10 Best Food Tours of Dallas

Dallas is a cosmopolitan city with an interesting gastronomy, made up of a fusion of Mexican and Texan cuisine, which you can enjoy on the most diverse gastronomic tours.

10 Best Food Tours of Dallas

Comida mexicana en la mesa |© Steve House

Dallas is a Texan city with a unique gastronomy, the result of the contact between Mexican and Texan culture. That's why an interesting way to get to know the city, and one of the most fun things to do in Dallas, is to take a gastronomic tour, which will also give you the chance to get to know its intense social and cultural life.

In addition to sampling the typical dishes of Tex Mex cuisine, you'll get to know the city's emblematic sites and their importance to the city's culture and history, such as Dealey Plaza and the JFK Memorial. You can also sample some of the world's most exquisite chocolates, visit select bakeries in Waco, or sample typical drinks while listening to the city's most mysterious stories. In this article I'll tell you about these and more things to do in Dallas.

1. Taste the delicious chocolates of Dallas

Cupcake chocolates|©Artizone
Cupcake chocolates|©Artizone

Dallas chocolate shops are among the best in the world, so one of the best food tours you can do in the city is a Dallas chocolate tour, especially if you are a lover of this exquisite sweet.

You can take this tour any day of the year, except for some holidays, and it takes place during the day. You are taken by bus to the different chocolate shops, where the guide will tell you how the chocolates are made, the history of the chocolate shops and which chocolates or sweets have made them famous. It's one of the best things to do with kids in Dallas, but be careful not to overdo it with the chocolate.

During the tour you'll visit some of the most famous chocolate shops in Dallas, such as Isabelly's Chocolates & Sweet Treats, Kate Weiser Chocolate or Kokopelli Sweets, where you'll also find ice cream and cakes.

Interesting details

  • Price: about 56 € per person.
  • Duration: approximately 3-4 hours.
  • Means of transport: bus.
  • Advantages of this option: includes tastings of chocolates and other sweets.
  • Disadvantages of this option: not all chocolate shops have vegan and/or gluten-free options.

Dallas Chocolate Tour

2. Take a Tex Mex food tour of Dallas

Mexican tacos|©ROMAN ODINTSOV
Mexican tacos|©ROMAN ODINTSOV

A great way to sample the city's typical food is to join a Tex Mex tour of Dallas, where you'll get to see the city's iconic sites. Tex Mex food is a fusion of Mexican and Texan gastronomy, and includes dishes such as burritos, tacos, chili con carne, chimichangas, nachos and fried foods, which you can accompany with a typical drink, such as margaritas.

This is a tour that takes place on a bus with about 18 people and lasts about 4 hours. It starts at noon and includes food and drink tastings and bottled water. You are accompanied by an expert guide who will recommend the best dishes from each restaurant, which you can continue to enjoy throughout your stay in the city. Many of these restaurants also have vegan and gluten-free options.

This tour is a great way to see the city's iconic landmarks such as Dealey Plaza, where JFK was assassinated, or the hiding places of the famous outlaws Bonnie and Clyde, while learning about Dallas cuisine and its history.

Read more about the tour

  • Price: about 75 € per person.
  • Duration: approximately 4 hours.
  • Means of transport: bus.
  • Advantages of this option: the guides will recommend the best Tex Mex dishes, including tastings, drinks and bottled water. There are vegan and gluten-free options in the restaurants...
  • Disadvantages of this option: only for people over 21 years old.

Taste Tex Mex food around Dallas

3. Take a food and cultural tour of Dallas

Meals served on plates|©Ethene Lin
Meals served on plates|©Ethene Lin

If you want to taste the typical foods of Dallas, and also learn about the culture and history of the city, a good idea is to take this gastronomic tour that combines gastronomy and culture. In addition to tasting the most exquisite food, you'll get to know the most representative sites of Dallas, accompanied by a local guide who will tell you the history behind each of these sites and their cultural importance.

The tour is done on foot with small groups of people, and usually at noon. Please note that you will need to bring extra money for the tastings, which cost around €30. Children are also welcome to join this tour.

During this tour you will taste typical Tex Mex dishes and learn how they differ from traditional Mexican food. Typical dishes include burritos, tacos, chili con carne, chimichangas and many more, which you can accompany with a margarita.

One of the sites you will pass through is Dealey Plaza, where, as I mentioned earlier, the assassination of JFK took place, and Memorial Plaza, where the memorial to the former president was erected. This tour is a great way to learn more about the events that shaped the city's past, while sampling some of the city's most delicious food.

Details of interest

  • Price: around €39 per person.
  • Duration: approximately 2 hours.
  • Means of transport: on foot.
  • Advantages of this option: you will get to know the best gastronomic options in Dallas, as well as the history and culture of the city.
  • Disadvantages of this option: does not include food and drink tastings.

Take a culinary and cultural tour of Dallas

4. Sign up for a private tour of Magnolia Market

Magnolia Market|©Larry Imhoff
Magnolia Market|©Larry Imhoff

The Magnolia Market in Waco not only has some of the best home décor shops in the area, but it's also a great place to sample local dishes, the best baked goods, and buy high-quality roasted coffee. The complex, built in two silos, is also a pleasant place to hang out in the open air. The complex built in two silos is also a nice place with outdoor spaces where you can have a good time.

To get there you can take a full day private tour of Magnolia Market and the city of Waco, accompanied by a guide who will tell you about the highlights of the market, and the cities of Waco and Dallas. The tour includes transportation by car to and from Dallas with the people travelling with you, as it is a private tour. For this reason, it is a tour that you can customize to suit your interests.

Magnolia Market features a café, food trucks with food options made from selected ingredients, and a restaurant with home-cooked meals. If you wish to eat in the restaurant, it is best to make a reservation before you go. You can check the menu on the Magnolia Table website. Silos Baking, the Market's bakery, is inspired by traditional bakeries and offers delicious cupcakes, cookies and much more.

The complex also has a vegetable garden and special spaces for children, with giant insect sculptures or mushroom-shaped seats. You'll have plenty of time to wander around the Market and see nearby sites such as the Waco Suspension Bridge.

Interesting details

  • Price: between £180 and £546 per person, depending on how many people join you on the tour
  • Duration: approximately 9 hours
  • Means of transport: car
  • Advantages of this option: You will travel in a comfortable car to Magnolia Market, with plenty of time to wander around and sample the gastronomic delights on offer.
  • Disadvantages of this option: Does not include food and beverage tastings.

Book a tour of Magnolia Market and the City of Waco

5. Get to know Dallas' haunted pubs

Dallas HRC - bar area|©w_keith_henderson
Dallas HRC - bar area|©w_keith_henderson

Another interesting way to get to know the food and drinks of the city is to take a ghost tour of Dallas at night, while visiting haunted pubs and hearing the most paranormal stories that happened in the city. It's also a great way to meet other travellers and share experiences. It's also a great way to meet other travellers and share experiences.

These tours last between 2 and 3 hours, and involve groups of up to 20 people. They are conducted on foot and accompanied by a guide who will tell you the stories in an entertaining and intriguing way. Only people over the age of 21 can take part.

Not only will you get to know haunted bars, but you will also learn about the mystery surrounding the death of JFK, who was assassinated in Dealey Plaza, or the secret behind the giant eye in Main Street Garden. Another of the city's paranormal stories is that of the Lady of White Rock, whose ghost has been seen wandering around a hotel.

Details of interest

  • Price: around €36 per person.
  • Duration: approximately 2-3 hours.
  • Means of transport: on foot.
  • Advantages of this option: you will get to know 4 haunted bars and the greatest mysteries of the city.
  • Disadvantages of this option: only for people over 21 years old. Does not include food and drink tastings.

Sign up for a Dallas Bar and Ghost Tour

6. Have fun on a scavenger hunt through the bars in Dallas

People in the bar|©Texas Coffee School
People in the bar|©Texas Coffee School

Signing up for a Dallas bar scavenger hunt is a fun and original way to get to know the best bars in the city, while completing the challenges set by the game. All you need to do is download an app to your mobile phone and complete the tasks it tells you to do, as many as you want and at your own pace.

While you complete the challenges, you can learn about the food and drink options at each of the bars. It is ideal to do with your group of friends or family, although you can also do the challenges alone, and take the opportunity to meet new people along the way. It's one of the best things to do in Dallas at night and it's sure to be a lot of fun, even if you don't win.

Interesting details

  • Price: around €12 per person
  • Duration: you can do the quest at any time at your own pace.
  • Means of transport: you must get to the bars on your own.
  • Advantages of this option: it's a fun way to get to know the best bars in Dallas and their drink menu.
  • Disadvantages of this option: No guide. Does not include tastings.

Tips for booking a food tour in Dallas

Hamburger with fries at the table|©Thomas Hawk
Hamburger with fries at the table|©Thomas Hawk

It is important that before you book a tour in Dallas, you read all the details about the tour so that you know for sure what is included and what is not, and you can be prepared for whatever happens. Some tours include food and/or drink tastings, but not all, so you may need to bring extra money to pay for them.

It's also important to know how long the tour lasts and where the meeting point is, so you can arrive on time and without confusion. My advice is to take the food tour the first few days after you arrive in Dallas, especially if you are staying for several days, so that you know which gastronomic delights are not to be missed during your stay in the city.

Many food tours have age restrictions because they take place at night or include tastings of alcoholic beverages, and are therefore not suitable for children. It is therefore important if you are going to Dallas with children to make sure that the food tour has no age restrictions before booking.

On the other hand, if you have any dietary restrictions, it is best to make sure that the tours allow for these options and to let the guide know so that he/she can recommend the best dishes for you. Many restaurants offer vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free meals, but these are not guaranteed in all the restaurants you visit during the tour.

Why hire a food tour in Dallas vs. going on your own?

People eating in a restaurant|©AramcoBrats, Inc.
People eating in a restaurant|©AramcoBrats, Inc.

Hiring a food tour has its advantages, as you will be accompanied by an expert guide who will recommend the best dishes and guarantee you the best dining experience in the city. If you take this tour the first few days you arrive in the city, you will be able to take advantage of everything you learned during the rest of your stay. But it is also highly recommended if you visit Dallas in one day.

On the other hand, taking a food tour gives you the chance to meet other travellers, share travel experiences and have a good time while you learn about the typical food of the city, the history behind each of the dishes and the Texan culture. On the other hand, there are tours that allow you to learn about more specific manufacturing processes, such as chocolate.

Many food tours also include a tour of the most emblematic sites in Dallas, such as Dealey Plaza, the giant eye of Main Street Garden or the JFK Memorial, so you will also receive information about them. Others, on the other hand, focus on the city's bigger mysteries. In short, if you take a food tour, in addition to sampling the best dishes, you'll get to know what makes Dallas unique.

  • With a tour
  • An expert guide introduces you to the typical dishes of Dallas.
  • Includes food and drink tastings
  • Lets you see the best restaurants
  • Visit the main attractions
  • Meet other travellers
  • No tour
  • Must do your own research on Dallas cuisine
  • Does not include food and beverage tastings
  • Must research the best restaurants on your own
  • No guided tour of attractions
  • You go on your own and without a group going to the same places you do