Many London food tours visit Borough Market
The BEST London Food Tours
When I first moved to London in 2004, London food and British food in general had a bad rap (especially from Americans) and there was certainly no such thing as a London food tour. But over my 10+ years of living in London, I’ve really come to love dining out in this fair city. Eating out in London is the reason why I started this blog all those years ago! I’ll let you in on a little secret: in London, you can find pretty much any cuisine on the face of the planet — Malaysian, Ethiopian, Szechuan, Jamaican, Venezuelan to name a few — and we’re a nation that takes locally sourced, farm-to-table dining very seriously. So the next time someone makes a joke about how bad British food is, ask them when’s the last time they’ve visited!
If you’re not convinced — or hopefully if you are convinced — when you are in town, you should definitely take one of the many London food tours that have sprung up in recent years. Food tours are a great way to experience London neighborhoods — they’re essentially London walking tours WITH FOOD — and really understand this amazing city that I now call home. I’ve put together what I hope is a comprehensive list of the best London food tours by theme including Borough Market food tours and East London food tours. Enjoy and all the best for your visit to London!
Note that this list of London food tours was accurate when I compiled the post but please check with the vendors for the official food tour details including pricing!
Pick up some goose fat during your London food tour of Borough Market!
London Food Tours of Borough Market
Borough Market is the most popular and centrally located London food market — it’s one of the top gourmet and foodie things to do in London and great for just walking around and hanging out. Please note that the market is busiest on Fridays and Saturdays. If you visit on other days of the week, you may be a little disappointed. Likewise, you might enjoy the market early in the morning or later in the day. If you arrive right around lunchtime, you might find Borough Market to be a bit too crowded. The market is a short walk from London Bridge Station and is located under the railway arches: follow the signs for the Borough High Street exit from the tube. You can buy fresh fruit and veg here, as well as prepared foods like burgers, (British) pies, and hot sandwiches. Ah, and of course there’s plenty of beer and wine available as well. It’s a great place to visit on the weekend and a good London food tour guide will get you “backstage access” to tastings with market purveyors. I can easily spend hours here, walking around and dipping into places like Monmouth Coffee and Bedales Wine Shop. Here are some great options for Borough Market food tours.* After your tour, I highly recommend heading up to the cocktail bar at Aqua Shard in The Shard to relax and enjoy the view.
| Food Tour Name | Tour Description | Length | Tube | Price* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London Gourmet Food Tour | This tour explores the modern tastes of Britain, taking you around Borough Market, Mayfair, and Soho for a series of tastings. | 4 hours | London Bridge | £86 |
| A Modern Taste of Britain | Celebrate London’s vibrant culinary scene on this tour of modern British eateries. See how responsible restaurants serve local and sustainable food harvested from British farms. | 4 hours | London Bridge | £84 |
| The Ultimate London Food Experience: The Full English | Join a local to discover London’s incredible food culture and taste classic British dishes and produce. | 4 hours | Pick-up | £95 |
| Traditional English Food Tasting | Experience the best of the capital’s gourmet offerings on this walking tour of the City and Southwark Borough. Visit more than 12 eateries to sample English classics. | 3.5 hours | London Bridge | £64 |
I love London food tours, especially in Soho!
London Food Tours of Soho
Soho is seriously my favorite part of London. I just love walking around Soho — there’s always something going on and you will never be bored. It’s so international, it’s a little bit gritty and there are so many great places to eat and drink — at all price points. So many secret little corners too! (I love St. Anne’s Court!) Soho is changing rapidly — rents are pushing out a lot of the independent purveyors — but I hope it never loses its soul. Here are some of the best London food tours of Soho for you to check out.* After your London food tour, I highly recommend sticking around in Soho because it really comes alive in the evening and there’s something for everyone at every price point! Check out the basement bar of Hix Soho for example, or head over to Randall & Aubin or the bar at Kettner’s for some champagne.
| Food Tour Name | Tour Description | Length | Tube | Price* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twilight Soho Food and Cocktail Tour | Soho's international influences are so diverse that you’ll try everything from Spanish Jamón to Chinese dumplings while sipping on frozen margaritas, gin & tonics, and much more. | 4 hours | Piccadilly Circus | £99 |
| International Foods of Soho (Sundays) | Discover the huge variety of cuisines available in London’s historic Soho, from traditional foods to some of the newest fusion in the city. | 4 hours | Piccadilly Circus | £85 |
| International Foods of Soho | Discover the huge variety of cuisines available in London’s historic Soho, from traditional foods to some of the newest fusion in the city. | 4 hours | Piccadilly Circus | £82 |
| Soho Food and Walking Tour | On your exploration of Soho, you will taste a number of different international foods, and even stop in Chinatown. | 3.5 hours | Piccadilly Circus | £82 |
| The Internationalist Food Experience | Join a local to discover London’s incredible food culture and taste dishes from all over the world. Explore the streets of Soho and Covent Garden and soak up the inspiring international culinary culture | 4 hours | Pick-up | £95 |
The Beigal Bake is a great stop during a London food tour of Brick Lane.
East London Food Tours (Brick Lane, Shoreditch)
After Soho, Shoreditch in East London is my favorite part of London. I love walking around all the streets off of Shoreditch High Street on the weekends to check out the street art and the eclectic mix of old and new. You have true East End London stalwarts like the Beigel Bake surrounded by more modern restaurants and bars. Plus, I just love Brick Lane — the home of many restaurants from the Indian subcontinent and tons of curry houses. (In fact, the Brick Lane Food Tour or the Indian Food Tour would be my personal pick of the best London food tours to do.) Brick Lane and all of Shoreditch is really just so fun and lively — it’s a great part of London for a walking tour, admiring how diverse London is and how there is food at every price point. Here are some of the best Shoreditch, East London, and Brick Lane food tours.
| Food Tour Name | Tour Description | Length | Tube | Price* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brick Lane Food Tour | East London has an incredibly rich immigration history reflected in its eclectic buildings, street art and delicious food. Discover the stories behind some of the capital’s most varied food. | 3 hours | Liverpool Street | £148.50 |
| East End Food Tour | This tour offers eight authentic tastings at a diversity of East London places including markets, shops, bakeries, pubs and restaurants. | 4 hours | Liverpool Street | £80 |
| Vegan Food Tour | London's first and only vegan food tour. The 3 hour walking tour takes you through the streets of Shoreditch, while stopping at 4 of the area's best plant-based restaurants. | 3.5 hours | Old Street | £63.99 |
| Secret Indian Food Tour | This food tour is packed full of exciting food from the Indian subcontinent (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh), all available on the streets of London. | 3 hours | Aldgate East | £63.72 |
| Sunday Shoreditch Food Tour | Your guide will take you on a culinary and historical journey uncovering the many layers that make up Shoreditch, helping you to discover its hidden gems. | 3 hours | Shoreditch High Street | £63.72 |
London Food Tours that Specialize in British Food
If you are looking to focus on British food in particular — think meat pies, fish & chips, sausage rolls and British cheeses — here are a few London food tours that focus specifically on the best of British food. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll experience some English wines (including sparking wines) and craft beers (London’s beer scene is amazing), along with English cheeses during one of these very British and very London food tours. (If you don’t get a chance to sample British beer on your tour, definitely check out The Rake in Borough Market. It’s super tiny but a great place to explore tons of different beers. Also, check out the Bermondsey Beer Mile, where many of London’s microbreweries are located.)
| Food Tour Name | Tour Description | Length | Tube | Price* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Modern Taste of Britain Food Tour in London | Celebrate London’s vibrant culinary scene on a half-day food tour of modern British eateries. You’ll see how responsible restaurants serve local and sustainable food harvested from British farms. | 4 hours | London Bridge | £84 |
| The Ultimate London Food Experience: The Full English | This experience provides a taste of British specialties, including locally sourced products that have been created, perfected and continue to be made here in the UK. | 4 hours | Pick-up | £95 |
| Small-Group Food Tasting Tour of Royal London | Take a walking tour of the Royal Parks, Piccadilly Circus, and St James Palace; watch the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace; and enjoy cheese tasting, afternoon tea, and other British favorites. | 3.5 hours | Green Park | £69 |
| Traditional English Food Tasting Walking Tour | Walking tour of the City and Southwark Borough. You’ll visit more than 12 eateries to sample English classics. | 3.5 hours | London Bridge | £64 |
| 3-Hour Secret British Food Tour | Food tour of the Borough Market area. See some of the city's most well-known sights and try many famous British foods. | 3 hours | London Bridge | £67.85 |
London Food Tours that Focus on Chocolate & Dessert
Do you have a bit of a sweet tooth? Check out one of these dessert and chocolate walking tours in London visiting some of the most famous patisseries and chocolatiers! You really cannot go wrong with one of these London food tours…just make sure you are hungry!! And if you don’t get a chance to take one of these tours, one of my favorite chocolate places in London is Paul A. Young Fine Chocolates. He makes amazing truffles and in the winter, his hot chocolate is just what you need to warm yourself up. He has three shops: one in Islington, one at Bank, and one in Soho.
| Food Tour Name | Tour Description | Length | Tube | Price* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sweet Tooth Dessert and Pastry Tour | Discover London's best independent bakeries, gelaterias, cheesemongers, chocolate shops and more on our tour of Belgravia. | 2.5 hours | Knightsbridge | £67 |
| Mayfair Chocolate Ecstasy Tour | Indulge your sweet tooth on London’s original chocolate tour, and visit the famous chocolatiers, patisseries and candy stores of Mayfair, Piccadilly and Soho | 3 hours | Oxford Circus | £45.50 |
| 3 Hour VIP Chocolate Tour | Enjoy a luxury VIP Chocolate tasting tour in London's Mayfair district sampling Truffles and Ganashes from the finest quality chocolatiers. | 3 hours | Piccadilly Circus | £25 |
London Food Tours All About Cheese
There’s only one London cheese tour and you should go on it!! I mean, what could be better than a CHEESE CRAWL. The UK has some pretty amazing cheeses so a walking tour of cheese is a great way to experience the city. I don’t think the UK gets enough credit for its cheeses. So try some on a London food tour all about cheese and spread the word! If you don’t get a chance to do a London cheese tour, make sure to visit Neal’s Yard Dairy, which has two main locations: one in Covent Garden and the other in Borough Market. Another great cheese shop is Paxton & Whitfield on Jermyn Street. (Sadly this one tour below has some so-so reviews which I hope they address as I love the idea of this tour.)
| Food Tour Name | Tour Description | Length | Tube | Price* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London Cheese Tour | Come along and join the cheese crawl which is oozing in so many delicious English cheeses, for you to sample and thoroughly enjoy. | 2 hours | Green Park | £25 |
Vegan London Food Tours
Veganism is becoming more and more popular and now there is even a vegan London food tour. I am not a vegan but I do try to eat fairly healthy so this is definitely one of the more intriguing London food tours for me — always good to get a new and fresh perspective on food.
| Food Tour Name | Tour Description | Length | Tube | Price* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegan Food Tour Experience | Discover London's first and only vegan food tour. The tour takes you through the iconic streets of Shoreditch, while stopping for a bite to eat in 4 of the area's best plant-based restaurants. | 3.5 hours | Old Street | £63.09 |
Tips for London Food Tours
I’ve taken many food tours around the world so here are some things to consider when taking any of the above London food tours:
- Bring an umbrella! London weather is notoriously unpredictable. I recommend this windproof Lifetek umbrella.
- Arrive hungry!! Do not load up on breakfast or lunch before your tour. You want to be able to enjoy all the stops on the tour so it’s best if you are hungry.
- Notify the tour in advance of any allergies and restrictions. This helps the tour guide plan different options for you. Some of the unhappiest tour customers I’ve experienced have been people who didn’t let the tour company know in advance that they were allergic to X or weren’t able to eat Y. It’s not fair to your tour guide to assume that they will figure out something for you on the fly. London is much better at dealing with allergies and dietary needs these days but it’s still not as good as the US and in general, it’s just not fair to your tour guide to only let them know at the last minute that you have some constraints.
- Comfortable shoes. Even though it’s a food tour, it’s still a walking tour and you will likely be walking up and down stairs quite a bit. And remember…this is London! In general, people walk more in London. Expect to walk a few miles. (Some London food tours provide guidance on exactly how far you’ll be walking. If they don’t, email them to ask!)
- Bring water. Some food walking tours provide water, some don’t. Best to bring your own.
- Bring napkins and wet wipes. Maybe some hand sanitizer. Again, some London food tours provide these things, some don’t. Best to be prepared.
- Bring an open mind. During some London food tours, you may be confronted with things you’ve never experienced before — like maybe jellied eels!! A tiny bit won’t hurt you.
- Go to the bathroom before your tour. Bathroom stops might be limited during your London food tour, especially if you are visiting markets. I spent one tour in Bangkok waiting for a family of six to find restrooms multiple times during our food tour and it took forever and inconvenienced the rest of the group.
- Bring a bag or backpack of some sort. You may have the opportunity to buy products on your London food tour and it’s best to have something sturdy to carry them in. Also, you want to keep your hands free so you can enjoy all the rest of the treats on your tour so a backpack is a great option. (Just make sure you can lock your backpack securely.)
London Food Tour Summary
OK, I think that’s it! Enjoy your time in London and I hope you have enjoyed this list of the best London food tours and can go home and tell all your friends how great British food is! You might find my list of favorite London restaurants helpful too.
Other Posts You Might Enjoy
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- The Perfect 3 Day London Itinerary
- My Favorite Restaurants in London
- What I Learned as a Tourist in London
- How to Save Money on Restaurants in London
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*Prices were correct when this list of London food tours was originally compiled but please check with the vendors. Prices and other tour details may have changed.
