Philadelphia Historic Centre Food Tour: 5 Authentic Tastings

Reading Terminal Market, Chinatown, and a pretzel cheesesteak that rewrites the rules

A 3-hour food tour through Philadelphia's historic district with a local guide, featuring 5+ tastings at Reading Terminal Market and stops in Chinatown and past City Hall. You taste a hot donut fresh from the fryer, the signature pretzel cheesesteak, Irish pierogis, Malaysian roti canai, and an exclusive secret dish. The tour is available as a small group or private option.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Philadelphia's historic food scene

• Receive tastings at Reading Terminal Market
• Walk through Friendship Arch in Chinatown
• See Philadelphia City Hall and cursed statue

The experience

Reading Terminal Market is where this tour starts: a sprawling indoor marketplace where the city's food culture lives. Your guide leads you through the stalls to taste a hot, sugary donut straight from the fryer, then moves to the signature pretzel cheesesteak, a bold twist on Philly's most iconic sandwich. The market alone holds multiple stops, each one a working vendor, each one a real dish people in the city actually eat. From there, the route takes you walking through the Friendship Arch into Chinatown, where you'll taste hearty Irish pierogis and flaky Malaysian roti canai: a reminder that Philadelphia's food scene reaches far beyond its most famous export.

The guide shares the stories behind the neighborhoods as you move through them: hidden details about the culture that shaped each dish, the reasons certain flavors took root here, the spots most visitors never find. You'll pass Philadelphia City Hall and learn about the cursed statue that tops it: a moment of local history woven into the walking route. The tour runs three hours, which means there's time to actually taste and talk, not just rush between stops. By the end, you'll have tasted five dishes plus the exclusive secret dish, revealed only to people on the tour itself.

The tour works as either a small group or a private booking. Choose the group option if you want to meet other food travelers, or upgrade to private if you'd rather move at your own pace or have the guide's attention to yourself. A local guide leads in English. The walking is steady but manageable. Comfortable shoes matter because you're covering ground between the market, Chinatown, and City Hall. If you have dietary requirements, contact the operator in advance so they can adjust the tastings to what you can eat.

What’s included

• Five handpicked tastings: a hot donut fresh from the fryer, the signature pretzel cheesesteak, hearty Irish pierogis, flaky Malaysian roti canai, and an exclusive secret dish revealed only on the tour.
• a local guide in English who shares hidden stories and foodie secrets throughout the neighborhoods.

Options for this experience

2 options

Small Group Tour in PhiladelphiaGuide in English · 11:00Pick this option to join our Secret Food Tour Philadelphia as part of a group of no more than 12 people.

Private Tour UpgradeGuide in English · 11:00 and 15:00Choose this option for a private food tour of Philadelphia, reserved only for you and your group, as an upgrade.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 11:00 and 15:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (18 to 75 years) · 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 yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Secret Food Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the small group option if you want to meet other food travelers and share the experience. Upgrade to private if you'd rather have the guide's full attention and the flexibility to linger at stops that interest you most. The three-hour pace gives you time to actually taste and talk at each stop instead of rushing between them.

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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 pretzel cheesesteak I'll taste on this tour?

The signature pretzel cheesesteak is the tour's bold take on Philadelphia's most iconic sandwich: a twist on the classic that you'll only taste here, not at a standard cheesesteak stand.

Does the tour include the Reading Terminal Market, or do we just pass by it?

Reading Terminal Market is where multiple tastings happen. You'll receive several of the five tastings inside the market itself, moving between different vendors and stalls.

Will I walk through Chinatown, or just see it from the outside?

You'll walk through Chinatown, passing under the Friendship Arch, and taste the pierogis and roti canai at stops inside the neighborhood, not just viewing it from a distance.

What is the secret dish, and when do I find out what it is?

The secret dish is revealed only on the tour itself. The operator keeps it a surprise until you arrive, so part of the experience is discovering what it is when you taste it.

How much walking is involved, and what should I wear?

The tour involves a fair amount of walking as you move between Reading Terminal Market, Chinatown, and City Hall over three hours. Comfortable shoes are recommended because you'll be covering ground between neighborhoods.

Can I book this as a private tour instead of a group tour?

Yes, the tour is available as either a small group experience or a private upgrade. Choose private if you want the guide's full attention and the flexibility to move at your own pace.