5 Best Charleston Food Tours: Top Picks for 2024
Are you planning a trip to charming Charleston, South Carolina, one of the best foodie cities in the United States? Are you looking to explore its rich history, discover its world-class restaurants, taste the famous foods of South Carolina, and experience the vibrant flavors of the best southern foods you can imagine?
Well, if so, you’ve come to the right place to get a head start on your exciting foodie foray into the fascinating food culture of this American treasure!
I’ve assembled a list of the 5 best food tours Charleston, SC, offers for delving into the most delicious food, best restaurants, and most inspired examples of Lowcountry cuisine. Indeed, all of these Charleston, SC, food tours are generously seasoned with WOW!
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The Holy City is one of my all-time favorite foodie spots, and the myriad of food experiences offered by its creative local chefs, outstanding local restaurants, and passionate taste makers of every type will have you falling in love with this city too!
All these Charleston culinary tours are the best food tours available. They are all led by city-certified guides who are as knowledgeable about the local history as they are enthusiastic about the secrets of Southern pralines and sweet tea. Their skill and dedication will ensure that you’ll have a great time getting your fill of amazing cuisine with a little history on the side—a delicious combination!
A popular street for Charleston food tours
Best Food Tours of Charleston
So, let’s dig into these awesome culinary tours Charleston, SC, is ready to wow you with! Just keep in mind that because these are the best Charleston food tours, they are likely to sell out! Reserve your spot ASAP!
1. Undiscovered Charleston: Half Day Food, Wine & History Tour with Cooking Class 🏆
Shrimp & Grits, one of the possible dishes on the best food tour in Charleston.
This Undiscovered Charleston Tour is the #1 Best Pick for Top Food Tour in Charleston! It is, without a doubt, one of the most unique tours of any type in the city and the most richly satisfying culinary tour Charleston, SC, has to offer!
Imagine exploring the city with a local Charlestonian who is not only an amazing local guide but a beloved local chef. He takes you on a historical walking tour of Charleston that peels away the layers of Charleston’s history and reveals the multilayered influences of Lowcountry food on the local food scene. Then, imagine following him back into his kitchen as he prepares an incredible lunch for you in the heart of Charleston, complete with wine! This is a Charleston foodie tour and gourmet lunch you’ll never forget!
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars—Over 650 reviews!
⏰ 4 hours, 🚶🏽♀️ 12 people max
“Fabulous and entertaining! You're in for a treat with chef Forrest Parker! He was so knowledgeable and, of course, an incredible chef! We started out with a wonderful historic walking tour with Chef and ended up at his restaurant watching him prepare our scrumptious lunch, including an absolute divine bread pudding made from a well-loved-brand of donut! His knowledge of Charleston history is vast, and his storytelling was fascinating and highly entertaining. Don't think about it just sign up—you WON'T be disappointed!!” –Z.H. Read more reviews.
Why take the Undiscovered Charleston Tour & Cooking Class?
This incredible day starts with meeting Chef Forrest Parker at beautiful Joe Riley Waterfront Park at Charleston Harbor. Chef Parker’s small group tour will take you through Charleston’s historic district and important lesser-known attractions, combining elements of a historical tour with an exploration of the interconnections between this gorgeous city’s past and its current bounty of culinary offerings.
This exclusive culinary adventure is the best Charleston tour for those who not only want to see the key historical sites of the city but taste the compelling flavors the city’s history has made possible. Chef Parker will share these flavors as he demonstrates how to prepare some of the definitive Lowcountry classics Charleston is famous for.
You’ll then get to enjoy those scrumptious dishes during a delightful lunch served with wine. When you leave, you’ll take with you the recipes used to create the memorable meal so that you can replicate these local favorites whenever you like once you get back home.
Undiscovered Charleston Tour & Cooking Class includes:
✔︎ Chef Forrest Parker as your guide
✔︎ 90-minute walking tour of Charleston’s historic district
✔︎ Cooking demonstration by Chef Parker
✔︎ A delicious lunch of Charleston favorites
✔︎ Wine pairings
✔︎ Coffee/Tea
✔︎ Chef Parker’s recipes
City Market, a popular stop for walking food tours in Charleston
This tasting tour of the quintessential cuisine of Charleston steers you clear of tourist traps while providing a satisfying blend of fabulous food, culinary culture, and historical highlights.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars—Over 250 reviews! Badge of Excellence!
⏰ 3.5 hours, 🚶🏽♀️ 10 people max
“One of the best food tours we’ve ever been on!! Fantastic food tour!! Amazing food and wonderful, funny, knowledgeable guides!! Great variety and fun historical facts mixed in!!” —Scott C. Read more reviews.
Why take this Charleston Walking Food Tour?
Put simply, this delicious experience hits the highlights of Charleston history while also providing you with a feast of the flavors of Charleston tour. Your knowledgeable tour guide will bring you face to face with such key sights of the city as the Charleston City Market, the U.S. Custom House, and the Dock Street Theater. But you’ll also come lips to taste with the city’s most beloved foods!
On this food tour Charleston treats your taste buds to a delicious workout! Your stops at top purveyors of local delicacies include helpings of South Carolina barbecue, She Crab Soup, Benne wafers, Stuffed Peppadews, and many more local favorites, including a secret food to be revealed on the tour. No more than 10 people will be on this small group tour, ensuring you an up-close experience and personalized attention at every stop. This is truly one of the tastiest Charleston tours and a tremendously fun time!
Charleston Secret Food Walking Tour includes:
✔︎ A passionate, experienced, local guide
✔︎ Enjoyable exploration of local history, food, and culture
✔︎ BBQ Pulled Pork Slider
✔︎ Carolina Smoked Chicken
✔︎ Benne Wafers
✔︎ French Sandwich
✔︎ Stuffed Peppadews
✔︎ Delicious Secret Dish
✔︎ Coffee/Tea
✔︎ Bottled Water
Lowcountry Boil, a traditional food of Charleston, SC
In this one-of-a-kind, fantastic foodie experience, you accompany a local chef or chefs to a storied local market where local artisan growers showcase their fresh produce and other Charleston staples. Everyone picks their favorite ingredients, and the chef or chefs bring them back to the kitchen to get to work on an amazing feast that you’ll enjoy after you explore a fascinating neighborhood with a seasoned, expert guide.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars—Over 50 reviews! Badge of Excellence!
⏰ 3–4 hours, 🚶🏽♀️ 12 people max
“This tour is a must on your visit to Charleston. The guide Giles met us at The Veggie Bin where you each select your food choice that the chefs will prepare later for you at their restaurant. Giles was personable, well versed, and fun to listen to on the guided history part of the tour. Lots of nice sites with interesting details of the city. An excellent start to an absolutely amazing lunch. Our group of four are major foodies and wine people. This lunch did not disappoint. We were all blown away by how creative each course was. I loved how each chef would come out and explain how they came up with each course and fun tips on how to do this at home. So personable and fun to listen to. We were able to buy our own wine off the menu, which was a nice addition. So much food was served we couldn’t finish it all.” –Vanessa Read more reviews.
Why take the Charleston Farm-to-Table Food Tour and Chef's Challenge?
In the mood for some fried green tomatoes, Charleston-style collard greens, stone-ground grits? Let the gorgeous ingredients at the local market be your muse as you pick what you’d like to see in your meal prepared by a local chef or team of chefs.
Shrimp and Grits, a Lowcountry Boil, Deviled Crabs? Who knows what the chefs will cook up with your ingredient choices as you tour Charleston’s hot foodie scene on Upper King Street in the Cannonborough-Elliotborough neighborhood? But soon you’ll get to enjoy some of the culinary delights that set Charleston apart from its Southern sister cities Savannah, New Orleans, and Gulf Shores.
That’ll be the surprise that awaits you after your Charleston, SC, culinary tour: a truly unique food-to-table experience consisting of a creative meal featuring 5 or more courses made from the farm-fresh products you and your fellow foodies selected.
Charleston Farm-to-Table Tour & Chef's Challenge includes:
✔︎ Handpicked seasonal produce from a local farmers market
✔︎ Exploration of the exciting Cannonborough-Elliotborough neighborhood
✔︎ City-certified guide and talented chef(s)
✔︎ A sumptuous meal incorporating fresh-food market picks
✔︎ Accommodations for dietary restrictions if needed
Carolina-style BBQ with collard greens, some of the foods you may try on the Downtown Charleston Food Tour
In this incredibly popular walking food tour of Charleston, SC, you’ll take in the sights in some of the nation’s oldest and most historic neighborhoods while indulging in delicious food tastings throughout the ever-evolving restaurant district that always knows how to dish it out.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars—Over 875 reviews! Badge of Excellence!
⏰ 2.5 hours, 🚶🏽♀️ 12 people max
“First of all, Simon, our tour guide, was amazing! So engaging and loved how he shared so much history with us and lots of great stories! I went solo but had a great time meeting wonderful people! The food was delicious, and it was great to get a taste of so many foods! The coconut cake from Benne’s was the best part! I would definitely do this again and Simon should be commended for providing us with a wonderful experience!” –Eileen B. Read more reviews.
Why take the Downtown Charleston Food Tour?
In downtown Charleston, you’ll explore the colorful French Quarter, visit the national historic landmark and always bustling City Market, and graze the finest offerings from the city’s most dynamic foodie hood, the capital of downtown Charleston culinary creativity.
You’ll visit four restaurants and see how the city’s top kitchen talent is serving up both traditional and contemporary Lowcountry cuisine. The samples of Charleston’s favorites will not only feed your curiosity about the city’s unique cuisine, they’ll also provide a full meal of unforgettable flavors—and that’s all before you get your dessert!
One of the most deliciously interesting culinary tours of Charleston, this is a wonderful mix of local history, food culture, and fun with fellow foodies enjoying the top tastes in town!
Your Charleston Downtown Culinary Tour includes:
✔︎ Food tastings at 4 Charleston restaurants
✔︎ City-certified tour guide knowledgeable about Charleston’s history and food
✔︎ Visit to historic Charleston Market
✔︎ Exploration of the French Quarter
✔︎ Enough samples to equal a full meal—and dessert too!
The set table for a historic Charleston dinner
This is a fascinating alternative to Charleston walking tours that offers yet another great way to explore the city of Charleston through the city’s two greatest passions: food and history. This sumptuous meal in one of the city’s landmark buildings features authentic dishes spanning the last 300 years of history in Charleston!
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars! Badge of Excellence!
⏰ 2 hours, 🚶🏽♀️ 16 people max
“So excited to stumble upon this gem!! The culinary knowledge was impressive, and the food was delicious. We cannot tell enough people about this supper club experience. Definitely, definitely recommend!” –Betsy J. Read more reviews.
Why sign up for this unique Historic Dinner experience?
This is simply amazing! Experience a 7-course dinner in Charleston that covers the last 3 centuries of the city’s culinary history! Each entrée comes from a different era, with food authentic to the times.
The experience is fully narrated by your host and culinary historian, Mike Hebb. You will not only taste Charleston’s history, you’ll also learn about domestic life, the walled city of Charlestowne, the American Revolution, slavery, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and more.
For those who are interested, you’ll also receive a free after-hours visit to the South Carolina Historical Society Museum, which is housed in the same historic building where you will enjoy your feast!
Historic Dining and After-Hours Museum Tour includes:
✔︎ 7-course supper, including dessert
✔︎ A glass of Madeira wine
✔︎ Additional alcoholic beverages available for purchase
✔︎ Expert narration on Charleston and its culinary history
✔︎ After-hours tour of the South Carolina Historical Society Museum
charleston Food Tour Tips
Well, now you know 5 amazing ways to sink your teeth into Charleston, a city whose engrossing history and tantalizing cuisine are more thoroughly intertwined than in most places.
And whether this is your first time in town or you’re coming back to dip down deeper into the charms of Charleston, these fantastic foodie experiences will leave you with lasting memories to savor long after you leave.
Waterfront Park in historic downtown Charleston, South Carolina
Here are a few tips to help you make the most of whichever of the best food tours in Charleston, SC, you choose.
• These are all fantastic outings for small groups, so there aren’t many spots per activity, and they do sell out. Please try to reserve as early as possible.
• Always read all policies and double-check details before booking your activity.
• If you have any dietary restrictions, please be sure to discuss them with the tour company well before your tour. Often, accommodations can be made to ensure you’ll still have a wonderful experience.
• A gratuity is not included in any of these tours, but if you believe they are merited, they are sincerely appreciated by your guide.
• These are all going to be great experiences. Just show up on time, relax, and have fun!
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