Charleston Upper King Street: Food Tour & Lowcountry Tastings

What Makes Upper King Street Worth the Hype? A Walking Food Tour That Answers It

You walk Upper King Street with a local guide, stopping at five or six restaurants to sample Lowcountry dishes that define the neighborhood. The 2.5-hour pace is leisurely, the group stays small, and everything (entry, tastings, and guidance) is included. You meet at the Charleston Museum and leave knowing which restaurants are worth a return visit.

Step-by-step itinerary

Upper King Street food tasting tour

• Meet guide at Charleston Museum
• Walk to Upper King Street district
• Sample Lowcountry cuisine dishes
• Visit popular culinary innovators
• Enjoy seafood-heavy food samples

The experience

You show up at the Charleston Museum on Meeting Street a little hungry, thinking you know what a food tour is, and then your guide points to the first stop and you realize you're about to eat your way through the neighborhood everyone's been talking about for the last five years. Upper King Street isn't old Charleston. It's the part that's still figuring itself out, with restaurants opening and changing faster than you can keep track. This 2.5-hour walking food tour moves at a pace that lets you actually taste what you're eating instead of rushing through five stops in an afternoon. Your small group samples five or six dishes pulled straight from Lowcountry cuisine, the food that defines this region, and the guide knows the story behind each one, who's cooking it, and why it matters.

The tour starts at the Charleston Museum, which sits right next to the Hunley replica, and from there you walk into the Upper King Street district itself. It's a leisurely pace, which sounds simple until you realize it means you're not sweating through your shirt or dragging your feet by stop three. The restaurants on this tour aren't the ones tourists stumble into by accident. They're the ones locals actually go to, the places that are doing something with Lowcountry ingredients that feels both rooted and new. Your guide (a professional from Bulldog Tours, Charleston's original food tour company) knows the chefs, knows the neighborhoods, and knows which dishes are worth the stop. The seafood is heavy throughout (they warn you upfront), so if you're allergic or just not into it, this tour isn't the fit. But if you come hungry and open to whatever they're putting in front of you, you leave full and already planning which restaurant to go back to.

The whole thing wraps in 2.5 hours, which means you're done before the afternoon gets away from you. You arrive 15 minutes early at the museum, meet your guide, and then you're walking. It operates in all weather (so dress for what Charleston's throwing at you that day), and the group stays small enough that you're not herding through the streets like a school trip. By the end, you've tasted what Upper King Street is actually about instead of just reading about it online.

What’s included

Your 2.5-hour Upper King Street walking food tour includes a professional local guide from Bulldog Tours, five or six Lowcountry food tastings from the neighborhood's restaurants, and the full experience of the Upper King Street district. Everything is included in the price: no additional charges at each stop.

Before you book

Days and timesFriday and SaturdayDeparts at 15:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Under 12: can't be booked

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.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 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Bulldog Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to understand what Upper King Street is actually about without spending the whole day restaurant-hopping and deciding where to eat. The guide handles the route, the tastings are already arranged, and you leave knowing which places are worth coming back to.

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Top questions

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 time does the tour start?

The tour meets at the Charleston Museum on Meeting Street. Arrive 15 minutes early. Specific start times are confirmed when you book.

How many food stops are included?

You'll sample five or six dishes from different Upper King Street restaurants during the 2.5-hour tour.

Is this tour suitable for people with seafood allergies?

No. The tour is extremely seafood-heavy and is not recommended for travelers with seafood allergies or other dietary restrictions.

What's included in the price?

The walking tour, professional guide, and all five or six food tastings are included. You don't pay separately at each restaurant.

Can I bring children or babies?

Yes. Infants and small children can ride in a stroller or pram. Infants must sit on an adult's lap. The leisurely pace works for families.

Do I need to be in good physical shape?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels and moves at a leisurely pace. It's a 2.5-hour walk through a downtown neighborhood, not a hike.

What if the weather is bad?

The tour operates in all weather. Dress appropriately for Charleston's conditions that day.

Is this a large group tour?

No. Groups stay small, which keeps the experience personal and lets you actually interact with your guide.