Chinatown Food Walk
Chinese
While many American oldest Chinatowns are shrinking, Chicago's has been growing and thriving. This tour offers an insider's glimpse into a neighborhood rich with history, stories, architecture and amazing food.
Taste
From dumplings to egg custard tarts, lip tingling Szechwan dishes to boba tea, Chinatown has a dizzying array of delicious foods to explore
Shop
Shop a traditional market to learn about Chinese pantry essentials
Learn
Learn about the history of Chinatown while admiring the ingenuity of a replica Nine Dragon wall, and Chicago Landmark Pui Tak Center.
"She is a friendly and easygoing tour guide, and does a wonderful job of combining information and history about Chinatown with a fantastic food experience."
MJB
Chicago, IL
Tour Highlights
The Chinatown tour is packed with fascinating history, architecture, shopping, and above all, amazing food! Take a sneak peek at some of the tour highlights below. Tour tastings vary from tour to tour; many delicious opportunities are possible!
Char Siu Bao
Discover a classic Chinese bakery famous for their char siu bao buns.
Tea House
Peek inside a bustling tea house and learn its cultural significance in China.
Dim Sum
Learn about the history of everyone's favorite bite-size Chinese cuisine, dim sum.
Szechwan Lunch
Lunch at a popular Szechwan restaurant and learn about the regions famous 'ma la' flavors
Chinese Markets
Peruse local markets and learn how to stock a Chinese pantry at home.
Chinese Architecture
Learn about the architectural elements unique to an American Chinatown.
Chinatown 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!
7
This tour has 7 stops including restaurants, cafes, bakeries, shops and culturally significant spots.
7
This tour has 7 tastings including lunch and drinks. Come hungry!
2
Total walking distance for this tour is approximately 2 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!
