Experience the best of Tucson's locally-owned restaurants and their signature dishes with this guided walking food tour through downtown. Join a knowledgeable local guide to visit top eateries and savor delights such as cochinita (slow-roasted pork), freshly made empanadas, and the famous Sonoran hot dog. Learn about the diverse cultural influences that shape Tucson's cuisine while taking in some of the city's notable landmarks during your stroll.
This is a walking food tour through downtown Tucson, which puts it in a different category from a history or ghost walk: the point is tasting at locally owned restaurants, with a guide filling in cultural background between bites. It suits travelers who want to eat their way through a neighborhood and learn how the city's food came to be, and who do not mind a relaxed pace with stops to sample dishes. Anyone with a tight schedule or a strict appetite may find the eating-and-strolling format less efficient than a sit-down meal.
Because it visits several eateries on foot, come hungry and pace yourself across the stops. The guide also points out notable landmarks along the way, so you get a light sense of downtown as you go, though the food is the throughline. It is a better pick for people who enjoy small tastings from multiple kitchens than for those wanting a single signature dish in one place.
Questions people ask
What kind of food will I try?
Per the listing, you sample dishes such as cochinita, or slow-roasted pork, freshly made empanadas, and the Sonoran hot dog while visiting locally owned downtown restaurants.
Should I eat beforehand?
Come hungry. The tour visits several top eateries on foot with tastings at each, so it is designed to add up to a substantial amount of food across the walk.
Is there anything besides food?
Yes. A local guide shares the cultural influences behind Tucson's cuisine and points out some of the city's notable landmarks during the stroll, though the food is the focus.
