DOWNTOWN FOOD TOUR
3 hours 4 courses ~1.5 miles$89+ per person (ticketing fee included)
Our Los Angeles Downtown Food Tour showcases the innovation and trendy restaurants of the Los Angeles culinary world. Stroll through the historic core neighborhood learning about its fascinating history and incredibly captivating architecture, while going behind-the-scenes to meet chefs, restaurant owners and industry experts. Our 4-course progressive meal in Los Angeles’ Downtown concludes with mouthwatering desserts near the Bradbury Building.
or view our calendar to see when tours are offered
Complimentary Flavor Tripping!
Now Offered on All Los Angeles Tours
A fun, perspective-shifting experience with the help of South African Miracle Berries. Sample different sour, bitter foods and prepare to be amazed! No code needed, just book a tour and your guide will do the rest.
How it Works
Your Progressive Culinary Experience
Our 4-course progressive meal visits 4 restaurants – two appetizers, one entree, and one dessert, with a sprinkling of culinary history and stories in between.
Our Los Angeles Downtown Food Tour focuses on quality over quantity. Like a great sushi meal, our goal is to have you sample the highest quality ingredients – small dishes with huge flavor. We strive to shift your perspective of Brazilian cuisine through its story of the person who made it and even the best darn sangria pairing you’ve ever had. So no, we don’t serve your average Brazilian cuisine!
POSSIBLE TASTINGS* (EACH TOUR INCLUDES 4 TASTINGS!)
Savory Kibe and Pastel Portuguese croquettes at rustic Brazilian home cooked restaurant from chef Natalia – this is the authentic soul of Los Angeles
Learn about filipino rice nuances and taste a rice bowl of Bisteg Tagalog from DTLA hidden gem featured on Jonathan Gold’s Top 101 Restaurant
Braised taco tasting of chicken mole poblano and steak picado at authentic yet trendy Mexican restaurant
Salted Caramel Eclair at gold-gilded former Brooks Brothers department store launching the Downtown culinary renaissance on 7th Street
Go behind-the-scenes into the kitchen at an environmentally friendly gelateria and indulge your sweet tooth with two different gelato flavors
Delve into one of Los Angeles’ most famous sandwiches, the French Dip, at its home of origin and hear the real story of its rivalry and Ramon’s family’s bread recipe
Savor trendy and delicious avocado toast from “culinary mayor” Chef Joseph Centeno’s newest vegetable-focused restaurants
Enjoy Momma’s home cooking with a delicious bowl of pozole soup at one of Jonathan Gold’s top 101 Los Angeles restaurants
Chef Avner Lavi’s delicious seasonal pasta such as beet infused bucatini pasta with goat cheese at hidden gem pasta pop up
Have your heart set on a particular tasting?
Call us at (213) 394-0901 to find out which restaurants will be featured.
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3 DRINK ALCOHOL PAIRING UPGRADE
[$26 PER PERSON]
Our alcohol pairings are curated as carefully as our menu. Each pairing is a tasting size and frontloaded at the first two stops so you’ll be able to drive home after your tour.
Delicious cinnamon infused red wine sangria paired with Brazilian bites that will blow your mind
A glass of Sauvignon Blanc paired with delicious pozole
Classic Mexican beer to pair with delicious tacos
A glass of Folk Tree sparking wine paired with avocado toast
An Old Fashioned (called the best in his life by Jonathan Gold) paired with a classic French Dip sandwich
Just the facts
- Hear the stories of chefs, restaurant owners and industry experts!
- Tours Available:
- Saturdays: 11am-2pm
- Saturdays: 2pm-5pm
- Sundays: 11am-2pm
- Alcohol pairing upgrade for guests 21+: $26 per person for 3 alcoholic beverages
- Parking: We understand that parking may be difficult in Downtown, so if you’re coming from the Westside (Santa Monica, Culver City, etc.), we highly recommend taking the Expo line metro. Otherwise, there are multiple recommended parking garages near to the start location in DTLA ranging from $5-$20 per day. Please let us know how we can help your transportation experience.
- Flat route, approximately 1 1/2 miles
- Tours meet in Downtown Los Angeles Historic Core. Morning tours meet at the Jonathan Gold Plaza at the Broadway entrance to Grand Central Market. Afternoon tours meet upstairs at the Ace Hotel.
- Intimate tour groups limited to 12 people
- This is a social dining experience. We feel the best dining experiences are the ones in which we’re seated around tables sharing food and stories with others. Therefore, we have a 4-person minimum and a 12-person maximum. If the minimum number of guests is not reached, we will contact you to reschedule onto another time or date, or offer a refund.
- Gratuities not included – please consider tipping your guide
- Want to upgrade to a private tour? Email lagroups@avitaltours.com to request your date and time of choosing.
- Advance Tickets are required
DIETARY RESTRICTIONS
One of our core values at Avital is Breathe Curiosity. We enjoy introducing you to new foods and old favorites in new ways. We very much encourage guests to be adventurous and try something new – we’ve even had an 80-year old man try his first oyster with us! Thus, while we love the diverse ways our guests choose to eat, we can accommodate the following restrictions.
- Vegetarian
- Pescatarian
- Gluten-free
- Pregnant Guests
- No Pork
- No Seafood
You will be asked for your dietary restrictions during your booking process. If you are unsure if we can accommodate your restriction, please email us at lainfo@avitaltours.com. Please note that this tour may include nuts, dairy, seafood, spicy food and pork.
Why Avital Tours?
Wondering what makes the Avital Los Angeles Downtown Food Tour different from all other tours? Check out our About Us page for the answer!
We live and breathe by our Core Values:
- Breathe Curiosity
- Create Community
- Embrace Quirky
- Seize Ownership
- Communicate Compassion
- Build AWESOME Experiences
What's Our Value?
- Our fun and knowledgeable guides
- Curation of the experience, relationships with high quality restaurants, and dish choice. We eat all of the bad food so you don’t have too – sigh, hard job
- Stories of the restaurant owners, chefs and neighborhood
- Facilitating interactions with the community
- Seamless logistics (tables are reserved, guests are seated and food arrives quickly)
Frequently Asked Questions
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Do I have to purchase tickets in advance?
Yes, advance ticket purchase is required. Tours typically sell out quickly. To maximize your chances of getting the date, time, and number of tickets you prefer, please book well in advance. We recommend 2 weeks notice.
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Do I have to purchase the alcohol pairing in advance?
Our curated alcohol pairing is meant to add another layer and perspective to your culinary experience. Even if you are not drinking on the tour, you will still learn about the pairings, how to pair alcohol and food, and awesome ingredients in the cocktails.
The alcohol pairing is two small tasting sized drinks – we do not want our guests to get drunk or buzzed, so we keep them appropriately sized.
If you purchased your tickets but didn’t add the alcohol pairing, you can email us at info@avitaltours.com to upgrade before the tour or tell your guide at the beginning of the progressive meal that you would like to add it. Your guide can process your credit card for the upgrade while on the tour.
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Can I get a refund or reschedule my ticket?
All tickets are nonrefundable. Consider it like buying a concert ticket – that seat is reserved for you. As a small business with only 12 tickets per tour, its important that you purchase tickets when you’re sure you can go. If you can’t make it to the tour you purchased, the tickets are transferrable. Post the tickets on Facebook or Craigslist or ask a friend or colleague if they want to purchase your tickets.
Tours can be rescheduled with 2 weeks advance notice for parties of 4 or less by emailing info@avitaltours.com. Please arrive on time as tours depart promptly.
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Is gratuity included?
Los Angeles is an expensive place to eat and drink, so our tour guides appreciate recognition for a job well done, so they can fuel their foodie habits. 15%-20% is customary in the tourism industry. That’s about $15 per person.
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Is this tour appropriate for children?
The tour content is not geared toward children, though many older children may definitely enjoy trying new foods and learning about them! Our progressive meals do allow for children, though the experience requires a good attention span and walking, so the tour may be appropriate for older children. You know your children best and if they’re foodies, curious and excited about learning, they are welcome. Babies are allowed if you are mindful of other guests and pull the baby away if they are disruptive to the experience. If you are bringing a stroller, please give us a heads up by leaving a note in the comments section of the booking process.
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How long does the tour last?
Our Tours are 3 hours. Occasionally, tours will end 15 minutes early or late, depending on the group size. We do try to end exactly on time, but we don’t recommend making plans right after our tours. Give yourself some buffer time to get to your next activity.
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Are there any opportunities to sit?
Yes, unlike cheaper food tour companies, there is ample time to sit and eat at each restaurant since tables are reserved for us throughout. However, please be prepared to be on your feet since we get to each restaurant via walking.
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Does the tour end at the same place where we began?
The tours end within a few blocks of the starting point at our dessert course. Your culinary guide will be happy to assist with directions at the end of the tour or walk you to the start location.
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Is there parking nearby?
Yes, there are paid parking lots convenient to all our tours. Your confirmation email will include some suggestions.
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