Charleston Food & Drink Tours
Charleston is renowned for its food culture, and several local guide companies offer food-focused tours to introduce you to a selection of the establishments in and around the city that contribute to this culture.
The bulk of food tours, mostly walking, visit a selection of locally-owned restaurants and artisanal shops, either within the downtown area or in one of Charleston’s other well-known dining districts, Upper King Street.
Charleston is also home to several microbreweries, distilleries and even a tea plantation. A bus tour can take you outside of the city to see a few of these businesses to see and learn more about their manufacturing processes, and usually taste the product too.
If you are looking more for new company and a drink than an education, there are also a few pub crawls on offer in Charleston, each visiting a handful of pubs and taverns in the city, with a few throwing in a little history too.
Or, for something a little bit different, you could try one of the seasonal boat tours offered to one of Charleston’s local barrier islands that offers the opportunity to sample a traditional regional dish or food-related pastime, such as crabbing or a lowcountry boil.
– See details of tours to Capers Island or Morris Island.
Advance reservations are usually required for these tours.
Food Tours
Downtown Charleston
Charleston Dessert Tour (12 max, ages 6+ only) 2hrs With Charleston Food Tours (Bulldog Tours). Walking tour of the best of Charleston’s sweet cooking, with samples. $60 per person. Call 843-727-1100 for reservations or book online. More details
Savor the Flavors of Charleston Tour, 2hrs30 With Bulldog Tours. Walking tour exploring the history of Charleston’s food culture, with samples of southern classics from local restaurants, bakeries and food establishments. Daily, morning or afternoon. From $80 per person. Call 843-722-8687 for reservations or book online. More details
Taste of the Lowcountry (12 max, ages 6+ only) 2hrs30 With Charleston Food Tours (Bulldog Tours). This tour focuses on a single local culinary establishment, where the chef will prepare something to eat. Thursdays only. $60 per person. Call 843-727-1100 for reservations or book online. More details
Downtown Charleston Culinary Tour (ages 8+ only) 2hrs30 With Charleston Culinary Tours. Walking tour of the French Quarter’s food history and lowcountry cuisine, with samples. Available Monday to Friday. $60 per person. Some dietary restrictions can be accommodated, call ahead. Call 843-259-2966 for reservations or book online. More details
(Seasonal) Farm-to-Table Experience (ages 8+ only) 2hrs30 With Charleston Culinary Tours. Tour the Marion Square farmers market with a chef, who will then prepare the ingredients purchased while you take a walking tour. This tour is available on Saturdays only, during the months in which the market operates. $75 per person. Some dietary restrictions can be accommodated, call ahead. Call 843-259-2966 for reservations or book online. More details
Upper King Street
Savor the Flavors of Upper King Street, 2hrs30 With Bulldog Tours. Walking tour of Charleston’s Upper King Street restaurant district, with a focus on lowcountry cuisine and samples of southern classics. Wednesday-Saturday. From $80 per person. Call 843-722-8687 for reservations or book online. More details
Upper King Street Culinary Tour (ages 8+ only) 2hrs30 With Charleston Culinary Tours. Walking restaurant tour of the Upper King Street district, with samples. Tours available most days, except Sunday and Wednesday. $60 per person. Some dietary restrictions can be accommodated, call ahead. Call 843-259-2966 for reservations or book online. More details
Brewery & Other Drink Tours
Happy Hour Bus Tour, 2hrs30 With Charleston Brews Cruise. Bus tour visiting two breweries with samples at each, focused more on trying beers and meeting people than the history of beer. Available Friday and Saturday evenings. $50 per person, $25 for non-drinkers. Call 843-860-9847 for reservations or book online. More details
Brewery Bus Tour, 3hrs-3hrs30 With The Original Pub & Brewery Tours of Charleston. Bus tour of several Charleston microbreweries, focused on the history of beer in Charleston and the craft brewing process, with beer samples. Tours available on Saturday mornings and occasional other times. $65 per person. Call 843-577-5535 for reservations or book online. More details
Day Drinking Bus Tour, 4hrs With Charleston Brews Cruise. Bus tour of three local breweries with samples at each, focused on the brewing process, the history of beer in Charleston and the characteristics of the beers sampled. Available Tuesday-Sunday. $65 per person, $25 for non-drinking/underage participants. Call 843-860-9847 for reservations or book online. More details
Booze N’ Cruise Brewery Tour, 4hrs With Crafted Charleston Tours. Private bus tour of a distillery and two breweries, with samples of spirits and beer. $125 per person. Call 843-804-9933 for reservations or book online. More details
Charleston Winery Tour, 5hrs With Crafted Charleston Tours. Private bus tour to Wadmalaw Island, visiting the Angel Oak Tree, and taking a wine tour at Deep Water Vineyards and a distillery tour, with samples. $125 per person. Call 843-804-9933 for reservations or book online. More details
Charleston Tea Plantation & Angel Oak With Linda Wohlfeil Jones, Exclusively Charleston. Private car transportation to Charleston Tea Plantation and the Angel Oak, on Wadmalaw and Johns Islands. $125 per hour, additional passengers possible for an extra fee. Call 843-345-1130 for reservations or book online. More details
Pub Crawls
The Original Pub Tour (ages 21+) 2hrs-2hrs30 With The Original Pub & Brewery Tours of Charleston. Walking tour of 3-5 pubs with some history along the way. Available daily, afternoon or evening. $29 per person. Call 843-577-5535 for reservations or book online. More details
Upper King Street Pub Crawl (ages 21+) 2hrs-2hrs30 With The Original Pub & Brewery Tours of Charleston. Walking tour of 3-5 pubs and taverns in the Upper King Street district, with some history. Available Monday to Thursday afternoons. $29 per person. Call 843-577-5535 for reservations or book online. More details
Upper King Street Pub Tour (ages 21+) 2hrs30 With Charleston Strolls (Bulldog Tours). Pub tour exploring Charleston’s history of drink and prohibition. Available Friday and Saturday afternoons. $35 per person. Call 843-766-2080 for reservations or book online. More details