Chicago Food Tour: 6 Dishes with Deep Dish Pizza & Beef Sandwich

Eat your way through 150 years of Chicago food history in three hours.

A food tour through Chicago's Loop District where you taste six dishes rooted in the city's culinary heritage, including deep dish pizza and an Italian beef sandwich, while passing the Rookery Building, Palmer House Hilton, Willis Tower and other architectural landmarks. The tour involves a fair amount of walking. A live English-speaking guide leads the group and reveals a secret dish on the day itself. Choose between a private tour or a small group option at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Rookery Building30m
2. Palmer House Hilton20m

Chicago food and architecture tour

• Walk through Chicago Loop District
• See African American Mayor memorial
• Explore LaSalle Street financial district
• View Calder's Federal Plaza sculpture
• Admire Willis Tower exterior
• Visit Rookery Building
• Discover Palmer House Hilton history
• Taste deep dish pizza and Italian beef sandwich
• Enjoy gourmet popcorn and secret dish

The experience

Six dishes across three hours means you're moving between stops, tasting as you go. You'll start with a fudgy brownie and a Chicago-style hot dog, then move into the heavier hitters: the deep dish pizza and Italian beef sandwich that define the city's food identity. Gourmet popcorn and the secret dish round out the menu, each one tied to a piece of Chicago's past. The operator notes that many of these dishes have roots dating back over 150 years, so you're eating history as much as lunch.

The walk threads through the Loop District, where you'll pass the Rookery Building (a late-nineteenth-century office tower that rose after the Great Fire of 1871), and the Palmer House Hilton, built by the business magnate who shaped downtown State Street. You'll see the Willis Tower, which held the title of world's tallest building for nearly 25 years, and the 53-foot Calder stabile in Federal Plaza. The architecture and public art are woven into the route, not separate from it. The food stops and the landmarks move together.

A live guide in English leads the way and knows which restaurants and vendors are part of the tour that day. The menu and itinerary can shift based on location availability and weather, so the operator asks that you contact them in advance if you have dietary requirements. They'll work to accommodate them. Comfortable shoes matter here. The three hours involve a fair amount of walking, and you'll be on your feet between tastings.

What’s included

• Fudgy brownie.
• Chicago-style hot dog.
• Italian beef sandwich.
• deep dish pizza.
• gourmet popcorn.
• secret dish revealed on the day.
• live English-speaking guide throughout the three-hour walk.

Options for this experience

2 options

Small group Chicago food tourGuide in English · 11:30 and 13:30Pick this choice to take part in our Secret Food Tour Chicago with a group of no more than 12 people.

Chicago food tour, privateGuide in English · 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00Private tour upgrade: Pick this choice to move up to a private food tour of Downtown Chicago that is just for you and your group.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 11:30, 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.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.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Secret Food Tours

Is this one for you?Book the private option if you want the route and timing to yourself. The small group tour works well if you're comfortable sharing the experience and want to meet other food travelers in Chicago.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (3 to 12 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 is the secret dish on the Chicago food tour?

The secret dish is revealed only on the day of the tour itself, so you won't know what it is until you arrive. It's one of the six items included in the tasting.

How much walking is involved in the three-hour food tour?

The tour involves a fair amount of walking through the Loop District, so comfortable shoes are essential. You'll move between food stops and pass landmarks like the Rookery Building, Willis Tower and the Palmer House Hilton along the way.

Can the tour accommodate dietary restrictions?

Yes, contact the operator in advance of the tour to discuss any dietary requirements, and they'll work to cater for them. The menu is also subject to change based on location availability and other circumstances.

What is the Rookery Building and why does it matter to Chicago's story?

The Rookery Building stands in Chicago's financial district and was built in the late nineteenth century after the Great Fire of 1871. It represents the city's resilience and became a model for the multi-story office buildings that transformed American cities.

Is hotel pickup included in the food tour?

Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included. You'll meet the guide at the starting point in the Loop District.

Can I book this tour as a private experience or only with a group?

You can choose between a private Chicago food tour or a small group food tour at checkout. Both follow the same route and include the same six dishes.