Tucson Food Tours- Locally Owned 4th/university Walking Food Tour

Chris was a terrific guide, giving us the history of Tucson along with history of the buildings & people where we have amazing food!

Greaat tour with an outstanding guide Karen Brown. She made the experience simply wonderful.

This was a fun tour that gave us a chance to see an eclectic side of Tucson! The 4th Avenue and University area are home to many independent local owner operated restaurants which we love! Karen was a great tour guide; she was very knowledgeable about the area and provided us with a lot of interesting information about both the history of the area as well as the food we were sampling. With 6 restaurant tastings there was plenty of food to sample and we actually couldn’t finish it all! Highly recommend this tour and we would love to try their other tours.

Karen Brown delivered an outstanding experience on our Tucson Food Tour. She was knowledgeable, engaging, and clearly passionate about the city. Beyond the great food stops, what really stood out was how she brought Tucson’s history and culture to life with interesting stories and insights along the way.

I've been on about a dozen different food tours in different states and countries and this one was not terrible but it wasn't really great. Our tour guide was good, but the structure of the tour didn't live up to what I've come to expect. My past experiences have been 8-10 people which is a nice size, but Tucson Food Tours runs up to 16 (our group was 15) and it just felt too big. The stops on the 4th St/Maingate tour were 4 stops for entrees and 1 dessert stop. Although the entrees were all different cuisines (Italian, Mexican, American, Indian), I missed having the variety (salads, sides, appetizers, unique drinks, etc) that has been my experience on other food tours. Allowing people to order alcholic drinks at every single stop also meant that we were waiting around for people to finish their drinks after each sample, instead of moving on right away -- or people were rushed through with their drinks. There could have been just a couple designated places for ordering extra things so it wasn't a different person holding things up at each stop. It would have been better if the tour guide had more info to share while we waited at each stop, but the only information presented was during short stops (5 or so minutes) between food places. While we were at the restaurants, the tour guide visited with us but we were all just hanging out, which is nice and all -- but on other tours I've been on, the chef or owner of the restaurant has come out to talk to us or there has been other stories or history shared while we are waiting for food. There seemed to be a lot of sitting around time as part of this tour. It took us 4 hours to go 5 stops. I've been on many 3 hour tours with 6-7 stops. And finally, the tour descriptions on the website didn't mention how far the walk is for each tour. This one is about 1.5 miles, which is on the long side compared to many other walking tours I've done, and we could have prepared better if we had known that in advance.

Wonderful experience. Great food. Excellent guide (Karen).

Did this tour with Karen today and it was absolutely fantastic!! Her knowledge of the area (murals, artists, history) in addition to her knowledge of the restaurants and food was so great. The tour had a fantastic mix of foods of several different cuisines, and wayyy more food than I was able to get at. I wish I was in town longer to be able to do the downtown tour as well!

This tour was the highlight of our trip. The food was amazing! Karen was a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide. I would definitely do this tour again the next time I visit!

Chris was very knowledgeable. Besides exposing us to six different local tastes, he taught us about Tucson and the University. Chris accommodated multiple food preferences which was appreciated. The restaurants we visited were local Mom and Pop shops and each had their own unique specialties. It was a fun way to spend an afternoon and try new foods.

Great tour!! Even better food!! Karen was exceptional. Knowledgeable, enjoyed the Tucson history, answered every question, and made you feel more like a good friend.

Great tour with lots of info on the area and a lot of good food! We would go again with our wonderful tour guide Karen!

We had a wonderful tour from Chris on Sunday. The food was amazing and 3 generations were thrilled. Just when you think you have tasted everything delicious, Chris would take us a new place with a lot of interesting history and information about Tucson. Chris is great!

We had a great food tour of the 4th street/university area with Chris! I had expected primarily Mexican-American food, but was surprised how eclectic and multicultural the food scene in Tucson is. All the locations where we stopped were locally owned and the food samples were very generous and delicious. Comfortable seating and clean restrooms were available at each location, and also the opportunity to separately order an accompanying beverage if desired. This was a great way to see some of Tucson's vibrant 4th street and university area, and a wonderful way to celebrate a special occasion! Come hungry, because you will go away stuffed!

Karen Brown was our tour guide and was amazing. She was professional, knowledgeable about the restaurants we visited, knowledgeable about the area, and a pleasant demeanor. I enjoyed that the group was just 4 people. Make sure you are hungry as the tour makes multiple stops. I recommend Karen and this company.

We had a fabulous time touring the 4th Avenue food scene. Our tour guide Chris was very informative and introduced us to a number of different food venues. The food was plentiful and super delicious. We all walked away completely stuffed. We are new to the Tucson area and wanted to learn more about the community. This tour delivered and then some. Can’t wait to try another food tour exploring a different neighborhood.

This tour was fantastic. Chris was a wonderful and knowledgeable tour guide. The samples were plentiful as well as delicious. Don’t pass up this experience.

Really enjoyed this tour. Our guide, Chris, was friendly and upbeat. He shared so much interesting information about the area where we were walking, the places we were eating, and the Tucson area in general. There was plenty of food—maybe more than I could eat! All of it was delicious and interesting. And it encouraged me to sample things I might not have ordered on my own but would definitely order now! Save room for the desert at the last stop—so delicious and not something I have ever had before! I appreciate that Chris had us take the air conditioned trolley back to our starting point rather than walking it. It does get hot outside in Tucson even in November!! And we were all so full of delicious food and drink.

We had the best time and experience ever the guide Chris was very informative and knowledgeable of Tucson and of the food. You will not leave hungry. I will recommend this tour for anyone!!!

Our group of four friends booked this 4 hour tour and we had an amazing time. The “tastings” (which were large) were all very delicious and our guide, Chris, provided us with lots of Tucson history and recommendations for local sites and restaurants. You will definitely not leave hungry. Highly recommended!

It was a really fun tour! Our guide Chris was great, provided us with a lot of interesting information and the was really was really delicious! I will definitely go on another tour next time I’m in Tucson.

Our group of five went with Chris and it was a terrific tour. The “tastings” (it’s quite a lot) were all amazing and Chris provided lots of Tucson history and recommendations for local sites and restaurants. Highly recommended!

We enjoyed this tour on our first day visiting Tucson. Karen was the best tour guide. Loved the variety of foods we sampled. Great way to spend a day in Tucson. Highly recommend.

Awesome experience. We spent the afternoon turning 3 local restaurants. It was awesome, give it a try if you are looking for an enjoyable afternoon with lots of local info and trivia nuggets.

The main gate/4th ave tour with Karen was the best!! All the food was delicious and we learned a lot of new things about Tucson. Karen was such a friendly, knowledgeable, fun, and professional tour guide! She made sure we were well taken care of and really enjoying ourselves throughout the tour! Highly highly recommend!

As locals just looking to try some new places and enjoy our great city, this tour was really fun and active. We had Karen as a tour guide - she was super cool and very knowledgeable, and let us enjoy ourselves while still taking lead throughout the day. Definitely recommend this tour for some unique & tasty food from the city!

We love food tours and this one did not disappoint! Our guide, Chris, was amazing- so friendly, warm, knowledgeable and fun! The food was excellent, from the best hot dog we’ve ever had to my daughter’s favorite: the birria ramen. Highly recommend! Got to see cool parts of Tucson that we would not have seen otherwise!

Great tour with Chris. He knew so much about the Tucson food scene. All of the spots he took us to were amazing. He made sure everyone was having a good time. We can’t wait to do another tour with Chris!

What a fantastic experience! We were in Tucson with family and looking for something fun to do that would appeal to everyone. This food tour did not disappoint. Karen was our guide and did an amazing job. We loved that we were not rushed and had ample time at each stop to converse and relax. I highly suggest this to anyone visiting Tucson.

Karen was an awesome tour guide! Knowledgeable, warm and personable. She made it awesome. She took us to a variety of great eateries, explained what we were about to eat, and gave us a historical background on the area.

This was a fantastic tour, even for people who live in Tucson (like us). We were celebrating our anniversary and it was everything we were looking for! Lots of food choices, everything tasted great, and Kathy our tour guide was FANTASTIC!

Karen kept our group together and on track. We had a great time walking and eating our way through Tucson. Entertaining and informative, Karen made the tour fun and the group was very friendly and interactive. A Tucson MUST!!!

Good food and helpful information. Chris was a great guide often mentioning testing foods on friends and acquaintances...with a smile.

We loved this tour! It was fun and Karen Brown was very knowledgeable, kind and helpful with my husband’s mobility chair. Food was great too. This is a must do!

Today’s walking food tour was amazing! Our tour guide Karen Brown was very professional, yet knowledgeable! She was easy going and fun to be with. Karen was so kind in assisting us with a member of our party with his mobility scooter. I will definitely recommend Tucson Food Tours to our friends and family.

Our guide Karen was amazing in that She connected historical perspectives of Tucson with local food that we sampled. She was very considerate of each person and their special needs. She was well informed and friendly. The food was delicious! each stop very different and very tasty and the restauranteurs were well prepared for us. And with a delicious sweet corn cheesecake at the end, it was perfect.

Outstanding! Karen knew the history, had. Wonderful manner about her and made the tour exceptional. She described each food before we got to the restaurant and kept all of us interested and engaged…even in the rain and cold!

This was our 2nd tour with Tucson Food Tours having completed the Downtown tour previously. This tour took us to the 4th Avenue area that is being re-invigorated with a number of new eateries joining the existing restaurants. All of the restaurants we visited are locally owned and offer many personal dishes. Chris our tour guide provided a good intro to each restaurant and the food we were about to taste.

Our food tour was great. Expert tour guide Chris helped us discover several restaurants that were new to us where we sampled a variety of specialties. His knowledge of local history and his “foodie” advice made the tour a valuable orientation to the neighborhood. Afterward, we returned to the area to explore many of the retail shops and some of the other restaurants. Highly recommend!

Chris, our guy was outstanding. His knowledge of Tucson and great sense of humor made for a wonderful tour. All the restaurants were very good. Chris kept us on time, well feed. We also learned a lot about Tucson and the food that makes this town a UNESCO site of Gastronomy.

Chris was awesome and informative about Tucson history and current goings on. We enjoyed the walk, murals, and sights.

Informative, delicious food, great guide. Karen Brown was personable and friendly, walking us through the charming and historical downtown.

Our guide was knowledgeable about the areas we were visiting and shared a lot of local history with us. All of the food was delicious!

Karen our guide was very knowledgeable and personable. Her understanding of local food history was full of personal experience and top notch!

The food tour had 6 stops which was a lot. We were full at the end. They also arranged a free drink at a 7th stop which was completely unexpected. Karen , the tour guide was very knowledgeable and even sent us a few restaurant recommendations after the tour. Loved her!!

This walking tour was fantastic! Our tour guide, Karen Brown was professional, knowledgeable and passionate about her job. The restaurant choices were perfect! What a great way to meet people from all over the country, learn about the beautiful city of Tucson, taste great foods from its amazing diverse downtown neighborhood restaurants!

This was a great tour. There were actually 7 stops including a free drink at the proper shops. All the food options were fantastic. I especially like the wagu sandwich and corn cake ( not too sweet). Karen,our guide, was fantastic. Lots of great Tucson history and sooo personable.

Karen was awesome on our food tour. Knowledgeable and very charming. The foods were all great , I particularly liked the Agave House Pastel desert. Walk was very comfortable and it felt like touring with a dear friend. Discovered some new foods that we loved.

Our tour guide was amazing. Her name is Karen, and she was gracious, informative, interesting and patient. Note. The starting spot was not clear. So Karen came and got us. Oh. The food was also great - especially the hot dog.

Chris was our guide and was great! He’s grown up here in Tucson and knows the history of the city well. What was most fascinating was that he knows the little details of the sites and restaurants we visited because he’s been to all of them. We had really good food and a great time.