San Diego Chinese Food Tour: Peking Duck & Asian District

Two and a half hours of Peking Duck, chopstick lessons, and the stories behind them

A 2.5-hour food tour in San Diego's Asian Cultural District led by a Chinese-American guide who teaches you to eat Peking Duck, carved tableside, and explains the history, etiquette and technique behind it. You'll dine on the National Dish of China with tea, walk through the neighborhood, and end at a working Asian supermarket.

The experience

The meal is the anchor. You sit down to Peking Duck carved tableside (tender slices of roast duck with crispy skin, hoisin sauce, sliced scallion, cucumber, wrapped in a steamed Chinese bun), or choose a traditional Cantonese meal of three dishes instead. Both come with your choice of traditional Chinese tea. While you eat, the guide walks you through the history of Peking Duck as a symbol of Chinese culture, the proper etiquette when dining with Chinese families, and the correct way to hold and use chopsticks. It is not a lecture over food. It is learning while you taste.

After the meal, you walk through San Diego's Asian Cultural District with the guide, then stop at a popular Asian supermarket. The walk gives context to what you just ate: the neighborhood where these ingredients come from, where people shop, how the food fits into daily life here. The supermarket stop is not a rushed photo moment. It is time to browse, ask questions, and see what is actually sold.

The guide speaks English and Cantonese, so if you speak either language, you can follow along in the one that fits you. The whole outing is wheelchair accessible, and public transportation options are nearby if you do not have a car.

What’s included

• A traditional Chinese meal of your choice (Peking Duck or a three-dish Cantonese meal) with tea.
• a walking tour through San Diego's Asian Cultural District.
• time to browse a working Asian supermarket.
• instruction in Chinese dining etiquette and chopstick technique.
• insight into Chinese history, culture, and the heritage of the dishes you eat.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 13:00 and 17:00

Book up to3h before

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish and Cantonese

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 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

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Wild Foodie Tours

Is this one for you?This is a shared tour with a live guide, so you move as a group and eat together. If you want to learn the stories and techniques behind the food rather than just taste it, and you are comfortable asking questions and walking a neighborhood with other travelers, this format gives you both the meal and the context. If you prefer to eat alone or move at your own pace, a self-guided option would suit you better.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Cantonese.

What is Peking Duck and why is it carved at the table?

Peking Duck is the National Dish of China, traditionally roasted until the skin crisps and the meat stays tender. Carving it tableside is part of the ceremony. You watch the technique, see how the slices separate, and understand why the presentation matters as much as the taste. The guide explains its place in Chinese culinary heritage while you eat it.

Do I have to eat Peking Duck or can I choose something else?

You can choose a traditional Cantonese meal of three dishes instead if Peking Duck does not appeal to you. Either option comes with your choice of traditional Chinese tea.

What happens at the Asian supermarket?

After the meal and the walk through the Asian Cultural District, you stop at a popular Asian supermarket in San Diego. It is a working market where locals shop, not a tourist stop, so you can browse the ingredients, ask the guide questions about what things are and how they are used, and buy something if you want to.

How much walking is involved?

The tour includes a walking section through the Asian Cultural District between the restaurant and the supermarket. The whole experience is wheelchair accessible, and public transportation options are available nearby.