Tour Details
Duration
3 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
- Fortnum & Mason
- Soho
Photos & Highlights
Select a date
Tour Description
This walk is a great way to see some of the most famous neighborhoods of London from a different perspective—your bellies! In the company of a local foodie or chef, your London Food Tour will start near Green Park and the quintessential British food oasis: Fortnum & Mason. This is a great place to begin as English gastronomic tradition abounds inside Fortnum's hallowed walls.
On this 3-hour London Food Tour, you will cover a wide swath of the city using your stomach to guide us. From scotch eggs to exceptional ales and a whole host of global cuisines, London's culinary offerings are as diverse as its population. Along the way, we'll meet shop owners, taste artisanal products, and learn how London has become a culinary mecca that never fails to surprise.
You will pay a visit to a British cheese shop where you'll delight your palates with local products specifically selected for us while a trained cheesemonger explains the history of British cheese and the variety of regional offerings.
We will then weave up to Soho and the lovely, family-run Lina Stores deli with beautifully displayed cured meats, cheeses, and fresh pastas on Brewer Street before heading to Old Compton Street to pass by the aromatic Algerian Coffee Store, with an astounding variety of coffees and teas.
You will pay a visit to a British cheese shop where you'll delight your palates with local products specifically selected for us while a trained cheesemonger explains the history of British cheese and the variety of regional offerings.
We will then weave up to Soho and the lovely, family-run Lina Stores deli with beautifully displayed cured meats, cheeses, and fresh pastas on Brewer Street before heading to Old Compton Street to pass by the aromatic Algerian Coffee Store, with an astounding variety of coffees and teas.
While the area is now one of the most fashionable in London, you still witness remnants of its past intermingled with the diversity of small restaurants from all over the world… some of which we will visit during our walk.
Dipping down into Chinatown, we discuss London's international cuisine, which is key to the city's culinary culture of today. We might pop in for some gelato at Gelupo on our way to the Seven Dials area of London, where we can find some hidden treasures like Monmouth Coffee, Homeslice, and Neal’s Yard Dairy, with an unexpected Bohemian-inspired courtyard.
Whether you are a serious foodie or just like to eat, this walk will help you discover the secret corners of London and the coexistence of a centuries-old culinary tradition with an incredibly international food scene. Most importantly, it will help you debunk the myth that London is a culinary wasteland.
Come with an appetite, as our London food tour promises a feast for all the senses!
Whether you are a serious foodie or just like to eat, this walk will help you discover the secret corners of London and the coexistence of a centuries-old culinary tradition with an incredibly international food scene. Most importantly, it will help you debunk the myth that London is a culinary wasteland.
Come with an appetite, as our London food tour promises a feast for all the senses!
- Fortnum & Mason - 18th-century department store known for its gourmet groceries including tea and posh preserves.
- Soho - popular for the shopping, restaurants, and bars - you can move seamlessly from a bustling and creative new restaurant to an atmospheric little bar
- Chinatown - It is home to some wonderful, authentic Chinese food shops and bakeries, as well as shops selling Asian cosmetics and Chinese-inspired trinkets and gifts
- You want to learn about British food culture while exploring some of the most renowned neighborhoods and best shops in London
- If you want to explore London with a food historian, chef, or expert in gastronomy
Additional Trip-Planning Resources
A few things that pair well with this tour:
- A little pre-trip preparation. Make sure you have your food questions answered and get tips for your visit from a local with our Introduction to Food in London Talk.
- An appetite for history... And for food!
- More of a night owl? Book our London by Night: Pubs, Culture, and Stories tour
Looking for insider recommendations? Get expert tips to seeing the true London in our London City Guide.
Where do we meet? Where does it end?
The walk begins in the Piccadilly neighborhood and typically ends in Covent Garden. Your confirmation email will have the exact meeting point details along with a map.
Can I participate in your small group food walks if I have food allergies?
Yes. If you have any specific allergies/intolerances please indicate these in the Travel Notes section when you are booking and your guide will do his or her best to accommodate.
Do the tastings serve as a replacement for a meal?
Yes, this tour's tastings do cover a full meal.
Do the tastings serve as a replacement for a meal?
Yes, this tour's tastings do cover a full meal.
Is this walk good for kids?
Yes, especially if your children love trying new food and enjoy learning about the city through food. If your kids are under 13, we strongly recommend booking the walk privately, so we can better adjust the walk to their taste and interests.
What if it’s raining?
Tours operate rain or shine, but in the case of inclement weather, your expert will modify the tour so more time is spent indoors. It never hurts to have an umbrella on hand.
Is this a walking intensive tour?
This walk covers about 1 mile overall.
We understand that some of our valued guests may have mobility concerns, and we want to ensure you have a comfortable and enjoyable experience throughout your tour. If there are any accessibility concerns that your tour guide will need to be aware of, please let our team know at the time of booking.
Is this tour wheelchair-friendly?
The tour is fast-paced and includes some narrow alleys and cobbled streets. We do not recommend this tour for clients with severe mobility issues.
Book with confidence — see Context's flexible cancellation policy here.
Where You'll Start
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201 Reviews
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
We wanted to so much to contact you sooner but were unable to as work responsibilities and the first week back have been so busy. We are getting ready to remodel the center of our home next week as well.
We are so very happy with all you did to make our trip to London SO MUCH MORE enjoyable than it could have been simply wandering about knowing nothing of the fascinating history behind the scenes. You are a most passionate teacher and THAT made all of the difference to bring your city alive. You are so very gifted, intelligent, and have a very beautiful heart. We thank you so very, very much for sharing that gift with us.
After our travel on the Eurostar, we went all over France, missed a few trains,visited Rndy's family, and then, on our trip home, we were sitting on the plane leaving Parisfor New York because of the Paris air show. We were blessed with a night in Manhatten where we enjoyed a lovely Italian meal and then were able to shop and find a beautiful chandelier that will now sit above our dining room table as a memory of the most incredible trip we have ever had
May God bless you always. We certainly hope so see you in the future.
Randy
Reviewed on:
Jun 29, 2015
Very well planned and executed tour
Robert
Reviewed on:
Apr 11, 2015
Docent was personable and organized but didn't offer a lot of content. Part of the problem may be the sites - Covent Garden, 9 Dials, etc. used to be major food centers but aren't any more. The food tastings were lovely but would have been better if we had been asked about food preferences ahead of time. My husband doesn't eat red meat so the meat tasting at Fortnum and Mason left him out.
Perhaps if more of the historical context of food in London were discussed? Or discussion of food and class distinctions?
Jill
Reviewed on:
Jan 10, 2015
