New Orleans Food Tours

If there is one thing you can expect from New Orleans is an exquisite and varied gastronomy. The mix of cultures in the gastronomy of this city is one of its main attractions.
New Orleans Food Tours

    More about: New Orleans Food Tours

    I will tell you about the best culinary tours you can find to include among the essential things to see and do in New Orleans. The union between Canadians, Americans and French is transferred to the cuisine of this city, leaving a menu for all tastes.

    One of the best ways to take a gastronomic tour in New Orleans is to walk the streets and enjoy the offerings in each restaurant. The food options range from authentic Creole food in the French Quarter to typical New Orleans fast food.

    1. Gastronomic walking tour of the French Quarter

    In the French Quarter| ©Elisa.rolle
    In the French Quarter| ©Elisa.rolle

    A must-do food tour is definitely one of the tours of the French Quarter in New Orleans. This place has some of the best Creole food you'll taste in the city, as well as a rich history that is several centuries old.

    One of the best things about this French Quarter tour is that you have the possibility to customize it with your guide according to the places you want to visit. But in the usual tour you will visit the most popular restaurants in the neighborhood and taste the typical food that has left an indelible legacy in the city.

    Interesting details

    • Price: You can take this tour for an approximate price of 58 euros per person.
    • Duration: This tour lasts approximately 3 hours.
    • Means of transportation: If you live your fitness life, you won't have to worry about calories because the tour is done walking. You will have to get to the meeting point on your own.
    • Advantages of this tour: It is wheelchair accessible. You can have access to the tour in different languages, including Spanish. It is possible to bring assistance animals and strollers. It is an experience for small groups of up to 18 passengers. Tours for smaller groups of up to 12 people are available upon request.
    • Disadvantages of this tour: The tour may be cancelled due to unfavorable weather conditions, or for not reaching the minimum number of people required to do it. There are no vegetarian or gluten-free options, so it is important that you indicate any dietary limitations before making your reservation.

    Book your gastronomic walking tour of the French Quarter

    2. Historic New Orleans Cocktail and Food Tour

    Ramos Gin Fizz Cocktail Tour| ©RedBarman
    Ramos Gin Fizz Cocktail Tour| ©RedBarman

    This is a food tour to learn about the history of New Orleans through its most traditional dishes, those that define both Creole and Cajun cuisine.

    During the tour you will visit restaurants that have been in operation for a long time, as well as cocktail lounges and bars that have been in operation since before the outbreak of the American Civil War. It's an afternoon to experience all that this city's cuisine has to offer.

    Details of interest

    • Price: The approximate price to enjoy this experience is 130 euros per person.
    • Duration: This experience has an approximate duration of four hours.
    • Means of transportation: The tour is done on foot through the different restaurants, but to get to the meeting point, you must do it on your own.
    • Advantages of this tour: Assistance animals are allowed. You will have access to four full drinks and eight courses of food offered during the tour. You will visit the most popular bars and restaurants in New Orleans. An expert tour guide is on hand to answer all your questions.
    • Disadvantages of this tour: There are no vegetarian, gluten-free or pork-free options. The minimum age to enjoy this tour is 21 years old, and it is not accessible for people in wheelchairs because many of the sites to visit do not have spaces suitable for people with this condition. The places to visit may change due to unforeseen events at the main sites.

    Book your tour of the alcoholic history of New Orleans

    3. Gastronomic tour of the Lower Garden District

    Lower Garden District| ©JasonPari
    Lower Garden District| ©JasonPari

    Tour one of New Orleans' unjustly overlooked foodie neighborhoods, the Lower Garden District, where you can take some of the most fun tours of the Garden District of New Orleans. Here you will appreciate the best of international food, mixed with traditional New Orleans fare.

    Your guide will take you to the most interesting but also hidden places in this fun neighborhood that is often overlooked by visitors to the city, but actually has multiple flavors to try.

    Details of interest

    • Price: This gastronomic tour usually costs around 75 euros per person.
    • Duration: You will need approximately three hours to complete the tour.
    • Means of transportation: The tour is done on foot and to get to the meeting point you will need to do it on your own using public transportation or a mobile vehicle.
    • Advantages of this tour: A local guide is included who will be attentive to answer all your questions. Also included are meals and beverages to be tasted during the tour. It is wheelchair friendly and baby carriages are allowed. Vegetarian food option is included but under previous notice.
    • Disadvantages of this tour: Transportation to and from your accommodation is not included.

    Book your tour of Garden District and Lafayette Cemetery No. 1

    4. Private gastronomic tour of the French Quarter

    Hurricane Cocktail| ©Eric Schmuttenmaer
    Hurricane Cocktail| ©Eric Schmuttenmaer

    A walk through the French Quarter of New Orleans with your select group, with an expert guide who will tell you all the secrets of the typical food of the city, and exquisite tastings of typical foods and drinks such as the Hurricane, is a little of what you will enjoy on a private tour of the French Quarter.

    This kind of tours are incredibly fun because you have the opportunity to do it with your own family or your own friends. This is a half-day tour where you can ask your guide to take you to the best restaurants in the area for lunch. The tour is for groups of up to 10 people.

    Details of interest

    • Price: The price is per group and you generally have to pay around 875 euros per group of up to 10 people.
    • Duration: You will have half a day to do the whole tour, this equals about three hours.
    • Means of transportation: You must arrive on your own to the meeting point from where you and your group will start the walking tour.
    • Advantages of this tour: You can choose to do this tour in Spanish, English or French. It is also a private activity that you will not attend with strangers, but with your own group.
    • Disadvantages of this tour: It is not wheelchair accessible. There are no vegetarian or gluten-free options. Alcoholic beverages are not included but can be purchased along the way. Tips are also not included in the price.

    5. Magazine Street Doughnut Tour

    Donuts| ©Magdalena Kucza
    Donuts| ©Magdalena Kucza

    This is by far the most fun and sweetest tour you'll get to do in New Orleans and it will be just for sampling the best desserts, donuts and beignets made in the city. This tour will take you through the most hidden restaurants and sweet shops in an afternoon experience to indulge your snack craving.

    You will also be able to sample the classic beignets typical of the city of New Orleans, while strolling through the best coffee shops in this area. The tour includes the participation of a tour guide who will tell you everything you need to know about the popular sweet shop. It is a tour that you can include among the activities to see and do in New Orleans with children.

    Details of interest

    • Price: To take the tour you will have to pay approximately 40 euros per person.
    • Duration: The entire tour takes approximately two hours.
    • Means of transportation: To get to the meeting point of the tour in this area of the city, you will have to get there on your own. From there on this tour is done on foot.
    • Advantages of this tour: It is possible to bring assistance animals. Baby carriages are also allowed. There is plenty of public transportation nearby.
    • Disadvantages of this tour: This tour is not suitable for people with heart conditions or other similar problems, and it is not recommended for people who have reduced mobility problems and cannot stand for a long time. It is not accessible for wheelchair users. Transportation to and from your hotel is not included, you must travel on your own.

    6. Street food tasting in the Freret neighborhood

    Street Food Business| ©Marco Verch
    Street Food Business| ©Marco Verch

    The Freret neighborhood is one of the most interesting places to get street food from New Orleans. One of the biggest advantages of taking a culinary tour of this area is that you won't encounter as many tourists as in the French Quarter.

    This tour includes all the culinary tastings as well as selected cocktails, but if you want to try a variety of other cocktails, you also have the opportunity to purchase them on your own to make the most of the experience.

    Details of interest

    • Price: You can get the tour for approximately 96 euros per person.
    • Duration: It can take about three hours to complete the tour of the area.
    • Means of transportation: You have to get to the meeting point on your own, after arriving, the tour will be done on foot.
    • Advantages of this tour: All food tasting options are included, as well as five beverage options, such as cocktails, wines and beers. Also included is an expert guide who will be on hand to answer any questions you may have. If you need a vegetarian option, you can have it as long as you let us know in advance.
    • Disadvantages of this tour: Additional drinks are not included but you do have the option to purchase them on your own. Transportation from the hotel and back is not included. Tips for the tour guide are not included in the price.

    7. Gastronomic, historical and brewing tour of Bywater

    At a Brewery in Bywater| ©Plwm B
    At a Brewery in Bywater| ©Plwm B

    After Katrina, Bywater has been one of the towns that has recovered the most and has left an important historical, cultural and gastronomic legacy in the area, so in this tour you will not only taste exquisite food, but you will also see incredible street art displays.

    The great colorfulness of this neighborhood is what you will like the most of the visit and the walk through this place. You will also learn enough about the history of the civil rights proclamation and how this struggle began in New Orleans. You can also visit German breweries where you can taste traditional beers.

    Details of interest

    • Price: This tour has an approximate price of 95 euros per person.
    • Duration: You will need at least three hours to complete the tour of the whole neighborhood.
    • Means of transportation: To get to the starting point of the tour, you will have to get there on your own. The entire tour is done on foot throughout the neighborhood.
    • Advantages of this tour: All taxes and tips at each food stop are included. Tastings and a drink at each restaurant are also included. Full meals are included at three stops, which can be divided into Cajun and Creole options.
    • Disadvantages of this tour: Not suitable for people with mobility problems or people in wheelchairs. Transportation to and from the hotel is also not included. Extra meals and drinks are not included.

    Book your tour of New Orleans and learn the stories of the drunks

    8. Introduction to West Riverside's nightlife and dining scene

    New Orleans Nightlife| ©DC James
    New Orleans Nightlife| ©DC James

    In two and a half hours you can take a tour to West Riverside, an interesting place in New Orleans that stands out for its impressive nightlife. Together with your guide, you will have the opportunity to learn about some of the activities you can see and do in New Orleans at night in this part of the city.

    You will learn about the history of cocktails and typical foods of the city. As for the drinks, you will be able to choose if you want to drink alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages, and regarding the snacks you will taste in each of the hot spots to visit, you will be able to decide if you want the traditional or the vegetarian version.

    Interesting details

    • Price: The tour is priced at approximately €500 per group, although the price may vary according to the size of the group.
    • Duration: This tour lasts about two and a half hours.
    • Means of transportation: You will have to arrive on your own at the meeting point and from there to each of the points on the itinerary, you will travel in a vehicle equipped according to the size of your group.
    • Advantages of this tour: The main advantage of this tour is that it is private, so you will be the only one with your group and your guide. The guide is an expert and will tell you everything you need to know about the gastronomic nightlife. Vegetarian alternatives are included and snacks and three drinks are included, as well as entrance fees to the different bars and restaurants.
    • Disadvantages of this tour: No transportation from the hotel and back. It is not wheelchair accessible. Some extra drinks and snacks are not included.

    9. Cooking classes and tastings of NOLA classics

    Cajun and Creole food| ©Rebecca DonSon
    Cajun and Creole food| ©Rebecca DonSon

    A must-do in New Orleans are the cooking classes for you to learn how to make some of the most interesting and important traditional dishes of this American city.

    In this cooking class and tasting experience, you will have one-on-one lessons with an experienced chef who will teach you how to make the most famous foods of New Orleans.

    In addition to learning how to make typical Cajun and Creole dishes, you will have access to the tasting of the dishes you previously learned to make.

    Details of interest

    • Price: To participate in this activity you will have to pay around 37 euros per person.
    • Duration: These cooking classes have an approximate duration of two hours.
    • Means of transportation: To get to the site of the cooking classes you will have to travel on your own. The activity will take place at the established meeting point.
    • Advantages of this tour: You will learn the recipe of the dishes from the best chefs of New Orleans. You will be able to take the recipes home to practice. Food tasting, desserts, tea and other beverages are included.
    • Disadvantages of this tour: You must pay an additional fee that can cost from 5 euros, in case you want to learn how to make these preparations with vegetarian ingredients or for dietary restrictions.

    10. New Orleans Cocktail Tour

    Making Cocktails| ©Magda Ehlers
    Making Cocktails| ©Magda Ehlers

    This is a very fun tour of the city of New Orleans that is only suitable for those over 21 years old. The offer is that you will drink a lot of liquor during the city tour. It is also a tour that has everything you would expect, stops to learn about the different famous cocktails of the city, and counts as one of the best ghost tours in New Orleans.

    The tour is guided by a person who is an expert in paranormal topics, as well as in the history of the city and its different traditional liquors. This is an experience that I recommend you to live with friends. You will be able to use professional ghost detection equipment.

    Details of interest

    • Price: You can hire this activity for an approximate price of 28 euros per person.
    • Duration: From one to two hours will be enough to make the complete tour to learn about the dark history of New Orleans and taste incredible liquors.
    • Means of transportation: You must arrive on your own at the meeting point and then the tour will be on foot through the French Quarter of New Orleans.
    • Advantages of this tour: It is wheelchair accessible and pets are allowed. Children are welcome, but certain conditions apply.
    • Disadvantages of this tour: Can be cancelled due to bad weather or failure to meet the minimum quota of participants, in which case a change of date or refund may be offered. If cancelled for reasons related to the client, no refund will be issued. Many night establishments do not accept children.

    Tips for a culinary tour in New Orleans

    Booking online| ©Marek Levak
    Booking online| ©Marek Levak
    • Wear comfortable shoes because you will be walking during the food tours in New Orleans.
    • Try to control the amount of alcohol you will consume on any of the cocktail tours, because you may miss out on the experience.
    • Ask all the questions you need to ask before booking, because many of these tours are non-refundable.
    • Try not to do this kind of tours with small children because many times they will not be allowed to enter certain areas.

    What are the advantages of taking a food tour of New Orleans vs. going on my own?

    • Guided tours
    • You will have access to an expert guide who will explain the history behind each dish.
    • The tour will be planned according to the tour guide's expertise.
    • You will know the best places to eat in New Orleans, with no surprises.
    • Tours on my own
    • You will not have a guide to explain everything about each dish.
    • The food tour you take on your own may not be the most interesting.
    • You might encounter bad culinary experiences due to lack of knowledge.

    Reviews from other travellers

    4.7
    · 1389 Reviews
  • K
    K. O.
    4
    (0 Reviews)
    I went with my brother on the New Orleans food tour and we loved it. Amazing food and good vibes all around.
  • O
    O. F.
    4
    (0 Reviews)
    The experience of savouring authentic New Orleans cuisine as we explored its nooks and crannies was unforgettable.
  • G
    G. Q.
    4
    (0 Reviews)
    I loved tasting the food of New Orleans, every bite was a feast for my taste buds. I will never forget the taste of gumbo, it was an incredible experience.
  • Q
    Q. E.
    4
    (0 Reviews)
    All very good, although a bit scarce if you're hungry.
  • K
    K. O.
    4
    (0 Reviews)
    I went with my brother on the New Orleans food tour and we loved it. Amazing food and good vibes all around.