Italian Market Food Tour Philadelphia: Chef-Led Tastings

Taste your way through Philadelphia's oldest market with a South Philly native who knows every vendor.

A chef-led food tour through Philadelphia's Italian Market includes tastings at landmark vendors, lunch, and a professional guide fluent in English and Italian. The two-hour walk covers Paesano's roast pork sandwich, Di Bruno Bros. cheeses, Isgro Bakery cannoli, and produce stands that have served families for generations. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available with advance notice.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Philadelphia's Italian Market

• Stroll and savor food at Italian Market
• Taste artisanal cheeses with discount
• Shop kitchenware and enjoy espresso
• Taste cannoli and buy pastries

The experience

The Italian Market has run continuously longer than any other open-air market in America, and this tour moves through it at a pace that lets you taste, shop and talk to the makers keeping it alive. A South Philly native leads the way. Someone who knows which vendors matter and why, and who can tell you the history behind the storefronts. You'll stop at Paesano's for the Italian roast pork sandwich that won a chef competition against Bobby Flay, then move to a South Philly spot for barbacoa tacos, and taste the square pizza that's drawn lines here for years. The guide handles the route and the timing. You handle the eating.

Di Bruno Bros. is where you taste artisanal cheeses with pairings, and you get a shopping discount there to take home what you want. Isgro Bakery (a James Beard Award semifinalist in 2024) is where the cannoli come from. You taste one and can buy more to carry with you. Between the named stops, you wander past produce stands, specialty shops stocked with imported goods, and the kind of kitchenware shop every cook knows about. The guide will buy you an espresso at the market and point you toward the items worth bringing home. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available if you let the operator know when you book.

The tour runs two hours and operates in all weather: rain ponchos are provided if it's wet. The guide speaks English and Italian, and can also lead in Spanish. Children under a certain age can ride in a stroller, and the market is accessible by public transit if you're coming from elsewhere in the city. Alcoholic drinks are available to buy at the market itself if you want them during the tour.

What’s included

• Professional guide fluent in English and Italian.
• lunch and tastings at Paesano's, Di Bruno Bros., Isgro Bakery and other market vendors.
• shopping discounts at select stops.
• espresso at the market.
• rain ponchos if needed.

Options for this experience

2 options

Chef-Curated Food TourGuide in English · 10:30Led by Alma, the youngest daughter of the Tlacopilco family from Marco's Fish & Crab House in the Italian Market. The tour runs 2 hours. Chef-curated tastings include square pizza, cheeses with pairings, a fresh corn tortilla, guacamole, mozzarella, vinegars and olive oils, fruit and cannoli.

A Food Tour Experience Led by a ChefGuide in English or Italian · 13:30Led by Chef Jacquie Kelly, owner of StrEATS of Philly, a retired chef and lifelong local who grew up in the neighborhood. The tour lasts 2 hours and 30 minutes, with time built in for shopping. Expect generous tastings: a Philly Italian roast pork sandwich, artisanal cheeses with pairings, espresso and cannoli. BYOB.

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

Information

Lasts 2h, runs Wednesday to Sunday at 13:30 and 10:30, from US$ 69 per person, with a live guide in English, Spanish and Italian, in groups of up to 10 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesWednesday to Friday: 13:30Saturday and Sunday: 10:30 and 13:30Another day? ›

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Under 10: can't be booked

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 yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by StrEATS of Philly Food Tours

Is this one for you?Book the Chef-Curated option if you want the guide to choose the stops and tastings for you, or the Chef-Led option if you prefer more input on where you go and what you taste. Either way, you're walking with someone who knows the market's history and can introduce you to the vendors themselves, not just the food.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

In English, at 10:30 and 13:30. In Italian, at 13:30.

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 do I eat on this Italian Market food tour?

You taste an Italian roast pork sandwich at Paesano's, barbacoa tacos at a South Philly spot, square pizza, artisanal cheeses with pairings at Di Bruno Bros., and cannoli from Isgro Bakery. Lunch is included as part of the tour, and you can purchase additional items from vendors as you go.

How long does the Italian Market tour take?

The tour runs two hours from start to finish, moving through the market at a pace that includes tasting stops, vendor conversations, and time to shop if you want to.

Can I do this tour if I'm vegetarian or have a gluten allergy?

Yes. Vegetarian and gluten-free options are available on the tour. Let the operator know your dietary needs when you book, and the guide will adjust the tastings and stops accordingly.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation to the Italian Market?

Yes. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, and you'll need to arrange your own way to the market. Public transportation options are available nearby if you're traveling from another part of Philadelphia.

What's included in the price of this tour?

The tour includes a professional guide, lunch, and food tastings at multiple vendors. You also receive shopping discounts at Di Bruno Bros. and the kitchenware shop, and the guide buys you an espresso at the market.