Choosing a Nashville food tour comes down to a few things: where you eat, how the food is made, how much you actually get to eat, who you're exploring with, and whether the experience works for the way you travel.
I have been leading food tours in Nashville since 2018, and I care a lot about the details. Maybe it's the former engineer in me, but I don't think any part of a food tour should happen by accident. You came all the way to Nashville. You deserve the best thing on every menu.
What should you look for in a Nashville food tour?
A great Nashville food tour should introduce you to locally owned restaurants, serve food made from scratch, give you enough food for a real meal, and make it easy for everyone in your group to participate. Before you book, ask these eight questions:
- Are the restaurants locally owned? A food tour should help you taste the city you're actually visiting and support the people who make it special.
- Is the food made from scratch? Great restaurants should be chosen because of the quality of their food, not simply because they're convenient tour stops.
- Is it a full meal or just samples? Look at the number of stops, the actual dishes being served, and whether you'll leave satisfied.
- Are there options for drinkers and non-drinkers? A good experience shouldn't require alcohol to feel complete.
- Can the tour handle dietary restrictions? Gluten-free, vegetarian, dairy-free, and allergy accommodations should be planned in advance, not improvised when you arrive.
- How big is the group? Group size affects everything from conversation to walking pace to how easily everyone can sit together.
- Does the experience work for the way you're traveling? Couples, solo travelers, families, celebrations, and corporate groups don't always need the same experience.
- What do the reviews actually say? Don't stop at the star rating. Look at the number and recency of reviews and what guests specifically say about the food, guides, and portions.
Those are the questions I would ask before booking any food tour, including ours. And yes, I am biased. But the numbers back me up.
Since 2018, A Little Local Flavor's Nashville food tour has hosted more than 24,000 guests, earned more than 2,800 five-star reviews with a 5.0 average rating, and been ranked among the top 1% of experiences worldwide on TripAdvisor. Here's what those eight questions look like in practice.
Are the restaurants on the Nashville food tour locally owned?
Look for a Nashville food tour that intentionally visits locally owned restaurants. You'll get a better introduction to Nashville, and more of the money you spend stays with businesses in the city you're here to experience.
This one matters a lot to me. One of our rules at A Little Local Flavor is exactly this: every restaurant on our tour has to be locally owned. No chains. Since 2018, we've spent more than $1.4 million at locally owned Nashville restaurants.
That number means a lot to me because a food tour isn't just about feeding people. When thousands of visitors decide where to spend their money, those choices add up. It also changes your experience as a traveler. You aren't coming to Nashville to eat something you could have eaten at home. You want Nashville, and that's what I want to give you. If you book with us, you're getting the Nashville I'd show my own friends.
Is the food made from scratch?
Ask whether the restaurants on a food tour actually make their food from scratch. A restaurant shouldn't earn a spot on a food tour simply because its location is convenient.
We have two requirements for every restaurant partner: it has to be locally owned, and it has to make its food from scratch. No chains. No shortcuts. When I say "made from scratch," I'm talking about restaurants actually doing the work in their kitchens. At Acme Feed & Seed, for example, we serve scratch shrimp and grits made with stone-ground grits and Gulf shrimp. At Leon's Candy, you'll try hand-pulled caramels and pralines made from a 120-year-old recipe by a fourth-generation Nashville family.
Those aren't interchangeable food samples. They're part of Nashville's food story. Our entire tour is built around a pretty simple idea: eat the best dish on every menu.
Does the Nashville food tour include a full meal or just samples?
Find out how much food is actually included before you compare Nashville food tours by price. A tour with several small tastes is very different from a three-hour experience designed to replace a meal.
A lot of food tours are built around price first. When the goal is to hit a certain ticket price, food cost has to fit inside that number, and that can mean smaller samples at each stop. I believe that's the wrong way to build a food tour. I started from the other direction: What would make this the best possible experience of Nashville for our guests? Then I built the tour around that.
For me, that means you should actually eat. Our Downtown Nashville Food Tour includes six locally owned stops and a full meal, not a row of samples. You might start with a chicken and avocado sandwich from D'Andrews Bakery & Cafe, a James Beard Semi-Finalist. At Acme Feed & Seed, you'll have scratch shrimp and grits with stone-ground grits and Gulf shrimp. Leon's Candy brings the sweet side of Nashville with hand-pulled caramels and pralines.
There's also a downtown honky tonk with live music, located in a building that was once a stop on the Underground Railroad, plus a downtown distillery where the Drinking Tour includes a whiskey cocktail and non-drinkers get a fresh juice mocktail. Six locally owned stops, three hours, and just over a mile of walking. Come hungry. That's not just a cute line. We mean it.
Does the Nashville food tour include drinks?
Yes. Look for a food tour where drinking is a choice rather than a requirement, especially if you're traveling with a group that has different preferences.
At A Little Local Flavor, we offer two versions of the same food experience. The Tasting Tour is $125 per person plus tax and includes all of the food, a fresh juice mocktail, and a non-alcoholic drink. It's available for all ages. The Drinking Tour is $145 per person plus tax and includes everything on the Tasting Tour plus three alcoholic drinks. It's for guests 21 and older.
That means your group doesn't have to split up based on who's drinking. Someone can enjoy a whiskey cocktail while the person beside them has a fresh juice mocktail, and they're still sharing the same experience. Kids ages eight and up are welcome too, and anyone under 21 simply takes the Tasting Tour.
Can a Nashville food tour accommodate dietary restrictions?
Ask about dietary accommodations before you book, and look for a tour where those accommodations are already built into the experience. Gluten-free, vegetarian, dairy-free, and allergy accommodations shouldn't feel like an inconvenience or an afterthought.
This one is personal for me because I have celiac disease. I know what it's like to sit at a table while everyone else gets something wonderful and you're handed the sad substitute. I also know how stressful it can be to wonder whether a restaurant actually understands your dietary needs. That's why every restaurant on our tour prepares specific options by design. We fully accommodate gluten-free, vegetarian, dairy-free, and allergies, and the plan exists before you walk through the door.
I want someone with a dietary restriction to feel like they're part of the experience, because they are. I've written more specifically about how we handle a gluten-free Nashville food tour, but the bigger philosophy is simple: your food should still feel like it was chosen for you, not like something we scrambled to find because you couldn't eat what everyone else was having.
How big are Nashville food tour groups?
Look for a group size small enough that you can talk to your guide, move comfortably through downtown, and sit together inside the restaurants. On our public tours, that means 12 to 14 guests.
Group size affects more than people realize. You're walking together, eating together, asking questions, hearing stories, and getting recommendations for the rest of your trip. Our Downtown Nashville Food Tour covers just over one mile at a relaxed pace, with one easy hill, over three hours. Keeping public tours to 12 to 14 guests helps the group move through downtown and get seated at the restaurants together.
It also leaves room for conversation. Our guides are founder-trained Nashville locals, and one of their jobs is helping you figure out what to do after the tour. Tell them what you like. Ask where they'd eat next. Get specific. That's part of the fun. And since you'll be walking a little over a mile, I've also put together a guide on what to wear while exploring Nashville.
Are Nashville food tours good for groups and celebrations?
Yes. Food tours can work especially well for groups because the food, activities, and movement through the city are already planned while still leaving plenty of time to talk and celebrate together.
We've hosted more than 350 private events and 5,500 corporate guests. Our private Nashville food tours visit the same stops as our public tour, but the experience is exclusively for your group, with custom pacing and flexible scheduling. They're popular for bachelorettes, birthdays, and reunions.
Corporate groups have a few more options. Our Nashville corporate events start at $165 per person plus a 20% service fee and tax. Walking tours can accommodate groups from 6 to 120, and custom events can accommodate up to 300 guests. We can start anytime between 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., with hotel pickup if you're staying downtown. Teams can also add a guide-led Nashville team-building photo scavenger hunt.
The nice thing about a food tour for a group is that nobody has to figure out where everyone should eat next. We've already done that part.
Are Nashville food tours good for solo travelers?
Yes. A small-group food tour can be an easy way for a solo traveler to meet people while exploring a new city, without paying a solo surcharge or needing a companion to book.
I travel solo often. In 2024, I spent three months traveling solo through Southeast Asia and Australia, so I understand both sides of this one. I love traveling alone, but I also know there are moments when it's really nice to sit down at a table and have people to talk to. That's one reason I love food tours for solo travelers.
You're joining a group, sharing tables, eating together, and spending three hours exploring a city with a local guide. You can ask questions and get personalized recommendations based on what you want to do with the rest of your time in Nashville. And we don't charge a solo surcharge. Tickets are priced per person. Come by yourself. You won't be eating by yourself.
What should you look for in Nashville food tour reviews?
Don't judge a food tour by its star rating alone. Look at how many reviews it has, how recent they are, and whether guests consistently talk about the things you care about, especially food quality, portions, and the guide.
A 5.0 rating tells you something. A 5.0 rating across more than 2,800 five-star reviews tells you a lot more. A Little Local Flavor has hosted more than 24,000 guests. We're in the top 1% of experiences worldwide on TripAdvisor, we're a two-time Travelers' Choice winner, and we're ranked the #13 culinary experience in the United States. We're also the only Nashville food tour with live music built into the route.
Yes, we're proud of those numbers, but when you're comparing tours, I would still encourage you to go deeper than awards or ratings. Read what recent guests actually say. Do people love the food, or mostly the activity? Do they mention leaving full? Do they talk about their guide? Do the reviews describe an experience that sounds like the Nashville trip you want to have?
That's useful information. If you're curious about how much thought goes into creating the experience guests are reviewing, I've also shared a little behind the scenes of running our Nashville tours.
Nashville food tour comparison: what to look for and what to avoid
You don't need to become a Nashville food tour expert before your vacation. Ask a few specific questions and pay attention to whether the answers are clear.
| Ask this | Green flag | Red flag |
|---|---|---|
| Are the restaurants locally owned? | The tour clearly says its restaurant partners are locally owned. | It's unclear who owns the restaurants or why they were selected. |
| Is the food made from scratch? | Restaurants make their food from scratch and the tour can tell you what you're eating. | The emphasis is on the number of stops rather than the quality of the food. |
| Is it a full meal or samples? | The tour clearly describes the portions, stops, and dishes included. | You can't tell how much food you'll actually receive. |
| Are there options for drinkers and non-drinkers? | Alcoholic and non-alcoholic options are intentionally included. | Non-drinkers have to skip part of the experience. |
| Can you handle dietary restrictions? | Accommodations are planned with restaurant partners in advance. | Dietary needs are handled as last-minute substitutions. |
| How big is the group? | There's a defined group size that allows guests to move, sit, and talk together. | You can't find information about how many people may be on the tour. |
| Does it work for my type of trip? | The tour has clear options for public, private, solo, family, or group experiences. | You're not sure whether the experience fits your group. |
| What do the reviews actually say? | There are lots of recent reviews discussing the food, portions, and guides. | You're relying on a star rating without knowing what guests actually experienced. |
Is everyone welcome?
Yes. Our mission at A Little Local Flavor is simple: We are a place where everyone is welcome. That matters to me just as much as the restaurants, the food, the reviews, and every other detail I've spent eight years thinking about. There should be a seat at the table for you.
Ready to taste Nashville?
If the experience I've described sounds like the Nashville you want to taste, you can book our downtown Nashville food tour and join us for six locally owned stops, a full meal, live music, and three hours exploring downtown. I'll be proud to have you at our table.
Come hungry. Leave a local.
Frequently asked questions about Nashville food tours
How much does a Nashville food tour cost?
$125 or $145 per person plus tax at A Little Local Flavor. The Tasting Tour is $125 and includes all food, a fresh juice mocktail, and a non-alcoholic drink. The Drinking Tour is $145 and includes everything on the Tasting Tour plus three alcoholic drinks. Guide tips are appreciated but never required.
How long is a Nashville food tour?
Three hours. A Little Local Flavor's Downtown Nashville Food Tour covers just over one mile at a relaxed pace, with one easy hill. The experience includes six locally owned stops, and most of your time is spent inside restaurants rather than walking.
Are Nashville food tours worth it?
Yes, if you choose one that gives you more than a collection of small samples. A Little Local Flavor combines six locally owned stops, a full meal, Nashville stories, live music, and personalized recommendations from a local guide. More than 24,000 guests have joined the tour since 2018.
Can kids go on a Nashville food tour?
Yes, ages eight and up are welcome on A Little Local Flavor's Downtown Nashville Food Tour. Guests under 21 take the Tasting Tour, which includes all of the food, a fresh juice mocktail, and a non-alcoholic drink. The Drinking Tour, which includes three alcoholic drinks, is limited to guests 21 and older.
Do Nashville food tours run in the rain?
Yes, A Little Local Flavor runs rain or shine. Most of the three-hour Downtown Nashville Food Tour is spent inside restaurants, with just over one mile of walking between the six stops. Check the weather before your tour and dress appropriately for the portions of the experience spent outside.
How far in advance should I book a Nashville food tour?
Two to three weeks ahead is a good idea for weekends. Most weekend tours at A Little Local Flavor sell out two to three weeks in advance. Reservations receive instant confirmation, and tickets include free cancellation up to 48 hours before the tour.
You've come all the way to Nashville.Eat like it.
Our downtown Nashville food tour is the #1 rated culinary experience in the city, with 2,800+ five-star reviews.
Three hours, six stops, live music.