The Best Way to Meet a City? Eat Your Way Through It.

When I start planning a trip, I don’t look for hotels first. 

I don’t even look for flights. 

I look for food tours and cooking classes.

Because before I know where we’ll be sleeping, I want to know what we’ll be eating.

Food is how I get oriented in a new place--it’s the fastest way to meet people, learn a little history, and figure out what life actually tastes like there. You can spend hours reading guidebooks and Yelp reviews, or you can follow a local guide through winding backstreets while they hand you still-warm Spanikopita and stories about the city. Me? I’ll take the pastries every time.

Our Favorite Food Tours

By the end of our Food on Foot Family Food Tour in Athens, we knew where to find the best loukoumades (Greek donuts), which neighborhood markets to wander, and which restaurants and shops were tourist traps to skip.

Fresh loukoumades with pistachio cream.

By lunchtime, we felt like insiders.

This family-friendly tour was easily the best of our trip. Garrett—the museum person—loved hearing how history shows up in local cuisine, while Scarlett loved that she could find something sweet at nearly every stop.

Later in the trip, Garrett and I made a date night out of the Eating Prague by Night food and drink tour while Scarlett hung out with Grandma. It was phenomenal. Our guide was engaging, the food was delicious and plentiful, and we got to explore both New Town and Old Town Prague in a whole new way. Our small group genuinely had fun together, which made the experience even better.

From Tasting to Making: Cooking Classes Abroad

If you love food tours, you’ve got to try a cooking class. It gives that same sense of discovery—just with flour on your hands.

In Brussels, we tried a Waffle Workshop where we learned to make waffles from scratch. Brussels waffles—not the more famous Liège waffles! While Liège waffles use a rich, sugar-studded dough, Brussels waffles are lighter and perfect for topping. The secret to their airy texture and crisp exterior? Sparkling water in the batter. Scarlett was so proud when the instructor used her batter as the class example of “just right.”

In Barcelona, we went the non-traditional route and took a pasta-making class—we’d already done paella classes previously. It wasn’t advertised as kid-friendly, but Chef Roberto was a gem—patient, kind, and a genuinely great teacher. Scar loved the class and devoured every bite of the meal she helped create.

The Best Way to Know a Place Is to Taste It

I usually book a food tour for our first or second day in a new city. It’s the easiest (and most delicious) way to get your bearings, learn the neighborhoods, and what’s actually worth your appetite. To me, food enriches an experience in a way that sightseeing alone can’t. So next time you plan a trip, book the food tour first.

And if there’s a chance to roll up your sleeves afterward? Don’t hesitate.

The best souvenirs are the recipes we bring home.

Looking for more? You can find my favorite food tours, cooking classes, and local experiences in my Well-Fed Wanderer Viator shop!

Visit My Viator Shop

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