Philadelphia Italian Market Food Tour: 5 Tastings with Guide
Taste generations of Philly’s stories in every bite from 9th Street’s market stalls
Philadelphia's Italian Market Food Tour is a 2.5-hour guided walk through one of the country's oldest outdoor food markets on 9th Street in South Philly, with five tastings that span Italian classics, Mexican street food and Vietnamese sandwiches. Your English-speaking local guide leads a small group or private party through stalls and shops, stopping at named vendors: Sarcone's for tomato pie, a cannoli maker since 1904, Mexican restaurants, a mozzarella stand, Vietnamese banh mi spots, an olive oil tasting room and a cafe for gelato. The tour includes tastings at each stop and time to speak with shopkeepers about their family histories in the neighborhood. You can book as a public group or private tour.
Step-by-step itinerary
Explore Philadelphia's Italian Market
- Meet guide in South Philly park
- Stroll through market streets
- Try tomato pie at Sarcone’s
- Sample cannoli from Italian bakery
- Enjoy tacos de pollo pibil
- Taste mozzarella cheese knots
- Visit Vietnamese banh mi restaurants
- Taste olive oil and vinegar
- Eat fresh tortillas with guacamole
- Have espresso and gelato at cafe
The experience
The tour starts in one of South Philly's public parks, where your guide introduces the day and the neighborhood's story. Then you walk down 9th Street itself. The market has operated as a curbside bazaar since the 1800s, and the stalls, produce stands, butchers and bakeries still line the block. Your guide talks through the market's history and the waves of immigrants who built it: Italian families first, then Mexican and Vietnamese communities adding their own shops and cuisines. You'll stop to speak with some of the shopkeepers themselves, hearing how their families came to the market and what they've built there.
The five tastings anchor the walk. You'll try Sarcone's tomato pie (a Philly take on pizza that's been baked there since 1918), and a cannoli from a maker that's been operating since 1904. A Mexican stop serves spicy pollo pibil tacos or fresh tortilla shells with guacamole. You'll taste mozzarella cheese knots marinated in olive oil, then move to one of the Vietnamese banh mi spots, where the sandwich layers meats, pickled vegetables and sauces on a fresh French baguette. An olive oil and vinegar tasting room offers several varieties from around the world. The tour ends at a cafe with espresso, chocolate truffles and homemade gelato. Each stop is a working vendor, not a museum. You're eating where locals eat.
You can book this as a public walking tour, joining other food travelers, or as a private tour for your group. Both include the same five tastings, the same 2.5-hour route and the same local guide. The market itself is accessible by public transportation, and the tour is wheelchair accessible. Infants and small children can ride in a stroller or pram, and service animals are allowed.
What’s included
- Five tastings across Italian, Mexican and Vietnamese vendors.
- a local English-speaking guide leading the walk.
- time to speak with shopkeepers and hear their stories.
- a stroll through one of the country's oldest outdoor food markets.
- access to public art in the backstreets and alleys of South Philly.
Options for this experience
2 optionsInformation
Lasts 2h 30m, runs Tuesday to Sunday at 10:30, from US$ 59 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 10 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.
Prices and times updated today
Operated by WeVenture
Is this one for you?Book the public tour if you want to meet other food travelers and split the cost. Book the private tour if your group wants the guide's full attention and the freedom to linger at any vendor without keeping others waiting.
Traveler reviews
More experiences you might like
- 86 reviews
- 4.94★
- Duration
- 3h
- Sat and Sun
- 11:00
- 399 reviews
- 4.95★
- Duration
- 2h
- start times · Wed–Sun
- 2
- 142 reviews
- 4.84★
- Duration
- 3h
- start times · Every day
- 2
- 1,088 reviews
- 4.85★
- Duration
- 2h 30m
- start times · Every day
- 2
Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years); Infant (under 6): free.
How many food stops are on the Italian Market tour?
The tour includes five tastings across different vendors: Sarcone's for tomato pie, a cannoli shop, a Mexican restaurant for tacos or tortillas with guacamole, a mozzarella stand, a Vietnamese banh mi spot, an olive oil tasting room, and a cafe for gelato and espresso. Not every location listed is guaranteed on every departure, but the five core tastings are built into the tour.
What's the difference between the public and private tour?
The public tour joins other food travelers in a small group. The private tour is for your group alone. Both follow the same route, visit the same vendors, include the same five tastings and last 2.5 hours with an English-speaking local guide.
Is the Italian Market tour wheelchair accessible?
Yes, the tour is wheelchair accessible, and public transportation options are available nearby to reach the starting point in South Philly. The market itself is an outdoor street, so surfaces and vendor access vary by stop.
What kind of food will I actually eat?
You'll taste Italian classics like tomato pie and cannoli, Mexican dishes like spicy chicken tacos or fresh tortillas with guacamole, Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches, mozzarella cheese knots, olive oil and vinegar samples, and gelato. The five tastings show the neighborhood's immigrant history: Italian families built the market, and Mexican and Vietnamese communities have added their own shops and cuisines over time.
How long does the Italian Market tour take?
The tour lasts 2.5 hours and includes a relaxed walk through the market, time at each tasting stop, and conversation with some of the local shopkeepers about their family histories in the neighborhood.
Philadelphia Italian Market Food Tour: 5 Tastings with Guide
2h 30m · EN
from US$ 59 per person