3 - 3 ½ hours
5 stops
12 people max
English
Local food and culture
Award winning                                           
Awards
What you'll do

On our Secret Food Tour: San Francisco - North Beach and Chinatown, you’ll experience the most iconic parts of “The City by the Bay.” Our experienced guides will take you on a delicious journey through the Gold Rush days of the Barbary Coast. While most tour companies only focus on one neighborhood over the other, we dive deep into both to offer you a taste of the best of both worlds. On your journey, you’ll bite into pizza with a surprise topping straight from the Pacific bay! You will explore West Coast coffee culture, savor dim sum like you’ve never tasted, and find yourself wanting more of our secret bite! You’ll also discover the inner workings of our world famous cable cars, investigate the naughty red light district, uncover where the “The Godfather” was written and conceived, and wander through the alleys where the original miner 49’ers cashed in their sacks of new found gold. All in one afternoon!

  • We'll begin in front of the San Francisco Cable Car Museum and learn about the world's only working manual cable car system!
  • Then, we will start our Italian journey by fueling up with a flight of coffees highlighting three local coffee roasters.
  • On our walk, we see the “big brother” to the Golden Gate Bridge and perhaps will find some Zen along the way!
  • Now, it’s time to stop at an establishment with a 45+ year history for a delicious slice of pizza that embodies an authentic North Beach experience!
  • While we make our way to enjoy Italian Ice cream, we will see the church where Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio wed!
  • Next, the family-owned shops and markets filled with Asian vegetables, spices, and fish welcome us into Chinatown!
  • We will settle in the heart of the neighborhood and enjoy proper dim sum as we take in all the beautiful sights and delicious smells!
  • Then we will see one of the first and oldest still-operating Chinese temples in the United States.
  • Lastly, as with all our tours, there's our delicious Secret bite!
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*Please note: the itinerary and menu is subject to change, based on the locations' availability, weather, and other circumstances.

Book Your Tour
$79/ person
If you have any issues with payment, please email us at [email protected] with the city, date and time of tour, and how many adult and child's tickets you need so we can assist you.

If a tour is fully booked, or you are looking to book a *Group or Private Tour - please email us about Group & Private Tours options.

*Please note - Group & Private Tours are specifically organised for your group and therefore subject to a premium price.

Awards
Buy as a gift
What you'll taste
THE FOOD
  • Coffee tasting
  • Authentic Italian pizza
  • Gelato or Sorbet
  • Stuffed dumplings
  • Our delicious Secret Dish
DRINKS
  • Water
  • For more drinks see the Alcohol Upgrades above


Due to the nature of creating a well balanced and thoughtful gastronomy experience, many of our tours are unable to accommodate certain dietary restrictions. Please contact us prior to booking your tour to see if we are able to accommodate your dietary needs.

WHY NORTH BEACH & CHINATOWN?

North Beach and Chinatown are two distinct immigrant neighborhoods in San Francisco. They are culturally and aesthetically different, yet their streets mesh seamlessly together. Chinatown is the oldest and largest Chinese community outside of Asia. It is known for its historic back alleys filled with temple incense, mah-jongg tile clatter, and distant echoes of revolution. On the other hand, North Beach is San Francisco’s “Little Italy” and has historically been home to a large Italian American population, mainly from Northern Italy.

Both North Beach and Chinatown have lively atmospheres, distinctive food, a rich history, and cultural significance across the country.

San Francisco
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Secret Food Tours San Francisco

Contact Us

Meeting Spot
We'll meet in front of the San Francisco Cable Car Museum at 1201 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94108. If you have any questions. Please email us.

Tues - Sun 11:00 a.m.

North Beach & Chinatown

Your guide will be waiting with an orange umbrella so they are easy to spot.

If a tour is fully booked, or you are looking to book a *Group or Private Tour - please email us about Group & Private Tours options.

*Please note - Group & Private Tours are specifically organised for your group and therefore subject to a premium price.

WHY NORTH BEACH & CHINATOWN?

North Beach and Chinatown are two distinct immigrant neighborhoods in San Francisco. They are culturally and aesthetically different, yet their streets mesh seamlessly together. Chinatown is the oldest and largest Chinese community outside of Asia. It is known for its historic back alleys filled with temple incense, mah-jongg tile clatter, and distant echoes of revolution. On the other hand, North Beach is San Francisco’s “Little Italy” and has historically been home to a large Italian American population, mainly from Northern Italy.

Both North Beach and Chinatown have lively atmospheres, distinctive food, a rich history, and cultural significance across the country.

San Francisco
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Help Center
Frequently asked Questions
How do I order?

That is very easy! Go to our "Book Now" page, where we detail our tours. Select your tour and the time of your tour and book it! Are you looking for something special or are you organizing an event? Just email us at Group & Private Tours and we will do our best to arrange something that suits you. After your booking is made, we will send you an automatic e-mail confirmation. If you have any questions before booking, feel free to contact us via email

*Please note if you are using a special promo code then enter it in the "Voucher Code" section before you select the amount of tickets you would like to purchase*

What is included in the food tour?

All the delicious food and drinks mentioned above.

Where is the meeting spot?

Our meeting spot is conveniently located in front of the San Francisco Cable Car Museum at 1201 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94108. Look for our friendly tour guide who will be waiting for you holding an orange umbrella. We recommend arriving a few minutes early.

Where the tour will end?

Our tour concludes at the TransAmerica Pyramid, located at 600 Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA 94111. This building has become one of the most recognizable icons of the city.

Is your food tour suitable for a vegetarian or someone with other dietary requirements?

Due to the nature of creating a well-balanced and thoughtful gastronomy experience, many of our tours are unable to accommodate certain dietary restrictions. Please contact us at [email protected] prior to booking your tour to see if we are able to accommodate your dietary needs.

I am traveling with my family, is the tour ok for infants/children?

Children are more than welcome to our tour and it's free for any child 2 years or under! We have had many families attend from all over the world and everyone enjoyed the tour

I don't drink alcohol. Can I book your tour?

This is not a problem. Just inform our guide before the tour starts. During the tasting you can select another beverage you like.

Is there enough food during your tour?

Our tours provide our customers with a lot of food. Trust us, you will not need to eat a meal after our food tour!

Where do I add my discount voucher?
Vocuher
I would like to take your tour but it is already fully booked. Is there a way I can do the tour?

Our tours are often sold out very quickly. If the date you requested is not available, please do not hesitate to email us and we can see if there is anything we can do.

Is there a lot of walking?

To join our food tour, you must wear comfortable shoes. There will be around 45 minutes walking but it's not too difficult and there are no hills or stairs. If you walk slowly, then our guide will walk slowly as well.

How many people max are on this tour?

At our tour, we limit the number of participants to a maximum of 12 people to ensure that everyone has a personalized and intimate experience. However, if you have a group that is larger than 12 people, please don't hesitate to reach out to us via email ([email protected]). We will do our best to accommodate your request and make arrangements that suit your needs.

I cannot find a way to print the confirmation. Is it OK if I have it on my phone?

You do not have to print your voucher. A confirmation on your phone will be fine!

If I purchase a voucher as a gift, or am given a voucher how long is it valid for?

All of our vouchers expire one year from the date of purchase.

Can I choose my own cheese and meat?

Our guide will take care of everything. Should you wish to try something special, please inform our guide and they will do their best to make you happy.

Where does your food come from?

At the North Beach & Chinatown Secret Foods Tour, we work with a selection of small, local shops to source our food and drink. We take pride in providing our guests with top-quality, fresh, and locally-sourced ingredients that are true to the authentic flavors of these neighborhoods.

What if it rains or I change my plans?

Unfortunately, the weather is unpredictable in San Francisco. We do not issue refunds as per our terms and conditions. We also inform you that we never cancel a booking even if we have only 2 people! However we do reserve the right to cancel the tour if we feel the weather is extreme, and we cannot run the tour due to this for more info see our Terms and Conditions: https://www.secretfoodtours.com/terms-and-conditions/

Can I pay the tour in cash?

You must book directly on our website. We do not accept cash payments. Our online payment is safe, secured and SSL protected.

Why do we need to pay for booking fee?

The booking fee that you have to pay is up to our ticket provider and we can't change it. All our clients need to pay for it upon booking. The booking fee charged contributes to the cost of the ticketing system to provide an excellent service to our customers.

Foreign Transaction Fees

A few banks have charged their customer an extra fee while booking with us (this isn't the booking fee but another fee added by the bank). We think this is unfair, if this happens let us know by showing us in your bank statement and we will refund this fee as a gesture of good will.

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