived at the rail station and built Little Italy, and the history of Old Bay seasoning at its Fells Point home.

What makes the Polish deli and the Italian restaurants on this tour special?

The Polish deli in Fells Point's historic market has been running since 1985 and serves pierogies that fed generations of dock-working families in the neighborhood. The Italian restaurants in Little Italy are multi-generational family businesses that have served the same classic dishes since their grandparents opened the doors, representing Italian-American home cooking passed down through decades.