Ideal for foodies and hungry visitors, this Downtown Austin Walking Food Tour lets you explore the city’s central and historic area and sample numerous foods—from barbecue brisket to Austin-style breakfast tacos and even an Italian cannoli. Along the way, discover some of the city’s popular sights and attractions as you stroll the streets with a guide who’s passionate about Austin and shares stories along the route.

Discover the best eats in Austin during this gastro tour through the city
Learn about (and taste) the authentic dishes served up in Austin
This tour is a good option for first-time visitors and foodies
Find out on the day of the tour what the tour's special secret dish is

What's Included

BBQ Brisket - Downtown Austin Tour
Pinto Beans - Downtown Austin Tour
Breakfast Taco - Downtown Austin Tour
A “Beary”-special Smoothie - Downtown Austin Tour
Reuben Slider - Downtown Austin Tour
Flan Cheesecake - Downtown Austin Tour
Gingerbread Pancake - South Congress Tour
Local Smoked Sausage - South Congress Tour
Spicy Street Corn - South Congress Tour
Meatball Sub - South Congress Tour
Street Taco - South Congress Tour
Specialty Iced Coffee Drink - South Congress Tour
Our Delicious Secret Dish - Downtown Austin Tour and South Congress Tour

Gratuities
Additional Drinks
Pick-up and Drop-off

Meeting and Pickup

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End points

This activity ends in a different location. See details below:

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What To Expect

Downtown Austin (Pass By)

South Congress Avenue (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Transportation is wheelchair accessible

Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
*Please note: the itinerary and menu is subject to change, based on the locations' availability, weather, and other circumstances.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

5.0

608 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

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Showing 1-10 of 608 reviews

The best food tour!

Natasha_R, Apr 2024

Our tour guide's name was Zachary and he was fantastic! He did such a great job. We did the South Congress tour, and loved all of the food included in it. All of it was so delicious. He also pointed out some local shops to check out, and we stopped in one, which was pretty cool. It was also interesting and cool to hear some facts/information about the area and places we stopped at too. Highly recommend this tour!

Walking tour was pleasant but the food wasn’t all that great

Pamela_J, Apr 2024

Enjoyed the tour guide, he kept the group engaged and was able to bring a small group of strangers together. The down side was the food. Cooper Bar-b-que had delicious pinto beans but the brisket was dry and tough. The taco stand was dirty (our tour guide had to clean the table for us) not to mention the breakfast taco was poorly seasoned and tasteless. The Venezuelan pork sandwich was tasty but only a very small portion was given as well as the flan cheesecake and Juice Land smoothie. This was the first food tour I’ve been on that I left hungry.

Unmemorable food tour

James_B, Apr 2024

This was our 15th food tour. We really love to learn the culture and history of a city as expressed through their food. While we ate good food on this tour, especially the brisket and arepas, we didn’t learn much about the history, culture or food of Austin. Our guide was nice but spent more time fetching us glasses of water and food rather than talking about Austin and the culture. After a wonderful stop at a local BBQ place for brisket, it went downhill from there. We stopped by a smoothie bar and a food court for South American food. Not exactly the cultural experience experience we were hoping for.

Don't eat before you go!

Temple_G, Apr 2024

Eat before you go is usually good advice, but not for this tour. Our group consisted of 6 people and our wonderful tour guide Zachary. Before we even started, Zachary sent a photo of himself and asked if we had any dietary restrictions or allergies. Once we met at the designated spot we had a chance to chat it up and introduce ourselves to each other. Luckily, it was everyone's first time in Austin. Our tour was a mix of get to know Austin but tied in with food. Zachary is very knowledgeable about the Austin scene. He was charming, funny, and personable. I know that he was on the job but it really felt like we came into town to visit a friend. It wasn't until the last stop that you notice other tours going on simultaneously. I won't spoil the tour by telling you the spots that we stopped at but just know you will be full by the end. Every stop was delicious and the order was perfectly curated. You're able to rest for a minute and even order a drink from some of the spots. The food was ready for us when we reached each spot and was handed out by our guide Zachary. I highly recommend this tour if you are new to the area and want to feel the spirit of Austin.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for leaving a review, Temple. Our goal has always been to provide a delicious experience for every guest, and it's great to know we hit the mark with you. We're here to guide you on another culinary adventure!

Come hungry! Great Tour!

Richard_D, Apr 2024

We're happy we booked this food tour and got to experience different varieties of food within a few square blocks. Pola was our tour guide and was knowledgeable, friendly, and made sure everyone in the tour group was well taken care of. Some of the things we had were Texas BBQ (brisket of course), breakfast tacos, arepas, a food truck, local juice/smoothie place, and dessert (cheesecake flan). I'm glad we didn't really have breakfast, as we were quite stuffed by the end of it. Totally worth it!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for joining our Austin Walking Food Tour, Richard. We strive to ensure our guests have a memorable experience, and we're glad you left feeling satisfied. With Secret Food Tours available in over 60 cities worldwide, we invite you to explore more culinary adventures with us!

Nice overview of Austin food scene

Michelle_B, Apr 2024

Tour guide was very knowledgeable about Austin & the different cuisines. Nice variety of stops and dishes.

Great Food Tour

Ida_R, Apr 2024

Andrew and Kate were very nice and accommodating. Plenty of food for sampling, portions were a generous size. Highly recommend taking this tour while in Austin, TX

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for joining us, Ida! We appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again soon. Remember, Secret Food Tours operates in 60+ cities worldwide - so there's always more to explore.

Fun food and humor!

Vicki_B, Apr 2024

Zac (he can be named Zacalishous) Gave us a great tour. He shared lots of Austin facts, stories and a smattering of humor. After the delicious food and armed with Zac’s list of places to visit we were ready to explore more of Austin. Thanks Zacalishois for a delightful afternoon.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for your kind words, Vicki! We're glad you enjoyed our Austin Walking Food Tour with Zachary. Come join us again for even more flavorful discoveries!

Come hungry! Everything was phenomenal!

Martin_B, Apr 2024

Our tour guide Andrew was extremely personable and really gave us a good idea of why Austin is so special. The food items represented a good variety of the city’s highlights, and everything we had was delicious. I would definitely recommend the tour as a great starting point when visiting Austin.

Fun food tour!

Heidi_M, Apr 2024

Zachary was a great guide! Knew a lot about the area, history, as well as the food details! Fun day!

Fun, tasty, educational

Suzanne_L, Apr 2024

Very tasty food. Interesting, unique and diverse selection of places to visit. Enjoyed hearing the history behind the restaurants and food. Friendly and personable tour guide.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for sharing your positive experience with us! We're thrilled you had a great time and invite you to explore more of our tours in over 60 cities worldwide.

Great experience!

Carole_Y, Apr 2024

Having a great tour guide, Paola, Very knowledgeable about the past and present of Austin. Spending time with strangers and now friends!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for sharing your experience! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed our Austin Walking Food Tour with Pola, as our guides take pride in sharing local history and creating memorable moments. We'd love to host you again!

Yummy taste of Austin

MaryEllen_C, Apr 2024

Another great food tour! Our guide was fantastic, he was enthusiastic and informative. The stops were perfect. Brisket (Mac and cheese for me - I don’t eat meat) smoothie stop, breakfast taco, arepa and flan yum! A walk around the Driscoll hotel was the cherry on top! I will be going back to the places we visited. ❤️

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for sharing your positive experience, Mary! We're delighted that you had a great time exploring the culinary delights of Austin with us. It would be our pleasure to showcase more highlights in the city, as well as in other destinations!

Not Very Interesting!

Natacha_R, Apr 2024

This tour was on an interesting street but was very boring. Our guide was pleasant enough but didn’t have any pizazz to him. He asked us at the beginning if there was anything we didn’t eat but still ordered the food with it on (I didn’t want cilantro as I hate and my husband didn’t want lettuce/tomato’s) We went to two different taco places one after the other which I thought was weird. It was a long winded boring tour and I wish I hadn’t booked it.

Great Food -Great Guide -Great Tour

Barbara_B, Apr 2024

We had AJ as our guide. He couldn't have been nicer. We tasted a variety of food from 6 different locations. We were all stuffed by the end. We highly recommend this tour!!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for recommending our tour, and remember, we offer our culinary adventures in over 60 cities worldwide - so there's always more to explore with Secret Food Tours!

Do it!

Crystal_P, Apr 2024

Great idea when you just don’t know where to start - I was in Austin by myself and was a little shy. Nice group, great guide and yummy food! glad I did it!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for choosing Secret Food Tours! Don't forget, we offer tours in over 60 cities worldwide - so wherever you go next, we're there to explore with you!

A must do in Austin!!

carolyn_j, Apr 2024

First of all AJ was a fantastic guide!! We loved the stories he told and appreciated his advice on drinks to pair with our food. The was delicious and a great way to experience Austin. A must do in Austin!!

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for your recommendation, Carolyn! Wherever your travels take you next, we're here to offer another memorable experience.

Great stories!

Rebecca_B, Apr 2024

AJ was a great tour guide explaining not only the food but the stories behind each item. Some of the places I wouldn’t have gone to if not for the tour. Thanks AJ!

Great afternoon

Lauren_L, Apr 2024

Liked the variety of foods. Andrew was very engaging and knowledgeable. Even though I really liked the last two dishes - arapas & cheesecake, going to a food court was a bit disappointing

Great tour, need more knowledgeable guide

Dennis_B, Apr 2024

The content of the tour should have been rich history with even richer food. What we got was excellent food with little history of the city, architecture, and no time at the end for questions (our guide had to go hang out with her boyfriend). She said she normally does the ghost tours, which was the only content we got from her tour. She also told us she was only living in the city for 4 months, not that it’s a bad thing, but for such a highly rated tour, we would have preferred someone with more knowledge and experience living here. Booking was atrocious and we had to book directly through the tour company due to multiple days of issues while freaking out.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

Thank you for sharing your feedback, Dennis. We're glad you enjoyed our excellent food selection. Conversely, our team always aims to provide an enriching experience - blending culinary delights with insightful narratives. Typically, our guides are known for their upbeat demeanor and passion for sharing the intricate details of the neighborhoods we explore in Austin. From the reviews and feedback we've received, our guides are usually upbeat and excited in sharing interesting details about this beautiful neighborhood while moving from venue to venue. It appears to be contrary to what you've shared. Additionally, regarding the lack of time for questions at the end, our guides are more than happy to accommodate specific inquiries or discussions when asked. In this instance, it's regrettable that your experience didn't align with our usual standard of excellence. We understand that the opportunity to ask questions and delve deeper into the cultural and historical aspects of the tour is an essential part of the overall experience. Rest assured, we will address this with our team to ensure that future tours are reinforced to allow ample time for questions and discussions. Also, upon checking, we noted that your booking was made through Viator. While we strive to ensure a seamless booking process, any difficulties or issues encountered during booking with our resellers should ideally be communicated directly to them to help streamline their platform's booking process. We're committed to making every guest's experience exceptional and we invite you to join us in over 60 cities worldwide for another chance to discover the secrets of local cuisine. We are confident that, given the opportunity, we can provide you with a memorable and enjoyable food tour experience. If you’d like to discuss this further, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@secrettours.com.

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