Best Food Tours in Miami
A big part of the charm of travelling to a new destination is soaking up the local cuisine, Miami as a city is no exception to the rule. Want to know the best food tours available? Read on!
Miami | ©Antonio Cuellar
Without a doubt, taking a food tour of the city's neighbourhoods is one of the best experiences Miami has to offer travellers. Whether you call yourself a travel aficionado or not, anyone who has experienced this vibrant city will agree with me on this point: the diversity of Florida's cuisine is one of a kind.
That said, it will come as no surprise to discover the diversity of food tour alternatives in the city, as different operators have managed to offer travellers different routes and approaches.
Gastronomic and cultural tour of Little Havana
A small part of the Caribbean island of Cuba can be found in Miami's Little Havana, one of the city's most popular neighbourhoods, which served as a refuge for thousands of Cuban exiles who fled the communist regime to save their lives.
In Little Havana, the traditions of the people, their music and, of course, their food are still alive!
A gastronomic tour through its streets is one of the most popular and fun tourist activities you can do in the city.
What do these tours include?
An excursion to discover Cuban gastronomy will always include a local guide who is an expert on the subject and a series of tastings in different family and traditional restaurants in the area.
As one of the most popular gastronomic tours in Miami, Little Havana tours are conducted every day, with various groups and at different times, starting from 11am in the morning until 3:30pm in the afternoon. This type of adventure is usually handled in small groups of 8 to 15 participants, starting the tour at a central point in the heart of the city.
If you are going to Miami with young children, keep in mind that some walking activities require a minimum age of 4 years per participant. If this is your case, be sure to coordinate details with the company preferably before the day of the tour.
Useful information
- Price: Adult tickets are available from €65 per person, while children pay around €50.
- Duration of the tour: On average you should book between 2h 30min and 3h for the tour.
- Recommended if... You are passionate or curious about Caribbean cuisine and its characteristic exploration of flavours. These tours are generally structured to take the traveller through the local food stalls with the most delicious dishes and drinks.
Art Deco and Food Tour of the South Beach District
No tour of Miami would be complete without an adventure to the South Beach area. This area is famous for its architecture, colour and for having one of the best shopping areas in the city, the beautiful open-air Lincoln Road Mall.
Combining these activities with a food tour results in the best plan to enjoy and do in South Beach Miami.
What do these tours include?
As with other food tours in the city, when you book this type of excursion you're in for a fun adventure that brings together a group of travelling tourists just like you.
Depending on the company you hire, you'll find that the tours are organised in small groups ranging from 8 to 12 travellers per tour.
As you would expect with this type of experience, tastings at various restaurants and food and beverage out lets are always included in the price, and the tour group will be accompanied at all times by an expert guide who will take you through the highlights of South Beach.
In South Beach it is well worthwhile to be accompanied by a guide to learn about the interesting details of the Art Deco architecture in this area of the city and to soak up the history and evolution of the place.
Useful information
- Price: From €60 for an adult ticket and around €50 for a ticket for children under 13.
- Duration of tour: You will need to set aside an average of 3 hours for this tour.
- Recommended if... In addition to the Miami dining experience you are interested in learning about the art and architecture of this area of the city, considered one of the most artistic and interesting areas of the city of Miami.
Food Tour of the Wynwood Art District
The Wynwood Arts District is another area of Miami characterized by its particular charm and flare. I recommend to my friends who are going to spend more than one day in Miami to take the time to stroll through its streets at their leisure, as good food and avant-garde art combine here to give us a decidedly unique experience.
What do these tours include?
Regardless of the company you hire for the experience, a food tour of beautiful Wynwood should include a food and drink tasting at selected establishments to enjoy the local cuisine. Please note that the food, drink and places to enjoy may vary greatly from one company to another.
These types of tours are usually run in small groups of 8-10 participants. You will be accompanied at all times by an expert guide, which is especially important for getting to know the highlights of the neighbourhood, such as the beautiful graffiti in the Wynwood Walls museum.
It is important to keep in mind that food tours to Wynwood are less popular than tours to other areas of Miami, such as Little Havana, and as a result, tours are generally not organised every day.
My recommendation? If this is a tour you want to do , book early as the available groups fill up very quickly.
Useful information
- Price: Adults pay around 70€ each; children pay around 60€.
- Duration of tour: You will need to book a full 3 hours for this experience.
- Recommended if... In addition to enjoying delicious food, you want to soak up Wynwood's alternative art, trendy shops, breweries and other entertainment alternatives unlike any other district in the city.
Food tour of the Design District
Located just north of Wynwood, a trip to the Design District is a must for any fashion lover visiting Miami. This area of the city is known for its world-famous luxury shops such as Prada, Cartier, Louis Vuitton and Hermès.
If fashion at the highest level is your thing, don't miss this opportunity. The gastronomic tours in this area of the city are certainly different but equally interesting.
What do these tours include?
Gastronomic tours of the Design District usually start at a meeting point previously determined by the company offering the experience.
Here you will meet an expert guide not only in local gastronomy, but also in the evolution and growth of the city itself, who will be able to accompany the group of travellers and reveal all kinds of interesting facts.
It is important to keep in mind that the restaurants can vary greatly depending on the company you choose for the experience.
However, almost all of the tours are usually complemented by visits to the city's most outstanding sites, such as the famous Buckminster Fuller, an outstanding work of modern architecture in Miami.
These types of tours are usually conducted in small groups, comprising an average of 8 to 10 travellers.
As this is a less popular tour than others discussed in this post, they only run one or two days a week, so if you're interested, it's best to book in advance.
Useful information
- Price: The adult rate starts at €70 per passenger, while children under 12 pay €60.
- Duration of the tour: Like other gastronomic tours in the city, you will need to book between 2h 30 minutes to 3 hours for this experience.
- Recommended if... The best thing about this type of tour is the possibility of combining the gastronomic tour with the experience of seeing some of the attractions in this area of the city. Highly recommended especially if you have visited Miami in advance and are looking for a different tour.
What foods you can expect to find on a food tour of Miami
As with other major cities in the United States, Miami's cultural mix has left a noticeable mark on the culture, the people and most of all, the food! A gastronomic excursion through the city is synonymous with a mixture of flavours and lots of colour.
Such is the case with Cuban Caribbean food. On a tour you should be prepared to try typical foods such as fried plantains, the strong flavour of Cuban coffee, traditional Cuban sandwiches, key lime pie, delicious cheese dip or Cuban guarapo.
What are the advantages of taking a guided tour vs. doing a food tour on my own?
A guided food tour of Miami is a great advantage for travellers looking for a more structured and educational experience; it is equally valid for those who prefer to plan as little as possible but enjoy their holiday with the least amount of hassle.
Since an outside company plans every detail of the experience, your only responsibility is to arrive at the meeting point at the agreed time and day and, of course, be prepared to eat!
You don't have to worry about group food tours either, as depending on the approach and the number of participants, both experiences can be equally interesting.
Tours with large groups of more than 10 participants tend to resemble a small party with friends, where there is no shortage of laughter and interesting stories. On the other hand, smaller group tours with 8 or less participants are ideal for a sense of intimacy and camaraderie.