Argyle Food Walk
Southeast Asian
In the 1970s, during the turmoil of the Vietnam War, immigrants from Southeast Asia began settling in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. From the moment they did, their shops and restaurants helped revitalize the area. Today they draw Thai, Vietnamese, and Cambodians from hundreds of miles around to shop at the markets and get a taste of home.
Taste
Sip bold Vietnamese iced coffee while you make your way through the best eats in the neighborhood including banh mi sandwiches, Chinese pastries, roast duck, Pho and more. Food is included in the tour price, so come hungry!
Shop
Shop a local market to learn about varieties of fresh and dried noodles and Vietnamese herbs, while gaining a working knowledge of the fundamental ingredients used in Southeast Asian cooking such as coconut milk, curry paste, lemongrass and more.
Learn
Take in a taste of culture and heritage as you learn how Chicago's Uptown/Argyle neighborhood was revitalized and shaped by Southeast Asian immigrants, plus a visit to the "Roots of Argyle" mural that traces 100 years of immigrant history in the area.
"Argyle is a fascinating little section of Chicago and this tour is so much more than just the food (which is terrific)."
Warren S.
Vernon Hills, IL
Tour Highlights
Vietnamese foods like Banh Mi and Pho have become red-hot culinary trends in America with good reason! The beloved sour-spicy-salty-sweet flavors of Southeast Asia are intoxicating. Take a sneak peek at some of the tour highlights below. Tour tastings vary from tour to tour; many delicious opportunities are possible!
Banh Mi
Enjoy baguette style banh mi sandwiches while sipping bold Vietnamese iced coffee.
French Pastries
Chicago's best chocolate croissant from a Coup de Monde awarded pastry chef.
Pho
Enjoy a steaming bowl of Pho, the aromatic beef noodle soup that you customize to your liking with fresh herbs, sauces and various additions.
Roast Duck
Sample incredible roast duck from Chicago's most iconic Chinese BBQ restaurant.
Asian Markets
Learn how to shop and cook with essential Asian ingredients like fish sauce, coconut milk, curry paste, lemongrass and more.
Roots of Argyle
Visit the "Roots of Argyle" mural while learning the immigration history of the neighborhood.
Argyle Tour By The Numbers
3
This tour lasts approximately 3 hours. Suggested start time is 11:00am, but you get to pick your own start time!
6
This tour has 6 stops including restaurants, cafes, bakeries, shops and culturally significant spots.
6
This tour has 6 tastings. Think of it as a progressive lunch. Come hungry!
.5
Total walking distance for this tour is approximately .5 miles with plenty of stops to make it a comfortable walk.
Food Tour Prices
All tours are private for your group of 2-10 guests! Food is included in price.
Adults (ages 13+)
- $150/each
Kids (under 13 who will be eating)
- $35/each
- No charge for babies/kids who are not eating
Can I add more guests after purchase?
- Yes, please contact me at least 24 hrs. before your tour date if adding additional guests.
Can my guests pay separately?
- Yes, select the “Deposit ($75)” option for the “Adults” field in the purchase form. Use the “Special Requests” field to tell me how many total adults/kids will attend the tour. You can direct your guests to pay separately using my general payment form. Please ensure all the separate payments add up to the correct total based on the tour pricing listed above.
Free
Tour FAQ's
- Exact meeting location, public transportation and parking suggestions will be provided upon ticket purchase.
- Plentiful tastings are included in the tour price, comprising lunch plus many extras (come hungry)!
- Tours are kid-friendly and baby-friendly. Strollers are fine, but a baby wrap may be more convenient for you. See tour purchase form for kid prices.
- I can accommodate special food interests or dietary restrictions such as vegan/vegetarian and gluten-free. Please specify dietary restrictions in the tour purchase form or contact me after purchase to discuss.
- Tours are held rain, snow or sunshine. I’ll send you a weather forecast the week of the tour so you can plan accordingly.
- Please wear comfortable shoes for walking.
- Like most event-based sales, tours are nonrefundable. Rescheduling tour dates is available with 7 days notice, subject to availability.
Meet Your Guide
Rebecca Wheeler
My private Chicago food tours are off the well worn tourist path and go deep into neighborhoods that are the heart and soul of the immigrant diversity Chicago is famous for. I won’t take you to any deep dish pizza places or hot dog joints that you can find on your own. We’ll visit the places that chefs head to after-hours, immigrant families gather on Sunday for a meal like back home, and families drive to from hours away to stock up on authentic cooking essentials. Even if you’re a lifelong Chicagoan, you will experience something new!
As a professional chef and cooking instructor that has traveled the world learning about the cuisines I love, I seek out the best of each neighborhood for tastings that I know are truly special. Because of my relationships with chefs and shop owners, you might get a behind-the-scenes look into a kitchen or taste something that’s off the menu. My hope is that you’ll leave the tour excited to come back, confident you can find what you’re looking for, and feeling like you’ve just traveled halfway around the world without the jet lag!
