Culinary Adventures: A Food Tour!

Greetings!

Have I mentioned that I have a new obsession? Big surprise, its food related.

FOOD TOURS! Not long after I moved into the Columbia area, I heard about the famous food tour here. I have had the opportunity to do it TWICE, at two different times of the year, and I cannot recommend it enough!

Columbia Food Tours is exactly what it sounds like! A tour of local restaurants in the city that perfectly represent the culinary atmosphere here in the South Carolina Midlands. We visited places big and small, fancy and simple. But ALL of them were wonderfully delicious. The food tour follows downtown Main Street, a gorgeous walking tour that spans several blocks, starting at the historical South Carolina State House. Our guide Brian, was great and touched on local architecture and history as we strolled through the city. Regardless of the time of year you book a tour, the walk is mostly shaded and absolutely beautiful! This IS South Carolina after all, and the year round mild weather make it a comfortable outing no matter when you go. Leisurely and relaxed, it is a pretty fantastic way to spend a few hours on a Saturday afternoon. I did the tour with my husband and we both highly recommend it as a date idea. That said, I have also been planning future tours when out of town friends and family come to visit! What better way to show them our awesome city than with a FOOD tour?! Ducking in and out of establishments, we worked our way up and down Main St, stopping here and there. Food and drink samples were JUST enough to give you a great idea about what each restaurant was all about, and definitely left us wanting to come back again! At each location we got to chat with the proprietors and ask questions about everything from the history of the building, to how they acquire their ingredients. It is true Southern hospitality at its finest and I have already returned to several of the restaurants because I just couldn’t stay away!
The places on the tour vary, but you can expect 5-7 different locations. The great thing is that many of the menu offerings change with the seasonal times of the year and it never seems to be the same thing twice! A great variety and definitely a great value for the price of the tour. Not only was it a fun way to learn about this new area my family and I now live, but we love to recommend it to anyone who loves to support local businesses. And loves food.
You can check the Columbia Food Tours website to learn about the different restaurant options! The site makes it incredibly easy to book a tour and the fantastic owners are prompt about any questions you may have. Another great way to see what they are all about is to check them out on social media! They have a Facebook page, Instagram account, and they are also on Twitter!

Have YOU ever been on a local food tour?

Disclaimer: The author received a free food tour in preparation for this post. As always, all words and opinions are strictly my own.