Hot Doug's Pizza, piece pizza, piece, 100 best, bradley danner — Photograph: Bradley Danner Piece Brewery and Pizzeria

The best Chicago food tours

Sample deep-dish pizza, authentic Indian cuisine and more great dishes (and drinks) on the best Chicago food tours

By Zach Long Posted: Tuesday February 23 2016

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Want to try some of the best pizza in Chicago in a single afternoon? Or perhaps you'd rather sample some of the best restaurants in Uptown over the course of a few hours? There's no more efficient (and fun!) way to experience the best Chicago's restaurants than on a food tour. Whether you prefer amazing Vietnamese cuisine or authentic Italian beef, you'll find something delicious on Chicago's best food tours—are you hungry yet?

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Best Chicago food tours

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1. Rebecca Wheeler’s Argyle Food Tour

Chef and culinary instructor Rebecca Wheeler leads this intimate tour of Thai and Vietnamese cuisine in Uptown. You'll start with fresh banh mi sandwiches at Ba Le, sample Peking duck at Sun Wah BBQ and slurp pho at Tank Noodle. The itinerary also includes a stop at a local, Vietnamese market, where Wheeler offers up tips for cooking authentic dishes at home. Reservations are required for this two-and-a-half hour tour. (773-368-1336, rebeccawheeler.com). $85

Photograph: Bradley Danner

2. Chicago Pizza Tours, Pizza & Cocktails tour

Experience one of Chicago's favorite foods one slice at a time on this boozy tour of local thin-crust and deep-dish pizza. Participants board Dough Force One (a bus outfitted with a karaoke machine) and are whisked to four pizzerias. At each stop, you'll enjoy a slice of pizza and a cocktail, craft beer or glass of wine. Stops vary, but expect to visit places like Piece, Coalfire, Pequod's or Flo & Santo’s. The tour typically lasts four hours. All attendees must be 21+. (888-210-3237, chicagopizzatours.com), $80.

Photograph: Martha Williams

3. Chicago Food Planet, Chinatown tour

Chicago Food Planet offers tours in Lincoln Park, Wicker Park/Bucktown and the Gold Coast, but the company’s Chinatown tour is its standout offering. The walking tour samples the delicious and sophisticated tastes of the South Side neighborhood, including visits to restaurants such as Lao Sze Chuan and Chiu Quon Bakery. Three of the stops on the tour feature sit-down tastings and classic dishes like Beijing Peking duck and a selection of dim sum cuisine. The Chinatown tour is approximately three-and-a-half hours long and requires a 1.3-mile walk. (312-818-2170, chicagofoodplanet.com). $55, 12 and under $35.

Photograph: Wendell Remington

4. Spice of Life Tours, Little India Tour

Explore the South Asian cuisine of Devon Avenue on Spice of Life's tour of Little India. During the crawl, you'll try food from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, including a stop at Khan BBQ. The tour also visits the India Book House, where you'll learn more about Indian culture and have the opportunity to receive a temporary henna tattoo. Each tour last three-and-a-half hours. (773-644-1202, spiceoflifetours.com), $75.

Photograph: Grace Allen

5. Tastebud Tours, Flavors of Chicago tour

For those looking for a crash course in stereotypical Chicago cuisine, Tastebud Tours’ Flavors of Chicago Tours allows you to try all of the city’s iconic dishes. You’ll enjoy deep-dish pizza from Pizano’s, Chicago-style hot dogs from Downtown Dogs, a “cheezeborger” at the Billy Goat Tavern and chocolates from Fannie May. Just remember: Chicagoans don't eat like this all the time (even though some us wish we could). Expect to spend three-and-a-half hours trying food in the Loop. (219-929-6648, tastebudtours.com), $44.

Photograph: Jaclyn Rivas

6. Chef Driven Food Tours, Heart of Chicago tour

Want to feel like a neighborhood insider? Chef Driven Food Tours pairs participants with an area chef, who takes the group to his or her favorite spots. The company’s Pilsen and Little Village tour includes tastes of Italian beef, tacos, shrimp and dessert at a classic Heart of Italy restaurant. The itinerary also includes stops at various colorful street murals in Pilsen and a visit to Al Capone’s unit at the Cook County Jail. You’ll spend three-and-a-half hours on this bus tour. (877-243-3755, chefdrivenfoodtours.com), $125

Photograph: Martha Williams

7. Sidewalk Food Tours of Chicago, Wicker Park tour

As one of the city's most popular neighborhoods, Wicker Park is filled with great restaurants. Sidewalk Food Tours of Chicago guides you through five tastings, from fish tacos at Antique Taco to delicious baked goods from Alliance Bakery. Along the way, you'll learn about some of the area's most notable architecture and get acquainted with its history. Each tour lasts approximately three hours. (855-259-5188, foodtourofchicago.com), $55.

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Best Chicago food tours

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