Meet the Market- Food and Fun tour in Pike Place Market
Recommended by 92% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Seattle, USA
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Get to know Pike Place Market’s history and importance to Seattle’s food scene while learning how to navigate the maze of vendors on this guided tour. Explore this century-old market with a local guide who will take you to James Beard award winning vendors. Meet nearly a dozen merchants as you sample their foods and learn about their unique offerings. From cheese to cherries, you’ll taste 10 different foods that are among the best in the market.
- Receive a special discount for each vendor you visit on the tour
- Taste tacos, fish, coffee, pizza, and more on this rotating menu tour
- Learn to navigate the market to find overlooked vendors that locals love
- See the world’s oldest comic book shop and the PNC’s oldest magic shop
What's Included
- 10 Vendor food stops and samplings from some of the best Market merchants
- Discounts on all vendor partner shops visited
- A Market family insider-led tour
- Parking is not included. There are many options to choose from, prices range from $5 and up.
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Gratuity
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- The Crumpet Shop1503 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
Your host will meet you in front of The Crumpet Shop. Remember Seattle is known for its overcast weather and rain, the tours will run regardless. Also, The Pike Place Market is over 100-years old and still has cobblestone streets and alley ways. So, get those walking shoes and dress appropriately!
End point
- The Athenian Seafood Restaurant And BarNext to Pure Food Fish Market, 1517 Pike Pl, Seattle, WA 98101, USA
The Athenian Seafood Restaurant and Bar, is a Market icon. It served as one of the locations in the film Sleepless in Seattle, where Tom Hanks and Rob Reiner had lunch. It is also one of the best views you can get of Elliott Bay.
Itinerary
1
The Crumpet Shop
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Can Can Seattle: A Culinary Cabaret (Pass By)
Piroshky Piroshky (Pass By)
2
Honest Biscuits
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
City Fish Co
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Corner Market
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
DeLaurenti Food & Wine
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Pike Place Fish Market (Pass By)
Don & Joe's Meats (Pass By)
6
Pike Place Market
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
7
MarketSpice
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
8
Market Magic & Novelty Shop
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Golden Age Collectables (Pass By)
Holy Cow Records (Pass By)
The Athenian Seafood Restaurant And Bar (Pass By)
9
Chukar Cherries
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
We had such a great time on our tour! John is such a character and knew so much about the market. I was with my husband and parents. My dad is in a wheelchair and John helped us navigate the market with ease and never made us feel like we were a burden. The food was delicious and we got to see so much! The market is a very confusing, complex place and I felt like such a 'regular' walking around it with him. If you like your tours with a side of comedy, you'll love this. I would highly recommend this tour - it was excellent!
Reviews
4.7
based on 450 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Great historical tour but not much of a food tour. Stopped 3-4 places and it felt as if we were asking for free samples ourselves. Im sure he is a great guide, maybe earlier tours are better. Would not recommend late afternoon.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Hi folks - Sonic John here. This review is inaccurate. We of course stop that at any vendor that gives out free samples and I know them all. My guests, unlike the rest of the public, receive a discount at those places should they choose to return. You received Piroshkys, a Seattle Dog, a slice of pizza, chowder, a full assortment of samples from the Truffle Queen, smoked salmon from City Fish and an assortment of desserts at Chukar Cherries. We can visit upwards of 12 places on this tour. I also expertly guided you through a monsoon and kept you all dry. Perhaps you wanted to go to a restaurant and took a Meet the Market Food and Fun walking tour through a historic district by mistake?
Safe travels
John is very knowledgeable about the market. The food offerings were great during this tour. Do not eat before the tour as you will get full. It was a beautiful day in Seattle and this tour was perfect. Thank you, John!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
You are so very welcome. It was indeed my pleasure to guide you through the Market and discover its rich history and culture. I had a great time myself. Come back anytime.
Safe travels!
Sonic John
We had a fantastic time on the Meet the Market - Food and Fun Tour in Pike Place Market! The 2-hour experience was the perfect blend of amazing food samples—like fresh biscuits and salmon—and fascinating market history.What truly made the tour standout was our guide, John (aka "Supersonic John"). Having worked in the market for decades, he was incredibly informative, sharing deep insider knowledge and taking us to unique hidden gems across the lower levels that we never would have found on our own. Best of all, John was absolutely funny! His fantastic sense of humor, upbeat energy, and great stories kept everyone laughing the entire time.If you want a delicious, high-energy tour packed with local flavor, book this one and look for John!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
I am so ecstatic that you enjoyed my Meet the Market tour. I had an absolute blast leading you through the labyrinth that is the Pike Place Market historic district. Come back anytime!
Safe travels.
Sonic John
Lots of fun, plus bonus learned a lot. I would tell anybody that if it’s their first time it’s a must
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you so much for taking my Tasty Tour. I had a great time leading you through the maze.
Safe travels.
Sonic John
The Food tour was wonderful. Great insight & knowledge about the Market, good samples & funny guide. Highly suggest since he navigated us early before the crowds.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
I am so thrilled you enjoyed the food. I try to focus on the vendors that the Market Family frequent. I had a blast myself showing you around.
Safe travels
Sonic John
Was a great tour! Learned some new things!
Loved seeing all the vendors. And the samples were a nice bonus!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
I am so glad you enjoyed it! I had a great time myself showing leading you through the neighborhood. Get your discounts.
Safe travels
Sonic John
You will experience the entire market with its rich history. It is a vast area with a lot of things to see. Our tour guide Sonic John had a lot of knowledge about the Market but also the food bank, senior care and other that the market offers.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you so much for the kind words. I am so happy I was able to show you the Market's many services as well as all the great food and art you can find here. It was my pleasure to guide you through the historic district.
Safe travels!
Sonic John.
You will learn a lot about Pike Place Market. The food was so good in the market we canceled our dinner reservations for our anniversary and went back to the Market and picked through the food vendors and restaurants. Sonic John is the best!!! His knowledge of the Pike Place Market is amazing. My wife and I would definitely do another tour with him. Go Sonics!!!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Suuuuupersonics! I am so ecstatic that you enjoyed your experience. I am happy to hear you got full. I can hook up food other tours can't because of my connections. Happy anniversary! Get your discounts.
Safe travels
Sonic John
Lots of food samples, that are more than sample size!! Bring an appetite! Also lots of hills, uneven pavement, stairs.. really not conducive to walkers/scooters.
Guide was local and got us through the crowds!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for exploring the 119 year old year old Pike Place Market with me. The Market does not comply with the ADA because it is a historic district but I can get my guests through the maze. Im glad you enjoyed the food included in your ticket price.
Safe travels!
Sonic John
We had a great time on our Pike Place Market tour! Our guide was knowledgeable, friendly, and made the experience fun for the whole family. We loved learning about the history of the market while getting to try a variety of delicious foods along the way. It was a great way to experience Pike Place and discover places we probably would have missed on our own. Definitely recommend!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Right on! I am so happy you enjoyed the tour. I am so glad I could share my knowledge and passion with you. I had a great time showing you around.
Safe travels!
Sonic John
The actual tour was helpful in learning about the market and how to maneuver the chaos. I rated this tour an overall 3 because of the rudeness and lack of compassion of John the owner and tour guide. When I informed him that my husband had stepped away to use the restroom, he went ballistic. He was more concerned about his next tour than the individuals he was currently directing. He was rude in his comments and only cared about moving on instead of waiting for my husband’s return. I apologized to the other tour participants as my husband has some health issues. They were understanding but John was NOT. He was a total jerk! Other participants agreed that his demeanor and comments were rude, unnecessary and lacked concern and compassion. I told him so and he could have cared less. I would recommend going with a different tour guide for a better experience.
Cba
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Hi folks - I stop at the bathrooms right off the bat and did so on this tour. I ask every ten minutes if anyone needs anything from water to restrooms - The Market is 9 acres and 30 buildings, a complete ancient maze - and on Saturdays upwards of 20 thousand people are crammed into it. The bathroom signs are vague and bathrooms often have lines. I know where the easy bathrooms are if you ask me on the tour. However if you just vanish without telling me and get lost in the massive crowd over and over again it is unfair to the other 10 guests that have to keep waiting while I find lost guests. Being direct about trying to find someone in a crowd is hardly being rude. The tour is two hours and I have premade samples and a timed route.
Good luck.
Jon was so informative and funny.We would never would have known about the intracaticies of the many levels of Pike Market. The food samples were great.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for taking my tour I had a great time showing you around the neighborhood. I am glad to hear you got a lot of information. I have been here many years and I always enjoy sharing my knowledge - Please get your discounts and
Safe travels.
John was amazing and knowledgeable. He knew so many people and facts about the market and area which made it incredibly enjoyable. Many random samples on top of the 'scheduled' stops made our group of 4 feel full without being uncomfortable. His personality and stories were worth it alone, but the food pushed it over to an incredible experience. Sonic John really lived up to his name!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
I am so happy that you enjoyed the tour. I had a blast showing you around the Market. I can get samples from a variety of places because of my connections so I am thrilled that you enjoyed it. Thank you for supporting small businesses and for visiting the Pike Place Market. Come back anytime.
Safe travels.
Sonic John
You learn about the layout of Pike's Market. The food samples are minimum and basic, a pizza slice, one biscuit and a taste of a hot dog. All were tasty but not unique. No drinks of any sort although there were numerous fruit and juice places.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Its "Pike" place not "Pike's" Not sure what food you think is going to be offered in a 9 acre 119 year old blue color working-class 30 building public Market outside of the Piroshky, smoked salmon, fruit, James Beard award winning Filipino food, chowder, pizza, Seattle dog, etc that you did get. And yes all are Tasty.
We enjoyed learning about the history of the market and the samples from various businesses. It would have made it even better had we followed a more logical path as it was difficult to find places we wanted to return to after the tour.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
I have taken an extremely precise and logical parh for the past 10 years. The Market is 9 acres and 119 years old. I show my guests the route right at the start of the tour in front of a giant map of the Market. During the tour I give you a portable map and other tips on how to navigate the 30 buildings. At the end of the tour I show you the entire route we just completed. I give all my guests plenty of tools to navigate the Market. Its up to you to remember where you want to go maybe take a picture or ask me something specific you wanted to see? Glad you liked the history.
Great tour, tour guide was great and very informative. You can tell he knows the history very well. The group was great except for the couple that we had to wait for that arrived late and intoxicated (Benjamin couple) other than that it was a great time.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for taking my tour. Yes that couple was taking their vacation to the extreme for sure haha. I appreciate your patience. I also had a great time showing you around the Market. I give you five stars back! -
Safe travels!
Sonic John
Great way to see, taste and feel the public market. John was great and quite a fun character! Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
I really appreciate the nice words. Im so happy you enjoyed the tour. I had a fabulous time myself guiding you through the Market.
Safe travels.
Sonic John
It’s a great tour and we tasted a lot of different food. John was great, very enthusiastic about his love for Pike Place. There is a lot of walking on this tour, so keep that in mind!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for the nice words. It is indeed a walking tour that shows you a comprehensive view of the Market and its community.
Safe travels!
Sonic John
Perhaps another tour guide would have resulted in a higher rating. My overall comment is chaotic. There didn’t seem to be a logical flow of the info our the market. While SonicJohn clearly knows the market it was just all over the place. The food choices were not great either… bread bread and more bread options.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Yes, your overall comment is chaotic and all over the place- My tour, on the hand, follows a precise route and I have done so for 12 years. You have never been here and have no clue where you where in a 9-acre 30-building 119 year old maze because the Market is always chaotic in the summer. Thats why you need a guide. Also bread? You get smoked salmon, truffle queen stop, Piroshky, Pizza, James-Beard award winning Filipino food, cheese, fruit, chukar cherries ... bread? What? I don't offer bread.
John was great. Clearly knew everything and everyone around the market. He showcased the energy and vibrancy of the market. As well he had a deep understanding of the history of the market.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
I am so happy you enjoyed the tour. I had a blast showing you around. Come back anytime always something new to see.
Safe travels
Sonic John
Great tour around the market with good eats. You will see a lot of the market you wouldn’t find on your own.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the kind words. Being the only Market Family tour guide I can show my guests all parts of the Market including the hidden wonders.
I was expecting a food tour and this was more of a building tour. The marketplace is really interesting, it just wasn't what I was expecting.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Im glad you found the tour interesting. It is a 9-acre blue collar 119 year old historic district. It is not a sit-down restaurant experience. I offer cheesy biscuits, Piroshkys, James Beard award winning Fillipno food, Seattle dog, pizza, Chukar cherries, Market grill, Beechers cheese etc. Its actually a lot of food for the ticket price folks.
Safe travels
Sonic John
We had a great time with Sonic John explaining the history of Pike Place market and providing samples from various vendors along the way. It was helpful to have someone give a guided overview of the market as it can be a bit overwhelming. We loved the food! Highly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
I am so happy you had a great time and got plenty of history. I had a great time myself showing you around. The Market has a vast and complex history timeline and I always enjoy teaching it to my guests.
Safe travels!
Sonic John
This is SO great - a super way to be introduced to Pike Market and vendors! Be prepared to walk, and enjoy every minute of it. The variety of foods tease your taste buds into wanting more!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
I really appreciate the kind words. Thank you so much for supporting the Market and for exploring the Historic District with me.
Safe travels
Sonic John
The guide had us walking around a lot more than was necessary to show us places he'd worked at in the market. Who cares? I liked the food stops. One was closed on Tuesday, but nothing (to my knowledge) was substituted for that stop. He got upset when, at the pizza stop, I asked for cheese pizza instead of pepperoni. I did get cheese, AFTER he pointed out that there were only 2 people who had specific food requirements. There was a lot of walking, including stairs and uphill sections. I asked if there would be a place to sit down at one of the stops. His reply was that this is a walking tour and is not ADA compliant. He did, however, pull over a stool for somewhere. He was very repetitive, especially about the shops he'd worked at in the market. We were near an ice cream stand. He told us about how wonderful the ice cream is, but that wasn't a stop, so that was disappointing. I will add, that I did enjoy the stops we made, it was fun tasting the different food.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Sounds like you wanted to go to the Mall and hit the Applebees and went on a walking food tour through a 9 acre 30 building historic district instead. The Market is a 119 year old working produce market not a giant restaurant with seating everywhere. I can make some food substitutions along the way but it helps to know ahead of time. You provided nothing - I still got you what you wanted anyway. There are over 500 business in the Market I can only go so many in two hours. Nowhere on my tour description does it mention ice cream. Im just pointing it out like I point out a lot of things on the tour. Pretty common on walking tours. This is like one of those Grand Canyon is just a big hole in ground reviews.
Tour was very rushed. It ended 30 minutes early. We didn’t stay at any of the stops for more than 5 minutes. It felt like more of a sales pitch for the stops than learning about the history of the Pike Place Market.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
I literally start the tour in front of a large map of the Market and explain the entire 119 year history from Thomas Revelle to the modern PDA. I explain the history of every building along the way and how the current Market functions. I have 30 years experience and am a constituency member and I know the entire 9 ace 30 building historic district like the back of my hand. You where on your phone the whole tour and wandering around the whole group had to wait for you.. No wonder you didnt hear anything.
John was perfect for the Pike Market. He had extensive knowledge of the history and great relationships with many shopkeepers.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for taking my tour and supporting the Market. I had a grand time showing you around. I am so happy you enjoyed it. Im always thrilled when I can highlight my connections to the Market community. Come back anytime.
Safe travels
Sonic John
This was one of the best walking tours I've been on. Sonic John brings an incredible amount of knowledge and energy, making the experience both engaging and informative. He's a fantastic ambassador for Pike Place Market and does a great job explaining its history, vendors, and importance to Seattle's culture.
The tour is an excellent introduction to the full breadth of the market, helping you discover places you might otherwise overlook. John also tailors recommendations to your interests, whether you're looking for great food, local specialties, or unique shops. I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Seattle, especially if it's your first time exploring Pike Place Market.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Why thank you so much for this nice review. I had a wonderful time myself taking you on a Market adventure. I am so thrilled you enjoyed it. Get your discounts and safe travels.
Sonic John
John kept telling us that the tour was too late in the day and all the stops were closed. Which begs the question of why he offers a tour at that hour knowing that all the stops will be closed. We had no way of knowing as visitors.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
This is 100% inaccurate folks --- I replace the ONE Honest Biscuits stop (a breakfast place closed at 3 PM) with a stop at the Truffle Queen so its really not that big a deal and is exactly the same amount of stops as my other tours. Jill here also does not understand what the phrase "begs the question" actually means because its not applicable here.
Safe travels folks!
Great tour; super knowledgeable! Lots of insider info and yummy samples. We would not have visited all the levels if we did not take the tour.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for supporting the Market and for the kind words. I had a fun time exploring the maze with you. So happy you enjoyed it.
Safe travels.
Sonic John
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