Boston is a charming city that’s full of history.
It also has some of the most reputable Universities from MIT to Harvard.
Due to its longstanding history, Boston has one of the best dining scenes with a range of cuisine from Italian to Chinese and more.
Seafood is another standout option around town, but there’s also plenty more to try as you eat your way around the city.
Not sure where to begin? Not to worry.
We’ve curated 14 of the best Boston food tours and dining experiences to get you started.
1. North End History and Pizza Walking Tour
The North End has some of the best pizza in Boston, and is also iconically known as “Little Italy”.
As you enjoy a slice of the best pizza, you’ll also delve deeper into the history of the area.
Walk in the footsteps of some of the best revolutionary patriots like Samuel Adams, George Washington and more.
Being exceptionally close to the freedom trail, you’ll get to see five freedom trail sites and enjoy three different slices of pizza.
These exciting pizza locations can range from Boston’s oldest Pizzeria to a secret underground spot and more.
That’s not all, this tour will also take you to visit the Old North Church.
You’ll even experience a chocolate making demonstration with samples.
This is the perfect tour to immerse yourself in the North End and its history while trying out some of the most delicious pizzas in the area.
- Departure Point: 195 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113, USA
- Departure Time: 11am to 5pm
- Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
2. Boston: North End to the Freedom Trail
While the North End is known for its pizza as its the “Little Italy” district of Boston, there are many more culinary delights hidden in this incredible neighborhood.
On this tour, you’ll uncover more of the North End from its most revered church to the other mouth-watering delights.
Taste meats, cheeses, fresh breads, pastries and more as you wander through the neighborhood.
As this is also a historical area of Boston, you’ll get to learn more about the city’s incredible past and even wander through the Freedom Trail.
You’ll be guided through the picturesque neighborhood of Beacon Hill with its brick row houses and cobble stoned paths.
This tour is truly the perfect combination of food and history.
Departure Point: 222 State St, Boston, MA 02109, USA
Departure Time: 10am
Duration: 5 hours
3. Sweet & Savory South End Neighborhood Escape
The South End of Boston is an up and coming neighborhood that has flourished in recent years.
Besides its rich history, South End is becoming a renowned food scene of Boston.
With its English-style squares, trendy eateries and family-friendly bistros, there’s plenty to explore around this area.
On this tour, you’ll get to walk through this beautiful neighborhood while tasting both sweet and savory delights.
Sample food specialities from local eateries, learn about the history, and learn how South End chefs have contributed to its modern culture.
- Departure Point: The Elephant Walk South End, 1415 Washington St, Boston, MA 02118
- Departure Time: 11:30am
- Duration: 3 hours
4. Chinatown’s Culture and Cuisine
Chinatown is a must-visit neighborhood in Boston, especially if you’re looking to embark on a culinary adventure.
With the perfect combination of traditional and modern day eats, this tour will take you to sample both these delights.
Learn about the history of Chinatown and how Chinese-American cuisine has evolved to include Boston-specific dishes.
Visit some of the best local restaurants in this area and enjoy both Chinese as well as Chinese-American food.
You’ll learn what makes Chinatown special, and hear the fascinating stories behind the people and what makes Chinatown the tasty gem it is today.
This is one cultural food tour that you wouldn’t want to miss!
- Departure Point: John F Fitzgerald Surface Road, John F Fitzgerald Surface Rd, Boston, MA, USA
- Departure Time: 11am
- Duration: 3 hours
5. Cheers Restaurant
Formerly known as the Bull and Finch pub, Cheers Boston has been made popular due to the television show Cheers.
While the inside of the bar doesn’t quite look like the setting on TV, this is still a great pub to stop at for a drink.
Located in the gorgeous neighborhood of Beacon Hill, Cheers is an authentic neighborhood pub that has Boston draft beers along with some Boston eats such as the Boston Clam Chowda.
At Cheers, you can also pick up a few souvenirs from the Cheers shop.
You can easily pop into Cheers while you’re exploring Beacon Hill or hop on a Boston Movie Mile Walking Tour.
This tour will take you to visit more than 30 movie locations and is a fantastic tour for movie buffs.
- Address: 84 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02108, United States
- Opening Hours: Daily 11am to 11pm
6. Quincy Market
Quincy market is the quintessential Boston experience and is located in the Faneuil Hall Marketplace.
With a history of nearly 200 years, it has attracted both locals and tourists alike.
This incredible food hall is set inside a three-level Greek style building and has more than 50 shops and over 50 food court stops.
Inside Quincy Market, you’ll be overwhelmed by the variety of choices available from the classic Boston clam chowder to ice cream and the delicious Boston lobster roll.
Quincy Market also has a number of stalls and pushcarts selling New England souvenirs – a great spot to pick up something for friends and family.
If you’re heading to Quincy Market, you’ll want to spend a whole day there as the Fanueil Hall area has a variety of other shops and restaurants that you can explore.
Its also near the harbor area so you can soak in some incredible ocean views.
You can visit Fanueil Hall as part of the “Boston in One Day” sightseeing bus tour.
This tour is fully narrated and will take you to see some of the major sights in the area from Beacon Hill to Quincy Market and more.
- Address: 4 South Market St, Boston, MA 02109
- Opening Hours: Daily 10am to 9pm
7. Boston Public Market
During this tour, you’ll get to experience the Boston Public Market – a year-round indoor market that serves up some of the freshest produce and ingredients.
On Fridays and Saturdays this tour will also take you the historic outdoor Haymarket.
As you wander through the markets with your guide, you’ll get to soak in the vibrant sights, smells, and sounds while tasting some delicious delights.
Enjoy some of Boston’s best ice cream, try a traditional apple cider doughnut, and have some award-winning chocolates along with the iconic Boston lobster roll.
End off your tour at the North End to have some freshly baked Italian breads, mozzarella, and the tantalizing cannoli – an Italian pastry that’s made with fresh pastry dough and stuffed with a sweet, creamy filling.
- Departure Point: 296 State St, Boston, MA 02109, USA
- Departure Time: 9:15am or 10am
- Duration: 3 hours
8. Classic Bites of Boston
Each state in the US has their own food specialities, and Boston is no exception.
On this classics foods tour, you’ll get to sample the best of Boston delights from clam chowder to Boston cream pie and more.
You’ll get to learn more about why these foods became so popular in the first place.
Start off at Fanueil Hall where you’ll have a taste of Boston’s creamy clam chowder.
You’ll also find out more about the history of Fanueil Hall.
Thereafter it’s onto Beantown Pub for some Boston baked beans and brown bread before heading to your next location and indulging in a lobster roll.
The tour concludes at the famous Omni Parker House where you’ll end on a sweet note with the classic Boston cream pie.
This tour is perfect for foodies looking to taste a bit of all the Boston classics.
- Departure Point: Beantown Pub, 100 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02108, USA
- Departure Time: 11am
- Duration: 3 hours
9. Tipsy Chocolate and Wine Beacon Hill
Beacon Hill is a gorgeous historic neighborhood in Boston that tons of tourists flock to.
In this tour, you’ll not only get to take photos of the picturesque neighborhood, you’ll also be sampling plenty of wine and chocolate.
During this special chocolate trail tour, you’ll dig deeper into the history of chocolate.
You’ll also find out more about who the prominent Bostonians that made and sold chocolate were.
Your chocolate trail ends with a wine pairing session at your final destination.
- Departure Point: The Liberty, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Boston, 215 Charles St, Boston, MA 02114, USA
- Departure Time: 3:30pm
- Duration: 2 hours
10. Cocktails and Cannoli
When you’re in Boston, you have to try a cannoli.
The classic cannoli is made with fried pastry dough and comes in a variety of fillings.
What better place to try a cannoli then at the historic Little Italy North End neighborhood?
This historic neighborhood has some of the most iconic food in Boston, and is where this amazing tour takes place.
You’ll get to taste this delicious sweet treat at two of the most famous pastry shops in Boston, along with some sensational cocktails.
The tour also includes a chocolate demonstration – perfect for those that have a sweet tooth.
Your guide will delve into the history of the area and sprinkle you with knowledge about the North End, Boston, and whatever else you’d like to know.
- Departure Point: 191 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113, USA
- Departure Time: 1pm to 4pm
- Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes
11. Back Bay Wine Tasting
The Back Bay area is known to have some of the most high-end shops and prestigious restaurants in Boston.
It’s no wonder that the wine tasting tour takes place in this neighborhood.
Your wine ambassador will bring you to two restaurant hot spots in the Back Bay.
You’ll have your own reserved table with pre-selected wines served to you along with hor d’oeuvres pairings.
There’s even certified wine sommeliers that will teach you the basics of wine-tasting from how to taste to how to pair wine.
On this tour, you’ll also get to pass by the Prudential Centre – one of the biggest shopping malls in Boston.
- Departure Point: 406 Stuart St, Boston, MA 02116, USA
- Departure Time: 3pm
- Duration: 2 hours
12. Brewery Tour and Tasting
Boston is known for a lot of things from history to sports, but it also has some of the best beer.
Get ready for the ultimate Boston craft beer experience on this tour.
In the span of five hours, you’ll hit up Boston’s best breweries, distilleries and cider houses.
You’ll get to discover some of the hot new innovative craft breweries that are up and coming in Boston.
While the Breweries might change based on the itinerary, some of the places you might visit include the iconic Samuel Adams Brewery, Downeast Cider and Night Shift Brewing.
At Samuel Adams, you’ll even get the VIP experience with tastings and lunch or dinner.
This is a fantastic experience for those that are fans of beer, and looking to visit various spots in the span of a day.
- Departure Point: 2 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116, USA
- Departure Time: 10:40am to 6pm
- Duration: 5 hours
13. Fenway Pub Crawl
Boston is known for its sports from the Bruins in Hockey to the Red Sox in Baseball.
Get to know Boston’s Fenway Park on this tour with an expert guide.
Start off outside Fenway Park on Lansdowne Street and head to three different baseball bars and a local brewery.
You’ll learn more about the history of Fenway Park, the famous Boston Red Sox, and how baseball became so popular in Boston.
As you enjoy the various bars and brewery, discover some of the local Boston brews, and nibble on a few snacks along the way.
By the end of the day, you’ll be an expert in Fenway history, and would’ve had a great night enjoying the company of your fellow travellers.
- Departure Point: 82 Lansdowne St, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Departure Time: Tour options between 12pm and 7pm
- Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes
14. Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum
The Boston Tea Party is a historical event that’s unlike any other.
During the 1773 demonstration, revolutionaries threw British tea into the Boston Harbor to protest the tea act.
Eventually, this evolved into the American Revolution.
Today, this act shows the resolve and persistence in Boston, and this is all explained in greater detail at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum.
This floating museum houses engaging ship restoration displays, interactive exhibits and more.
Explore the Tea Party Ships, see one of the two remaining tea chests, and even watch the American Revolution in a theatre.
Finish off your afternoon at Abigail’s Tea Room where you’ll get to learn a little more about the tea brewing process.
- Address: 306 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210-1027
- Opening Time: 10am to 5pm
15. Boston Cruises
There’s nothing quite like seeing the Boston skyline.
On these cruises, you’ll enjoy the breathtaking views along with historical sites, harbor islands and maybe even a glimpse of the harbor seal.
There are a variety of cruise lines to choose from including the Classic Harbor Line, Odyssey Cruises and Spirit Cruises.
On these cruises you’ll step onboard a modern vessel complete with impeccable service, upscale dining and entertainment.
Choose a day cruise, or marvel at the sunset with a sunset sail.
If you prefer to see the sparkling evening lights of Boston, the night cruises are also incredibly popular and even features an onboard DJ.
There are also plenty of other dining cruises available depending on what works best with your schedule.
Cruise Companies
We’re just scratching the surface on the food tours and dining experiences in Boston.
There are still plenty more neighborhoods to discover.
Perhaps you’d like to explore the neighborhood of Allston or discover Somerville at Union Square that’s also known as the Brooklyn of Boston.
Either way, there’s plenty for everyone, and you’re sure to fall in love with the food in Boston.
Also read:
Find More Food Tours in Boston
