18 Foodie-Approved San Francisco Food Tours for 2023

The San Francisco dining scene is ever-changing, but always delicious and our foodie-approved San Francisco food tours are here to show you the best of the best the city has to offer. One thing we love about dining in SF is how dynamic and innovative restaurants are in the city, using the freshest ingredients, starting trends, and constantly changing the way we think about food. Sure, we’re gushing, but San Francisco is a must for foodies. Here’s the food tours you don’t want to miss in 2023.

But first…

What are Foodie-Approved San Francisco Food Tours?

San Francisco food tours are not only food tours that take place in San Francisco, but they also provide contextual and historical information about San Francisco via its culinary landscape! Most San Francisco food tours not only teach you about what’s on your plate, but also about what local ingredients our local haunts are using, how the restaurant began in the first place, and what significance the cuisine and its culinary host bear to the city!

1. Coffee, Sweets & The Painted Ladies

You can’t go wrong with a food tour company named “Stretchy Pants.” Stretchy Pants offers a variety of tours, but the on the Coffee, Sweets, & The Painted Ladies tour you’ll get to enjoy some amazing baked goods for a ridiculously sweet brunch. Added bonus? You’re walking it all off! While your own pair of stretchy pants isn’t necessary, an appetite definitely is. Learn about The Painted Ladies and the rest of the neighborhood in a sweet, new way on this San Francisco food tour.

Cost: $79

Availability: 10 AM Fridays

What’s Included: Sourdough, empanadas, quirky SF history facts, artisan donuts and coffee, and ice cream!

2. Ferry Building And Farmers Market Tour

The Ferry Building is home to some of the freshest produce and best craft artisans in the city. In just one building you can find the creamiest cheeses, decadent macarons, and tastiest oysters. This Ferry Building food tour expertly picks out some of the best merchants to taste from and gives you history about the build itself. After the tour, browse around some more and grab extra treats, or just enjoy the waterfront with a great cup of coffee— or wine!

Cost: $87

Availability: Tuesdays – Saturdays 10am – 11:30am (and custom tour dates)

What’s Included: A sampling of chocolate confections from Recchiuti and French macarons from Miette, and some Mt. Tam cheese from Cowgirl Creamery, paired with loaves from Berkeley’s Acme Bread.

3. A Taste of Japantown

Transport yourself and your tastebuds in San Francisco’s Japantown. There are only three Japantowns left in the United States, making this a unique cultural experience, as well as a chance to support the neighborhood. Though Japantown is small, it is packed to the brim with great restaurants, markets, and cafes. A Taste of Japantown food tour offers tastes of traditional Japanese treats like mochi, okonomiyaki, and onigiri. Plus, many of the tour guides are Japantown locals and can tell you more of the delicious places to visit, and perhaps the best place to go karaoke.

Cost: $75

Availability: Saturdays and Sundays

What’s Included: 6-7 Japanese food samples, historical information about Japantown, discover hidden gems only a local guide could show you!

4. Best of North Beach In Four Courses

Does pizza make your heart sing? The smell of espresso and the sight of Italian pastries make you smile? Then you’ve got to add a North Beach food tour to your list. This must-see neighborhood sits right by the water, adding an extra quaintness to an area home to Italian heritage, influenced by the Beat Generation, and filled with new hot spots. To taste the best of North Beach, you’ve got to do it in four courses— everything from appetizers to dessert. Join Avital Tours for a progressive meal that will leave you full and with an appreciate for this classic, checker table-clothed neighborhood.

Cost: $98

Availability: Saturdays from 12pm-3pm (and custom tour dates)

What’s Included: A progressive meal at 4 different North Beach staples featuring some truly delicious Italian Cusine. Cioppino, Barbary Coast drinks, pizza, and gelato all get mixed into local lore and other amazing facts about San Francisco’s iconic Italian district!

5. Chinatown Food Tour

If a perfect afternoon includes for you includes Hong Kong egg tarts, juicy pork buns, and some flavorful Szechuan cuisine, then add a Chinatown Food Tour to your list. San Francisco’s Chinatown is the oldest in North America, meaning there’s lots of history and culture to take in. And, so much food! The best part about a Chinatown Food Tour is being able to taste the best of the neighborhood, while scoping out the places you want to try next. We guarantee you’ll be back for more.

Cost: $75

Availability: Saturdays and Sundays

What’s Included: Samplings of authentic San Francisco Chinese cuisine curated by local foodies

6. Art & Food In The Mission

You can’t visit San Francisco without visiting The Mission, and this just wouldn’t be a good list of San Francisco food tours if we didn’t include one! The Mission is the center of Latino culture in SF, and you could walk the streets for ages discovering something exciting on every corner. Here you’ll find great burritos, Latino bakeries, Filipino bites, and more. And on this tour, you’ll even get to enjoy a secret dish at the end. Learn about the history while taking in the art, sounds, and people who make up this great neighborhood.

Cost: $79

Availability: Any day of the week!

What’s Included: 6 different restaurant stops featuring burritos, panaderia goodies, oysters, and chocolate. Plus, there will be some stops at local murals!

7. Craft Cocktail Tour & Bitters Making

Ever heard of a Martini? Mai Tai? Tequila Sunrise? We’re betting you have, and you can thank San Francisco for these classics. The craft cocktail scene in San Francisco is one of the best in the country, with bartenders creating some of the most delicious, innovative drinks in the Bay Area. For those who enjoy imbibing a drink or two, try a Craft Cocktail Tour. Start out by making some bitters, and then drink cool concoctions while learning about mixology.

Cost: $91

Availability: Thursdays at 6 PM

What’s Included: Create Your Own Bitters to Bring Home in a Custom-Made Jar, learn mixology skills while sampling cocktails, and partake in an extended happy hour at a local San Francisco bar!

8. Chinatown and North Beach Walking Tour

You may think Chinese food and Italian food all at once? Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying on the Chinatown & North Beach Walking Tour! Chinatown and North Beach have some of the most delicious restaurants in all of San Francisco. Homemade, authentic meals – where you’ll even get the chance to see how Fortune Cookies are made! You’ll indulge in chocolates from one of the top chocolatiers in the U.S.A. and get a behind-the-scenes look at how it’s made.

Cost: $69

Availability: Everyday at 10:30 A.M.

What’s Included: Cannolis at Stella Bakery, pizza and wine, samplings at Z Cioccolato, and fun facts about these 2 iconic neighborhoods

9. The Marina Tour

Get ready for 2-3 hours of Art Deco architecture, history, and croissants with The Marina Tour. This tour is different than the ones mentioned above as you’ll hear all the stories and learn about the goodies through the Sidewalk app. You’ll enjoy a croissant au beurre (which, for those that know, the ‘beurre’ version is way better than the other kind), two tacos, donut bread pudding, and a delicious glass of Prosecco all while taking in the site of the Marina/Pacific Heights district.

Cost: $48

Availability: Saturdays and Sundays

What’s Included: Croissants, tacos, donut bread pudding, and Prosecco and cheese!

10. Tipsy Original Tour

On the Tipsy Original Tour, you’ll see San Francisco like never before – through the lens of a few cocktails. You’ll go through the Financial District, Barbary Coast, North Beach, and Chinatown – which means you’ll be hitting the best food spots in the city all in one tour. From paninis to pizza to hot carmel popcorn and authentic dim sum…I’m drooling as I type. You’ll be both satisfied in both belly and heart with this one!

Cost: $99

Availability: Monday-Friday

What’s Included: 4 different neighborhoods, giveaways, saltwater taffy, dim sum, old haunts, fresh mozzarella and tomatoes, and more.

11. SF Downtown Craft Cocktails Tour

Everyone knows the way to elevate a party is to have a signature cocktail or two. With the SF Downtown Craft Cocktails tour, you’ll start with a cocktail party and menu design workshop. Your guide will then take you on a tour of Downtown San Francisco, tasting high-end (and off-menu oh là là) cocktails! After this tour, your parties will never be the same as you’ll bring an element of sophistication that’ll knock the socks off your friends!

Cost: $91

Availability: Every other Thursday 6-9 P.M. (and custom tour dates)

What’s Included: Go off menu and learn how to make a variety of cocktails from a local mixologist!

12. Chinatown Tour

Chinatown is chalk full of incredible restaurants so it’s no wonder it shows up multiple times on a list of Foodie-Approved San Francisco Food Tours. This Chinatown Food Tour, from the same company that brings you Coffee, Sweets & The Painted Ladies, is a 3-hour, 7-stop trip through delectable Chinese eats. You’ll visit the very first Fortune Cookie Factory and have some of the best dim sum of your whole life. You’ll visit a 100-year-old restaurant and realize why it’s still standing after all this time.

Cost: $79

Availability: 11:30 am- 2:30 pm Wednesday – Sunday

What’s Included: 6 different types of dim sum, local pork rolls, fortune cookies, and visit Chinatown’s alleyways.

13. Big Sippin’ in SOMA

Feeling at home in a neighborhood is, as we all know, not only about its eateries, but its breweries, too. On this awesome craft beer tour, you’ll be guided all over San Francisco’s SOMA district, tasting some of the best hops the city’s got! From learning about the unique craft beer scene here, and what role these local microbreweries play in elevating San Francisco’s game, a true beer-lover wouldn’t want to miss this!

Cost: $100

Availability: Everyday at 2 P.M. (and custom tour dates)

What’s Included: Bar crawl to 3 microbreweries, samples of craft beers, and history about the famous brewing scene!

14. A Flavor Adventure in Japantown

There are only 3 Japantowns left in the United States, and San Francisco’s is certainly a culinary staple! On this Edible Excursion, retrace Japantown’s steps and try all sorts of delicious local fare ranging from the traditional to experimental. Snaking through Japantown’s food stalls, learn about a variety of flavors and textures you might not otherwise get to, while also learning more about this integral and historic San Francisco neighborhood.

Cost: $120

Availability: Fridays and Saturdays 11 AM-2 PM (custom dates upon request)

What’s Included: Mochi samples, onigiri, Japanese street food, sweet potato lattes, and so much more!

15. A Progressive Meal in The Mission

Have you ever wondered how one neighborhood could be the center of the universe? How the distinct smells of 26 different types of tacos, blended with the sweet sugars of artisanal ice cream waft in your nose? If so, look no further and check out this Mission food tour! This historic neighborhood is a must-see and must-learn-about for anyone living in or visiting San Francisco! Join Avital Tours for this progressive meal that will leave you hungry to learn more!

Cost: $99

Availability: Sundays 12-3 PM (and custom tour dates)

What’s Included: 4 Course, building from appetizers to entree and dessert. Example tastings may include, pork belly breakfast tacos, seasonal sweet potato quesadillas, inventive Guamanian food, award-winning ice cream, street art, and local tales all told from local mouths!

16. Self-Led Food Tour of Golden Gate Park

There are a lot of food tours you can sign up for where a guide will show you around to particular places on a schedule. Why not try creating your own crawling food tour that you can control and enjoy as you please? Bonus, it’s free this way! You just pay for the food you eat. San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park is HUMONGOUS and boasts many eateries for you to explore. And, most of the time it’s littered with food trucks to try as well. Click here to view all of the permanent eateries in Golden Gate Park, we heartily suggest going to the Japanese Tea Garden and getting some traditional Japanese snacks while you enjoy the garden!

Cost: Nothing other than the food you try!

Availability: Anytime it’s up to you!

What’s Included: Again, it’s up to you!

17. Wine Country Tour

While not technically a part of San Francisco, the city, the Bay Area’s wine country is a part of the experience of visiting and getting to know San Francisco and its culinary scene. So, we included a wine country tour on this list. Green Dream Tours specializes in wine tours that can last as short as a half day and go as long as a full day. They even have an Alcatraz and Wine Combo Tour (one of our favorites they offer) that takes you to two different Sonoma wineries, lunch at Fisherman’s Wharf, then the iconic Alcatraz Island for a historic tour.

Cost: Starting at around $159 per person but will depend on which tour you choose

Availability: Click here to find out!

What’s Included: Luxury transportation, tastings, unforgettable memories

18. Anchor Brewery Tour

Get to know the iconic Anchor Brewery with its on site tour. Anchor Brewery was the first craft brewery in the United States way back in 1896. They’re known for their steam beer, America’s first craft beer. Steam beer is named for the it’s made which is in the outdoors due to their lack of refrigeration back in the 19th century. From their site:

Your experience will begin in our taproom with our flagship beer Anchor Steam and an overview of our history and impact on craft brewing. Your personal tour guide will then navigate you through our brewhouse and discuss what makes Anchor Brewing Company an icon in San Francisco. Your experience will wrap up in our taproom where you will have the opportunity to sample 12 Anchor brews on draught during a generous open tasting session.

Cost: From $20

Availability: Thursdays through Sundays

What’s Included: Personal tour guide, tour of taproom and brewery, generous tasting of 12 brews

San Francisco food tours are one of the best ways to enjoy this vibrant city. From cocktails to dumplings, you and your belly will leave happy taking advantage of all the great food in the area. We hope you enjoyed this roundup of foodie-approved San Francisco food tours and we hope to eat, drink, and connect with you soon!

Book The Best San Francisco Food Tour Now!