Downtown Gilbert Food Tour: Craft Pizza, BBQ & Cocktails

Five restaurants in one afternoon, from Texas-style barbecue to craft pizza and house-made taffy

A 2.5-hour walking food tour of Downtown Gilbert where you taste dishes from five restaurants (barbecue, wood-fired pizza, Mexican street tacos, gelato and house-made taffy) paired with cocktails and led by a local guide. The tour runs rain or shine and includes access to a hidden speakeasy with a special code word.

Step-by-step itinerary

Downtown Gilbert food tasting tour

• Visit Joe's Real BBQ
• Enjoy wood-fired pizza at Liberty Market
• Stop at Asian-inspired kitchen and cocktail bar
• Explore Water Tower Plaza
• Visit soda and candy shop
• Stop at local brewery
• Enjoy walk-up food stop
• Have Italian gelato
• Enter hidden speakeasy with code word

The experience

Downtown Gilbert's food scene mixes old institutions with new favorites, and this tour hits both in one afternoon. You'll start at Joe's Real BBQ, a family-owned Texas-style spot known for pecan-smoked meats and house-made sauce, then move to Liberty Market in one of Gilbert's historic buildings for wood-fired pizza and a freshly baked dessert. The route also takes you through Clever Koi, an Asian-inspired kitchen and craft cocktail bar, plus stops at a gelato shop and a soda-and-candy store that feels like stepping back in time. A local guide leads the whole thing and handles the timing so you're never rushed between spots.

The cocktails are woven through the tour (paired with the food tastings rather than served all at once), and one highlight is a detour down into a hidden speakeasy where you'll need a special code word to enter. You'll walk through Water Tower Plaza and the surrounding blocks, so comfortable shoes matter. The tour operates in all weather, which means you go rain or shine. Dress for the conditions. If you have dietary restrictions beyond vegetarian, flag them when you book, though the operator notes they can't accommodate gluten-free, dairy-free or vegan diets.

What’s included

• Food tastings at five different restaurants.
• cocktails paired with the tastings.
• access to a hidden speakeasy.
• a local guide who leads the entire 2.5-hour route.

Before you book

Days and timesSundayDeparts at 15:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Under 13: can't be booked

GroupUp to 16 · max 6 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

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

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportPublic transport nearby

Operated by Taste It Tours Phoenix and Scottsdale Food Tours

Is this one for you?The 2.5-hour window fits into an afternoon without eating up your whole day, leaving time for other Gilbert stops or neighborhoods before or after. Walking between restaurants means you'll cover the downtown core on foot, so the pace suits someone comfortable with a moderate amount of walking and ready to eat and drink steadily for the duration.

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Top questions

What restaurants do I visit on the Downtown Gilbert food tour?

You stop at five spots: Joe's Real BBQ for pecan-smoked meats and barbecue sauce; Liberty Market for wood-fired pizza and pastries in a historic building; Clever Koi for Asian-inspired dishes and craft cocktails; Gelato Cimmino for Italian gelato; and a soda-and-candy shop. The tour also includes a detour into a hidden speakeasy.

How long is the Downtown Gilbert food tour and what does it include?

The tour runs 2.5 hours and includes food tastings at all five restaurants, cocktails paired with the tastings, a local guide, and access to the hidden speakeasy. Vegetarian options are available if you request them at booking.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation to Downtown Gilbert?

The tour itself is a walking tour through Downtown Gilbert, and public transportation options are available nearby if you need to reach the starting point. Hotel pickup is not included, so you'll arrange your own way to the meeting location.

What is the minimum age for this food tour?

The minimum age is 13, though the tour includes alcoholic beverages and the legal drinking age is 21. Younger participants can join but won't be served alcohol.