As the Canadian gal I am, food tours have always been on my radar when out travelling. To me, food is the best way to get in touch with a culture, meet amazing people and, of course, indulge in beautiful food and drink. With this in mind, I started Tours in a Dish, thinking that York was in high need of such a tour.
You must imagine, then, my surprise when, time and time again, the question resurfaced: “...But.. What’s a Food Tour?”
I realized the North-American and European way of travel were very different from one another. In Europe, the omnipresence of history constitutes the main attraction while in North America, the relative absence of monuments has made food itself become the main attraction.
What more, I think most would agree (unfortunately) that the UK is not exactly renowned for its gastronomy. When we talk 'food', it is images of sun-drenched French, Italian and Spanish country tables garnished with the freshest produce which come to mind along with bustling market scenes of countries offering up exotic foods for the curious and adventurous-minded. Britain does not exactly figure on the list of Best Foodie Destinations. I beg to differ.
So please, let me introduce to you the concept of the Food Tour and perhaps convince you why a visit to the UK (and York in particular) should be on any foodies’ bucket-list.
So… What’s a Food Tour?
You know what a Pub Crawl is? Yeah? Love it? I do too and that is pretty much exactly the idea behind the Food Tour; a few hours spent eating our way through the city, visiting some of the best food + drink establishments there is. Lead by a local guide, Food Tour participants gain unique insight on the city, the foods sampled and the story of the businessmen and women shaping York's foodie scene.
Let’s call it a Food Crawl.
The name was coined by a friend who, as I was explaining the concept, blurted out:
“Ah, I get it then, you run massive Food Crawls of York!”
Indeed I do and the term, well, it’s here to stay.
Food Tours can be curated according to any given theme. They can be just general overviews of the city’s foodie scene or rather revolve around a particular theme. With Tours in a Dish, every tour offers you a new and unparalleled insight into a certain aspect of either York and/or a given food + drink tradition.
With TripAdvisor, food blogs (among others, see York on a Fork, Grey Goose, Great Food Club, Yorkshire Food Guide for inspiration) and great Tourist Information Centers we know it has never been easier to pick out some of the most popular places to eat and drink. But then again, what about you guys who want something different and out of the ordinary? What about those of you who want an authentic experience of the city where you discover the hidden eateries, extraordinary flavours and inspiring people which really make York the great foodie destination it is?
Pack up your suitcase and join us for one of our fun-filled and food-full Food Crawls of York!
Our first "Crawl", the Afternoon Tea Tour of York is, as you guessed it, all about tea. Together, we embark on a journey where we travel from prehistoric Asia to Victorian and modern-day Britain for an in-depth introduction to one of Britain’s most-loved tradition. Strap on your Explorer’s hat as we delve into a cheese and tea pairing workshop, one of the latest trends in the foodie world and revel in Victorian-England luxury. Come home with your suitcase packed full of unique stories on tea and York and pursue with friends + family the journey to discovery you started on the Afternoon Tea Tour.
On the Hidden Gems Food Crawl you will instead travel places hidden just a little out of sight and away from the usual tourist path. On this tour, you will make your way up narrow staircases opening up to unique and charming destinations (delicious food included), venture into the very heart of some of York's most beautiful historic sites and meet local 'foodiepreneurs' passionate about the food and drinks they create. Every stop will have you open up a door of flavours and places you didn’t suspect existed right here, in the bustling center of York. I know, this sounds a little Narnia-esque but in all honesty, it really sort of is...
More tours will come with time and events showcasing the local talents and produce will come a-plenty so do join our mailing list to have all our travel and food inspiration delivered straight to your inbox. As a member, you will of course be amongst the first to be invited on journeys to new and unsuspected foodie destinations in the heart of our beautiful York.
While you're here, why not check out similar tours by our friends at Brewtown? They're all about Yorkshire's own micro-breweries and trust me, they are great. 100% tried, tested and loved.
So... What's a Food Tour? Hope to see you on one of those! ;-)