A culinary tour, also known as a food tour, is a fun way to try several different restaurants and food shops in a two to three-hour timeframe. While you walk to each location, you learn about the history that has shaped our growing college town. Upon arrival at each location, you are greeted by an owner, manager, or chef who shares with you a little bit about their restaurant or specialty shop and the food you enjoy in the tasting.
There is enough food served on the tour to make a meal for most everyone. We recommend eating very little prior to the tour so you have plenty of room for all the delicious samples.
Downtown Columbia is pedestrian friendly, and walking to each location is a great way to enjoy the beautifully restored buildings and soak up our downtown culture. We walk at a comfortable pace and typically walk less than one mile, spread out between five to seven locations. Please remember to wear comfortable shoes!
Absolutely! You want to capture the beautiful food presentation and the unique downtown architecture along the way! We would love for you to share your pictures with your friends and with us! @cct_tour #comofoodtours
Tours last two to three hours and involve walking to each location and listening to the owner/manager/chef at each location. Not all children enjoy these aspects of the tour. We let you decide if this is a good fit for your child.
Once tickets are purchased, there are no refunds. If a tour is canceled on our end due to unforeseen circumstances, we will gladly re-book you to another date.
We don’t have a waiting list at this time, but for groups of eight or more, contact us and we can set up an additional tour just for your group!
Each restaurant offers a beverage with their samples. If you purchase our Flavors Tour, the drinks will be non-alcoholic. If joining us on a Night on the Town Tour, there will be adult beverages paired with the food samples. For the dessert lovers joining our public Dessert Tour, the restaurants choose a pairing they feel is best; it may include alcohol and it may not!
Please contact us in advance if you have dietary restrictions. Each restaurant chooses which dishes they want to showcase, so we may not be able to accommodate you. However, we can see if substitutions might be possible for your particular restriction.
Once you have looked through our various types of tours, select Book a Tour or Book Online. Select the Private Tour option to see a description as well as a calendar of availability. Any of the dates in green are available for a private tour. Please fill out a contact form noting the date you are considering or give us a call at (573) 268-6087. We work with you to coordinate how many people you have in your group, send you a payment link which you can share with your group, confirm time and date, and answer any questions you may have.
Yes, tickets must be purchased in advance. Private tours must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance.
The group size can vary depending upon the situation, but the typical tour group has eight to 14 people. For groups of eight or more, a private tour can be arranged.
Rain or shine, we dine! Mid-Missouri weather can go from one extreme to another in a short period of time. Please be mindful of weather conditions on the day of your tour and dress accordingly.
Yes, restrooms are available at each restaurant.
Our tours are suited for anyone who loves great food at great restaurants and enjoys learning more about Columbia. Whether you are a long-time local or a first-time visitor, you can enjoy exploring downtown and sampling the best food offerings from handpicked restaurants and specialty shops.
A schedule of tours can be found on our Book a Tour page. Please note that tours are typically available in the afternoon Tuesdays – Saturdays and in the evening Tuesdays – Thursdays. We do not offer evening tours on Fridays or Saturdays as our tour partners are full those evenings! If you don’t see a date that works with your schedule, please contact us. New tour experiences are always in the works!
After selecting a tour and purchasing a ticket, you receive a pre-visit email with details including where your tour begins as well as parking options. The downtown area has several parking garages and metered street parking that offer over a two-hour parking limit.We recommend downloading the ParkMobile App for use at any of the downtown meters and garages as well!
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