Old Port Culinary Walking Tour: Portland 4-5 Tastings

What makes Portland's food entrepreneurs worth knowing about

The Old Port Culinary Walking Tour is a three-hour guided walk through Portland, Maine, where you stop at 4–5 independent food and beverage venues for tastings and lunch. A local guide narrates the social history and the stories of the artisans behind each stop (bakers, brewers, chefs, confectioners), so the food connects to the people and the moment they are making it in. The tour includes lunch. Gratuity to the guide is optional at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Culinary walking tour in Portland

• Walk through Portland town
• Enjoy tastes of unique Maine flavors
• Visit 4-5 culinary venues
• Sample Maine-inspired and trending fare
• Have lunch during the tour
• End with a sweet treat

The experience

What's the actual story behind the places serving you lunch? The guide walks you through Portland's Old Port, stopping at venues that represent what the culinary culture here actually is right now, not a highlight reel, but the working food scene made by people who chose to build something specific. You taste Maine-inspired fare at each stop, enough across the four or five venues to make a full meal, and finish with a sweet treat. The walk itself is the connective tissue. You're moving through the neighborhood, not sitting in one room, so you see how these businesses sit next to each other and what the Old Port looks like when you're paying attention to it.

The guide is a local who knows the entrepreneurs and the stories: why someone opened a bakery here, what a brewer is experimenting with, how a confectioner sources their ingredients. That context is what separates this from a tasting menu: you're learning about the people and the choices they made, not just the flavors. The three hours moves at a walking pace with stops to eat and listen, so it's not rushed, but it's also not a leisurely afternoon. You're covering ground and hitting multiple places, which is what makes the scope possible.

What’s included

• Lunch across 4–5 artisan food and beverage stops.
• a local guide narrating the stories of the entrepreneurs and the social history behind each venue.
• a sweet treat to finish the walk.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 10:30 and 11:00

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (18 to 54 years) · Senior (55 and older) · Under 18: can't be booked

GroupUp to 6

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.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPets welcomeNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Maine Day Ventures

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to meet the people behind Portland's food scene rather than just eat what they make. The small-group format and the local guide mean you get the context and the conversation, not a rushed tasting. Three hours is enough to actually talk to the entrepreneurs and understand what they are building.

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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 much walking is involved on the Old Port Culinary Walking Tour?

The tour covers Portland's Old Port neighborhood on foot over three hours, with stops at 4–5 venues for tastings and lunch. You should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The walk is steady but not strenuous, and the pace includes time to eat and listen at each stop.

What kind of food will I taste on this tour?

The tour visits a mix of Maine and Maine-inspired venues (bakers, brewers, chefs, confectioners and other artisan food makers) with tastings at each stop that add up to lunch, plus a sweet treat to finish. The specific venues and dishes change, but the focus is on what local entrepreneurs are making right now.

Is lunch included in the price?

Yes, lunch is included across the tastings at the 4–5 stops on the tour. You'll have plenty to eat by the end of the walk, though the meal is distributed across venues rather than served in one place.

Do I need to tip the guide?

Gratuity to the tour guide is optional and you can choose it at checkout. The guide is a local who leads the tour and shares the stories behind each stop.

What time of day does the tour run?

The tour is three hours long. Specific departure times are shown when you select your date at checkout.

Are there any dietary restrictions I should know about before booking?

The tour involves tastings at multiple food venues. It is not recommended for travelers with celiac or dairy allergies, as those restrictions may be difficult to accommodate across the stops. Service animals are allowed on the tour.