New Orleans Food Walking Tour and Cooking Class: French Quarter

Taste your way through the French Quarter, then make gumbo and jambalaya in a working kitchen.

A 5.5-hour food walking tour and cooking class in New Orleans combines 6-7 tastings through the French Quarter with a hands-on cooking demonstration at New Orleans School of Cooking. The guide leads you through historic food venues, then you watch and learn to prepare Louisiana dishes including gumbo, jambalaya, bread pudding, pralines and biscuits with molasses, served with local Abita beer and refreshments. Minors may attend with a parent or guardian present.

The experience

The morning starts in the French Quarter with a live guide leading a small group through streets lined with the eateries that show up in New Orleans cookbooks and food guides. You'll stop at roughly 6 to 7 venues (not just restaurants but food-focused spots that tell the story of how the city eats) tasting as you go and learning the history behind what's on the plate. The walk covers the quarter's layout and the cultural roots of the dishes you're sampling, so the food becomes a map of the place.

After the walking portion, you move to the New Orleans School of Cooking for a cooking demonstration in a relaxed, hands-on atmosphere. The guide and host walk you through making Louisiana favorites: gumbo, jambalaya, bread pudding, pralines, and biscuits with molasses. You watch the techniques, learn the recipes, and the food prepared is enough for lunch. Water, iced tea, lemonade, and local Abita beer come with every dish. Morning classes also include coffee. The menu can shift day to day, so what you make and taste may vary.

The full experience runs about 5.5 hours. Guests must be 21 or older to drink alcohol and may be asked for ID. If you have true food allergies, let the operator know in advance: many authentic Louisiana dishes include pork. Minors can join with a parent or guardian, who must stay with them throughout. The tour does not offer substitutions, so it's built around the set tastings and dishes on the day you book.

What’s included

• A 3-hour walking tour through the French Quarter with approximately 6 to 7 food and beverage tastings at local venues.
• a cooking demonstration at New Orleans School of Cooking where you learn to make gumbo, jambalaya, bread pudding, pralines and biscuits with molasses.
• lunch-sized portions of the dishes prepared.
• water, iced tea, lemonade and local Abita beer throughout.
• coffee during morning classes.
• a live English-speaking guide.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 10:30

Book up to15h before

GroupUp to 18 · max 9 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 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

Wheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Destination Kitchen

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to taste the quarter's most-visited food spots and then learn the recipes in a working kitchen on the same day. The walking portion gives you the context, and the cooking class gives you the technique and a full meal. It's built as a small group, so you're not navigating a crowd, and the guide's knowledge ties the food to the city's history as you move through it.

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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.

How many tastings are included on the walking portion of the tour?

The walking tour includes approximately 6 to 7 food and beverage tastings at different venues throughout the French Quarter, stopping at both well-known eateries and smaller food-focused spots.

What dishes do you learn to make at the cooking school?

At New Orleans School of Cooking, you watch demonstrations and learn to prepare gumbo, jambalaya, bread pudding, pralines, and biscuits with molasses, though the exact menu may vary by day.

Is alcohol included, and what are the age requirements?

Local Abita beer comes with every dish during the cooking class portion. You must be 21 or older to consume alcohol and may be asked to show valid ID. Additional alcoholic beverages can be purchased separately.

Can children attend this tour?

Minors may attend with a parent or guardian present, and the parent or guardian must remain with them for the entire tour. Children cannot be left unattended at any point.

What happens if I have food allergies?

The tour does not offer substitutions, but you should advise the operator of any true food allergies before booking. Many authentic Louisiana dishes include pork, so let them know your dietary restrictions in advance.

How long does the full experience take?

The combined walking tour and cooking class runs approximately 5.5 hours from start to finish.