Tastes Through Time - Charleston's Best Food & History Tour

Recommended by 94% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Charleston, USA

Popular pick

Booked 10+ times last week!

2 hours 10 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket

Why travelers loved this

4.8

· Joanna_P ·

Mar 2026

Enjoyed the tour from start to finish and every bite along the way. Page's historical knowledge was interesting and her presence was pleasant. The length of the tour was just right, along with the portion sizes. An easy and enjoyable outing!

· Lynn_T ·

Feb 2026

Loved the food and learning about the history. This was an awesome tour! They kindly accommodated my food allergies. Highly recommend.

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Overview

What's Included

Dinner

Delicious Charleston cuisine, water, fountain drinks, tea and lemonade are included.
History and Architecture walk with an expert, native guide.

Alcohol or specialty beverages (But you're welcome to order alcohol for a separate charge).
Transportation or Parking Fees
Tour guide gratuity (not mandatory but most appreciated)

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

164 Church St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA
Your guide will greet you under the alcove (between 164 Church Street, The Black Fedora and 168 Church Street, House of Jerkey). Your guide will arrive approximately five minutes prior to the start of the tour.

End point

184 E Bay St, Charleston, SC 29401, USA

Itinerary

Historic Downtown Charleston (Pass By)

Charleston City Market (Pass By)

St. Philip's Church (Pass By)

Philadelphia Alley (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation

Infants must sit on laps
Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

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

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.8

based on 113 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Enjoyed the tour from...

Joanna_P, Mar 2026

Response from Host, Mar 2026

We're so pleased to hear that you enjoyed the tour in it's entirety! All the best and come back soon!

The historical context...

Julia_S, Mar 2026

The historical context and stories were great, very informative. But the food/restaurant selections were not good. For a city with so many amazing restaurants, I recommend changing the ones they stop at

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hi Julia. Thank you so much for the compliments about the history and stories. Our restaurant stops have all been fixtures in the historic district for more than 30 years. These are top quality classic Charleston restaurants serving signature Lowcountry dishes with expertise, and as evidenced by our numerous five-star reviews, we're proud to say that the majority of guests very much enjoy the restaurants on our tour. There are only about six restaurants in the entire downtown area that accommodate food tours at all. There are indeed many fabulous and amazing restaurants in our area, but they are not an option for any of the food tour companies. A restaurant has to have the proper atmosphere and set up to accommodate four or five, 12+ guest food tours, all at once. They have to have large kitchens, and a large staff with the right ambiance to accommodate the tours. And I'm not sure if you noticed, but there were other food tours in the same exact restaurants we were in because we all go to the same places due limited availability. Our tour is the only tour however that offers an extensive amount of history that equivalates to a walking history tour along with the wonderful food, and the guests leave with a treat in hand to take home as well. We always welcome recommendations and hope you enjoyed your stay in Charleston!

Tasty way to learn

Mckenna_C, Mar 2026

Great nuggets of history and local Charleston knowledge. I really enjoyed learning about the Gullah Geechee culture. Bbq was great!

Best tour in Charleston!

Jeannette_M, Mar 2026

By far the best tour in Charleston! Not only do you get fabulous food you get a thorough explanation of the deep and rich history of Charleston & the low country.

Our guide, Page, was so...

PHYLLIS_F, Mar 2026

Our guide, Page, was so knowledgeable about Charleston's food and history. The food tastings were very good, and it was fun trying different regional foods.

Highly recommend

Lynn_T, Feb 2026

Loved the food and learning about the history. This was an awesome tour! They kindly accommodated my food allergies. Highly recommend.

Good tour - accommodated dietary restrictions

Manjusha_S, Feb 2026

We selected this tpur because my 13 year old son has a strong passion for the culinary arts....and we are a foodie family! Our tour with Paige actually began the night before as she gave us our meeting point and confirmed some dietary restrictions we had so she could plan for our low country culinary experience. The next day she arrived on time for our tour and confirmed our group. The only odd thing was she referenced us by our dietary restriction, while everyone else was asked their name. Aside from that, the restaurants she selected were great and her prior work with the Gullah community had her well immersed in the African influence of Charleston. She had some great historical stories to add context to the foods she had selected for us. We left the tour very well fed and my 13 year old son even two thumbs upped the experience. He is going to try making a few of the dishes we experienced.

An incredible blend of...

Jo_C, Feb 2026

An incredible blend of history and food. As a tour guide, Page knocked it out of the park. Her knowledge and presentation skills were greatly appreciated. We are still talking about the nuggets of information she shared with us. Highly recommend!!

Excellent Experience

Gail_J, Feb 2026

Very good guide Very reasonable amount of walking I plan to return to all 3 restaurants to dine while in Charleston Highly recommend this tour

Our tour guide was very...

Carol_P, Feb 2026

Our tour guide was very informative & you could tell that she was proud to be a Charlestonian. I enjoyed the tour, the food samples, & the information she gave us! I’ve lived on IOP & now MPl for a total of 57 years & can always learn something new! Out guide was delightful.

She was very...

Caroline_W, Jan 2026

She was very knowledgeable about the history of food and where everything originated from. Quite interesting to learn about. Very friendly to wait staff and overall great experience.

Knowledge with food - what's better?

Stan_G, Jan 2026

Our two-hour food and history tour of Charleston was the perfect blend of delicious Lowcountry cuisine and fascinating local history. As a native Charlestonian, Page brought the Historic District to life with engaging stories, deep knowledge of the region’s culinary evolution, and a great sense of humor. Each stop featured signature dishes, VIP service, and well-timed reservations that kept the experience smooth and enjoyable. We left full, informed, and with excellent recommendations for the rest of our stay. Highly recommend this tour—and especially Page—for anyone wanting to truly taste Charleston through time.

Love, Charleston

Maureen_H, Jan 2026

This was a great tour! The time is right and an activity you can add to your Charleston experience. !

Nice walking food and history tour

Kristy_P, Jan 2026

3 stops, sizable food portions, free non-alcoholic drinks at 2 of the 3 stops. Page, our guide, was prompt, friendly and knowledgeable. We had taken another food tour in Charleston a couple of years ago that was roughly the same price and we visited 5 locations. This tour provided more historical context

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Thank you for your comments and thank you for labeling it a food and history tour because that is exactly what it is. We've combined two tours into one! As an independent contractor, myself and others work for multiple food tour companies. I'm not aware of another company that has five stops, unless you count stopping at the cookie place to sample little tiny cookie samples as a stop. I know one that does that as a "stop." The other company I've hosted food tours for stops at a little dessert place which is often standing room only, sometimes outside, which means in the rain, and the desserts they offer, which kind of plastic cup, are not necessarily Southern, and I have watched simply pitched in the trash can many times. That stop got so many complaints with the other company that we decided to do something more convenient, comfortable, Lowcountry specific and historical, as a dessert for our guests. If you are aware of what company or tour that you've mentioned here, that has five stops, please reach out to me directly and let me know. We actively ensure that our tour is the biggest bang for the buck in Charleston. Thank you and I hope you enjoyed the rest of your stay!

Food Tour

Lynn_B, Dec 2025

Paige was an excellent tour guide. Not only was she vey knowledgeable, her presentation was filled with humor too. We went to three great restaurants, with delicious offerings at each and a sweet treat at the end. I will definitely recommend this tour to family and friends who will be visiting Charleston.

We went with another...

Melanie_B, Dec 2025

We went with another couple and had a great time. We enjoyed the food and history behind the food. The tour guide was fabulous!!

Rainy day in Charleston

Kimberly_S, Dec 2025

Plenty of food. So pace yourself and you can take it to go if you wish to save it for later. Our guide Paige was accurate with all of Charleston history which was very nice. She’s been part of The city since she was a young g child and loves her city. We had a good time in “ Charles Town”.

Book if you like history as much as food!

Melissa_B, Dec 2025

A really good sampling of Charleston specific cuisine. Our guide, Page, tied the history of the city and the foods we tried beautifully. I appreciate her passion for the city she loves. Very informative.

Great experience

Kathy_A, Nov 2025

Page is very knowledgeable of the area. I appreciated her sharing about the Gulla people. You can tell it is her passion to keep this history told! Afterwards I asked my 21 year old great nephew if he liked it and he said a big yes, though he was keeping up with his Steelers score during the tour.

History tour through the guides eyes

EmilyAnn_T, Nov 2025

Like other reviews said there are only three stops, and the food was not anything worth writing home about other than the soup. She was very informative but had a point she wanted to make with the history she presented.

Response from Host, Nov 2025

As we say on the review card we give out, we very much appreciate and value your input as we want our tour to be an exceptional experience for each and every guest. We're sad to hear that you were disappointed in any way. As shown by our many five-star reviews, the majority of guests are pleased with the food selections at each stop, especially the smokehouse at the end of the tour. We have a specific and unique culture and cuisine in the Lowcountry, and it is our goal to share that as well as the history behind it all, with our visitors. The only "point" that I can imagine you must be referring to is where, at one of the stops, we emphasize the importance and contributions of the primary group of people that is behind the culture we celebrate today, which is the West African enslaved people's culture, that we now refer to as the Gullah Geechee. The Best of Charleston Tours is proud to support this very special creole American culture, and to make the greatest effort, along with many other groups in the Lowcountry to bring to light the richness and beauty of this tragically, rapidly disappearing culture that we have for decades been fighting so hard to save. Yours is the first comment we've received that was anything but praise and support for the passion we put forth regarding this cause. Until now we have found that our guests are eager to learn more about this relatively unknown culture and how they can help ensure it's perpetuation for future generations. While we appreciate your perspective, we will continue educate to the best of our ability, and spread the word to our guests, about the Gullah Geechee culture, especially since they are the essence of "soul food," Lowcountry and Southern cuisine. In regards to the three stops, again, after working for the other food tour companies, we opted to select a historical Lowcountry-specific dessert for our guests to enjoy at the end of the tour in the comfort of the restaurant or if they are full, which many say they are, they can take the dessert with them. This is opposed to the alternative which is a small dessert place that is often standing room only, and sometimes outside, which is a problem in the rain, that gives a small plastic to go cup of a daily dessert that is often not even Southern. Thank you again for your input and I hope you enjoyed your stay in Charleston!

History, cultural and food tour

Tracy_M, Nov 2025

Page was very informative regarding local history and how the food evolved with the blending of cultures in Charleston . The food was a good sampling and enough that we did not need to go for dinner afterwards as we were full. Great tour

Touring with the best tour guide ever.

Anitra_F, Oct 2025

Very informative and the guide knew so much about the history of Charleston. Really gave the best experience of how Charleston came to be and the true culture behind Charleston.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Thank you! Y'all were a pleasure to host. Please come back and see us again soon!

Page is very...

Kristi_B, Oct 2025

Page is very knowledgeable about Charleston history. It did feel more of a history tour than a food tour. There were only 3 stops. The food was very tasty just was expecting more stops. I would recommend explaining the itinerary and rules upfront. We ordered some additional food at a stop and that was frowned upon due to the time we’re allowed at each stop. It was a lot of history info being given to us and we never had discussions about the food, the flavors, what we thought.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Hello. I really enjoyed hosting your family reunion of 12 and hearing about the different areas from which you gathered. To clarify, we do advertise that we present a history-based food tour and that is typically why history buffs choose the Tastes Through Time tour. In regards to ordering extra items on a food tour, that is against the restaurants' rules, not just for this tour, and not just for Charleston, but for all food tours in general. In fact, just to be certain, I just searched "may I order extra food items on a food tour" and here was Google's answer: "You cannot order extra food items during a food tour to ensure the tour stays on schedule for all participants. However you can typically purchase more food from the locations after the tour is over." Honestly I've never even had that happen in the years I've been hosting food tours and I apologize if anyone was made to feel akward, but I did have to jump up and smooth it over with the restaurant then and there as well as to find out if they were even going to serve you the extra item or not. Also, I do typically ask for guests' feedback regarding the food selections, but yours was such a big group and there was a lot of conversation between groups around the table. Unfortunately I didn't have much of an opportunity for that in this situation. We do appreciate your business and I'm glad you enjoyed the tour other than the issues stated. Thank you.

Enjoying food in Charleston and learning about the Charleston City history

MaryJo_P, Oct 2025

Page was very knowledgeable and made our experience so fun! She was an expert on the history of Charleston and took us to restaurants that helped to explain the origin and history of Charleston food

Great food!

Anonymous, Oct 2025

Interesting tour with enough food to be a meal! Page was great. A couple of blocks of walking but it was manageable.

Food and History

Rebekah_D, Oct 2025

This was great! People visit and it's hard to pick one restaurant/tour where they can get the Charleston experience. This was a great mix of food and history.

Great experience!

David_p, Oct 2025

Fantastic! Great culinary experience! Paige was amazing with her knowledge of Charleston a the food history! Incredible experience!!!

Not Worth the Money

Tevia_A, Oct 2025

Our guide was friendly, kind, and very knowledgeable about Charleston's history, which we appreciated. However, we were disappointed by the limited number of stops (only 3) and the food selection. There were no dessert options, and only one meat dish was offered- a small slider. Overall, the food felt quite inexpensive, and we didn't feel we got our money's worth from the experience.

Response from Host, Oct 2025

Hello. We are so glad you enjoyed the guide and the history but we are so sorry to hear that you were disappointed in the food selections. I have worked for several other food tour companies in Charleston, and the others also have three stops, as well as a set dessert (not optional) at the end of the tour. We do give a dessert at the end of the tour, for guests to eat there or take home in case they're full, which the majority of people say that they are. The food selections you received were all specifically Charleston or Lowcountry dishes for sampling, and are designed to parallel the history of the culture and cuisine. The selections and amounts are equivalent to the other food tours in Charleston, if not more. The Tastes Through Time tour is currently the most affordable running in Charleston. Thank you for touring with us.

History and great food

Stacie_E, Sep 2025

Paige was an amazing tour guide! She was so full of Charleston knowledge and history. The restaurants she brought us to were great and the food was delicious. We highly recommend this tour.

Response from Host, Sep 2025

I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Enjoy the rest of your stay!

We enjoyed this food tour...

Anthony_Z, Sep 2025

We enjoyed this food tour very much. Our tour guide, Paige, was awesome. She was very knowledgeable about the area and knew so much about the food. I highly recommend this food tour.