10 Best Food Tours of Dallas

Dallas is a cosmopolitan city with an interesting gastronomy, made from the fusion of Mexican and Texan cuisine, which you can enjoy by taking the most diverse gastronomic tours.

10 Best Food Tours of Dallas

Comida mexicana en la mesa |© Steve House

Dallas is a Texan city with a unique gastronomy, the result of the contact between Mexican and Texan culture. That is why an interesting way to get to know the city, and one of the most fun things to do in Dallas, is to take a gastronomic tour, which will also give you the chance to get to know its intense social and cultural life.

In addition to tasting the typical dishes of Tex Mex cuisine, you will get to know the emblematic sites of the city and its importance for the culture and history of the city, such as Dealey Plaza and the JFK Memorial. You can also taste some of the most exquisite chocolates in the world, visit selected bakeries in Waco, or taste typical drinks while listening to the most mysterious stories of the city. In this article I tell you about these proposals and more that you can do in Dallas.

1. Taste the delicious chocolates of Dallas

Cupcake-type chocolates|©Artizone
Cupcake-type chocolates|©Artizone

Dallas chocolate shops are among the best in the world, so one of the best gastronomic tours you can do in the city is a chocolate tour of Dallas, especially if you are a lover of this exquisite sweet.

You can take this tour any day of the year, except for some holidays, and it takes place during the day. You are taken by bus to the different chocolate shops, where the guide will tell you how the chocolates are made, the history of the chocolate shops and which chocolates or candies have made them famous. It is one of the best things to do with children in Dallas, although you must be careful not to overdo it with chocolate.

During the tour you will visit some of the most famous chocolate shops in Dallas, such as Isabelly's Chocolates & Sweet Treats, Kate Weiser Chocolate or Kokopelli Sweets, where you will also find ice cream and cakes.

Interesting details

  • Price: about 56 € per person.
  • Duration: about 3-4 hours.
  • Means of transportation: bus.
  • Advantages of this option: includes tastings of chocolates and other sweets.
  • Disadvantages of this option: not all chocolate shops have vegan and/or gluten-free options.

Dallas Chocolate Tour

2. Take a Tex Mex food tour of Dallas

Mexican tacos|©ROMAN ODINTSOV
Mexican tacos|©ROMAN ODINTSOV

A good option for you to try the typical food of the city is to sign up for a Tex Mex tour of Dallas, where you can visit emblematic sites of the city. Tex Mex food is a fusion between Mexican and Texan gastronomy, and includes dishes such as burritos, tacos, chili con carne, chimichangas, nachos and fried foods, which you can accompany with a typical drink, such as margaritas.

It is a tour that takes place in a bus with about 18 people and lasts about 4 hours. It starts at noon and includes food and beverage tastings and bottled water. You are accompanied by an expert guide who will recommend the best dishes from each restaurant, which you can continue to enjoy throughout your stay in the city. Many of these restaurants also have vegan and gluten-free options.

This tour is a great way to see the city's landmarks such as Dealey Plaza, where JFK was assassinated, or the hiding places of the famous outlaws Bonnie and Clyde, while learning about Dallas cuisine and its history.

Learn more about Dallas

  • Price: about 75 € per person.
  • Duration: about 4 hours.
  • Means of transportation: bus.
  • Advantages of this option: the guides will recommend the best Tex Mex dishes, including tastings, drinks and bottled water. There are vegan and gluten-free options in the restaurants.
  • Disadvantages of this option: only for people over 21 years old.

Try Tex Mex food in Dallas

3. Take a gastronomic and cultural tour of Dallas

Meals served on plates|©Ethene Lin
Meals served on plates|©Ethene Lin

If you want to taste the typical foods of Dallas, and also learn about the culture and history of the city, a good idea is to take this gastronomic tour that combines gastronomy and culture. In addition to tasting the most exquisite food, you will visit the most representative sites of Dallas, accompanied by a local guide who will tell you the history behind each of these sites and their cultural importance.

The tour is done on foot with not very large groups of people, and usually at noon. Please note that you will need to bring extra money for the tastings, which are around 30€. Children can also participate in this excursion.

During this tour you will taste typical Tex Mex dishes and learn how they differ from traditional Mexican food. Among the typical dishes are burritos, tacos, chili con carne, chimichangas and many more, which you can accompany with a margarita.

One of the sites you will pass through is Dealey Plaza, where, as I mentioned before, the assassination of JFK took place, and the Memorial Plaza, where the memorial was erected in honor of the former president. Doing this tour is a good way to learn more about these events that shaped the city's past, while tasting the most delicious food.

Details of interest

  • Price: about 39 € per person.
  • Duration: about 2 hours.
  • Means of transport: on foot.
  • Advantages of this option: you will learn about the best gastronomic options in Dallas, as well as the history and culture of the city.
  • Disadvantages of this option: does not include food and beverage tastings.

Take a gastronomic and cultural tour of Dallas

4. Sign up for a private tour of Magnolia Market

Magnolia Market|©Larry Imhoff
Magnolia Market|©Larry Imhoff

The Magnolia Market in Waco not only has the best decoration stores in the area, but it is also a good place where you can try typical local dishes, the best bakery and pastry recipes and buy excellent quality roasted coffee. The complex built in two silos is also a nice place with outdoor spaces where you can have a good time.

To get there you can take a full day private tour of Magnolia Market and the city of Waco, accompanied by a guide who will tell you about the most interesting things about the market, and the cities of Waco and Dallas. The tour includes transportation by car to and from Dallas with the people traveling with you, as it is private. For this same reason, it is a tour that you can customize according to your interests.

Magnolia Market has a café, Food Trucks with food options made with selected ingredients and a restaurant with homemade meals. If you wish to eat at the restaurant, it is best to make a reservation before you go. You can check the menu on the Magnolia Table website. Silos Baking, the Market's bakery, is inspired by traditional bakeries and offers delicious cupcakes, cookies and much more.

The complex also has a vegetable garden and special spaces for children, with giant insect sculptures or mushroom-shaped seats. You'll have plenty of time to tour the Marketplace and see nearby sites such as the Waco Suspension Bridge.

Details of interest

  • Price: between 180 and 546 per person, depending on how many people accompany you on the tour
  • Duration: approximately 9 hours
  • Means of transportation: car
  • Advantages of this option: you will travel in a comfortable car to Magnolia Market, and you will have enough time to walk around it and taste the gastronomic delights it has to offer.
  • Disadvantages of this option: does not include food and beverage tastings.

Book a tour of Magnolia Market and the city of Waco

5. Get to know the haunted pubs of Dallas

Dallas HRC - bar area|©w_keith_henderson
Dallas HRC - bar area|©w_keith_henderson

Another very interesting way to get to know the gastronomy and typical drinks of the city is to take a ghost tour of Dallas at night, while visiting haunted pubs and listening to the most paranormal stories that happened in the city. It is also a great way to meet other travelers and share experiences.

These tours last between 2 and 3 hours, and groups of up to 20 people participate. They are conducted on foot and accompanied by a guide who will tell the stories in an entertaining and intriguing way. They can only be done by people over 21 years old.

Not only will you get to know haunted bars, but you will also learn about the mystery surrounding the death of JFK, who was assassinated in Dealey Plaza, or the secret behind the giant eye found in Main Street Garden. Another of the city's paranormal stories is that of the Lady of White Rock, whose ghost has been seen wandering in a hotel.

Details of interest

  • Price: about 36 € per person.
  • Duration: about 2-3 hours.
  • Means of transport: on foot.
  • Advantages of this option: you will know 4 enchanted bars and the greatest mysteries of the city.
  • Disadvantages of this option: it can only be done by people over 21 years old. It does not include food and beverage tastings.

Sign up for a bar and ghost tour of Dallas.

6. Have fun on a scavenger hunt through the bars in Dallas

People in the bar|©Texas Coffee School
People in the bar|©Texas Coffee School

Signing up for a scavenger hunt through bars in Dallas is a fun and original way to get to know the best bars in the city, while completing the challenges that the game proposes. All you need to do is download an application to your cell phone and complete the tasks it tells you to do, as many as you want and at your own pace.

While you complete the tests, you can learn about the food and drink options in each of the bars. It is ideal to do it accompanied by your group of friends or family, although you can also do the challenges alone, and take the opportunity to meet new people during your tour. It is one of the best things to do in Dallas at night and you will certainly have a lot of fun, even if you don't win.

Interesting details

  • Price: around 12 € per person
  • Duration: you can do the quest at any time at your own pace.
  • Means of transportation: you must get to the bars on your own.
  • Advantages of this option: it is a fun way to get to know the best bars in Dallas and their drink menu.
  • Disadvantages of this option: it is done without a guide. It does not include tastings.

Tips for booking a food tour in Dallas

Hamburger with fries at the table|©Thomas Hawk
Hamburger with fries at the table|©Thomas Hawk

It is important that before booking a tour in Dallas, you read all the details about the excursion so you know for sure what is included and what is not, and you can be prepared for everything that happens. Some tours include food and/or beverage tastings, but not all of them, so you may need to bring extra money to pay for them.

It is also important that you know how long the tour lasts and where the meeting point is, so you can arrive on time and without confusion. My advice is to take the gastronomic tour the first few days after you arrive in Dallas, especially if you are staying for several days, so that you know which gastronomic delights you cannot miss during your stay in the city.

Many gastronomic tours have age restrictions because they take place at night or include tastings of alcoholic beverages, and therefore are not suitable for children. Therefore, if you are going to Dallas with children, it is important to make sure that the food tour does not have age restrictions before booking.

On the other hand, if you have dietary restrictions, it is best to make sure that the tours provide for those options and tell the guide so that he/she can recommend the best dishes for you. Many restaurants offer vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free meals, but they are not guaranteed in all the restaurants you visit during the tour.

Why hire a food tour in Dallas vs. going on your own?

People eating in a restaurant|©AramcoBrats, Inc.
People eating in a restaurant|©AramcoBrats, Inc.

Hiring a food tour has its advantages, since you will be accompanied by an expert guide who will recommend the best dishes and guarantee you the best experience in the city's restaurants. If you take this tour the first few days you arrive in the city, you will be able to take advantage of everything you learned during the rest of your stay. But it is also highly recommended if you visit Dallas in one day.

On the other hand, taking a gastronomic tour gives you the chance to meet other travelers, share travel experiences and have a good time while learning about the typical food of the city, the history behind each of the dishes and the Texan culture. On the other hand, there are tours that allow you to learn about more specific manufacturing processes, such as chocolate.

Many food tours also include a tour of the most emblematic sites of Dallas, such as Dealey Plaza, the giant eye of Main Street Garden or the Memorial in honor of JFK, so you will also receive information about them. Others, on the other hand, focus on the city's bigger mysteries. In short, if you take a food tour, in addition to tasting the best dishes, you will learn what makes the city of Dallas unique.

  • With tour
  • An expert guide introduces you to the typical dishes of Dallas.
  • Includes food and beverage tastings
  • Lets you get to know the best restaurants
  • Visit the main attractions
  • Meet other travelers
  • No tour
  • You must do your own research on Dallas cuisine
  • Does not include food and beverage tastings
  • You must research the best restaurants for yourself
  • No guided tour of attractions
  • You go on your own and without a group going to the same places you do