Charleston Food Tour: 7+ Tastings Through French Quarter History

Seven tastings that tell 300 years of Lowcountry cooking

A guided food tour through Charleston's French Quarter or Upper King Street neighborhood with a live English-speaking guide, featuring 7+ tastings of Lowcountry classics and Southern favorites over three hours. Choose between the classic tour (pulled pork tacos, she-crab soup, shrimp and grits, benne wafers) or the brunch option (warm biscuits, spinach and feta quiche, fried green tomatoes, pimento cheese, banana pudding), both ending with a mystery signature dish. The itinerary and menu may shift based on restaurant availability and weather, so contact the operator in advance if you have dietary requirements.

Step-by-step itinerary

Culinary tour of Charleston French Quarter

• Join Secret Food Tour
• Explore historic French Quarter streets
• Sample iconic Lowcountry dishes
• Visit Upper King St. brunch spots
• Enjoy mystery Signature Secret Dish

The experience

The tour moves through Charleston's historic streets on foot, stopping at multiple restaurants and food vendors where you taste your way through the city's culinary past. A guide leads the group and shares the history woven into each dish: why she-crab soup matters, what benne wafers are, how pulled pork tacos fit into the region's food story. You're not watching a demonstration or sitting in one place. You walk, you eat, you move to the next stop. The pace is built around tasting portions, not full meals, so the three hours hold together without feeling rushed or heavy.

The classic tour route takes you through the French Quarter's most recognizable historic landmarks while you sample iconic Lowcountry staples: pulled pork tacos, corn bread, warm biscuits, spinach and feta quiche, crisp benne wafers, Southern shrimp and grits, creamy she-crab soup, and handmade pecan clusters. The brunch option follows Upper King Street instead (a neighborhood north of the Historic District with a contemporary restaurant and coffee shop scene), and swaps the menu for warm biscuits, spinach and feta quiche, fried green tomatoes, pimento cheese, classic banana pudding, and refreshing passion fruit–mango sweet tea. Both tours end the same way: with the guide's signature secret dish, a final tasting that caps the afternoon.

You can book the tour as a shared group experience or as a private tour for your party only. Public transportation options are available nearby if you need them. The operator asks that you contact them in advance if you have dietary requirements so they can work with the restaurants to accommodate you. Infants can join if they sit on an adult's lap. The menu and stops may shift depending on what's open, the weather, or other circumstances on the day, so there's some flexibility built in.

What’s included

• Seven or more tastings including pulled pork tacos, she-crab soup, shrimp and grits, benne wafers, warm biscuits, spinach and feta quiche, fried green tomatoes, pimento cheese, banana pudding (brunch option), pecan clusters, passion fruit–mango sweet tea, and a signature secret dish.
• a live English-speaking guide who shares the stories behind each dish and the historic landmarks you pass.

Options for this experience

4 options

Food Tour of the French QuarterGuide in English · 7 departure times: the first at 11:00, the last at 16:00Discover Charleston's French Quarter Food Tour with a small group of no more than 12 people! Starting point: United States Custom House, 200 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA

Charleston Brunch TourGuide in English · 09:30, 11:30 and 13:30Small group brunch tour: Explore our Charleston Upper King St. brunch tour with no more than 12 people! Starting point: William Aiken House, 456 King St, Charleston, SC 29403, USA

Private Tour of the French QuarterGuide in English · 11:30 and 13:30Private tour upgrade: Enjoy the culinary highlights of Charleston's French Quarter with a guide dedicated only to you and your group! Starting point: United States Custom House, 200 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA

Private Brunch Tour in CharlestonGuide in English · 11:30 and 13:30Choose our private Charleston Upper King St. brunch tour for a guide dedicated only to you and your group! Starting point: William Aiken House, 456 King St, Charleston, SC 29403, USA

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day9 departure times: the first at 09:30, the last at 16:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 12

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.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

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?Choose the classic tour for Lowcountry staples like she-crab soup and shrimp & grits, or the brunch option if you prefer starting later with biscuits and quiche.

Traveler reviews

4.87★★★★★★★★★★

2,458 verified traveler reviews

5 ★2,289

4 ★78

3 ★52

2 ★15

1 ★24

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What's the difference between the Charleston Brunch Tour and the French Quarter Food Tour?

The French Quarter tour walks through the historic district and features Lowcountry classics like she-crab soup, shrimp and grits, and benne wafers. The brunch tour explores Upper King Street's contemporary restaurant scene and highlights Southern brunch favorites like fried green tomatoes, pimento cheese, and banana pudding. Both include 7+ tastings and end with the signature secret dish.

Can I book this tour as a private experience for just my group?

Yes, both the brunch and French Quarter tours are available as private options. You'll have the guide and the full tasting itinerary with just your party instead of joining a shared group.

How long does the tour take?

The tour runs three hours from start to finish, moving between stops on foot through either the French Quarter or Upper King Street neighborhood.

What if I have dietary restrictions or allergies?

Contact the operator before your tour date to let them know about any dietary requirements. They'll work with the restaurants along the route to accommodate you as best they can.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation to the meeting point?

Yes, hotel pickup is not included with this tour. Public transportation options are available nearby, and you'll arrange your own way to the starting location.

Can I bring my pet on the food tour?

Pets are not permitted on the food tours. Infants can join if they sit on an adult's lap during the tastings.