Our friends bought us a private tour - Enjoy Carmel by Carmel Food Tours. We would highly recommend Carmel Food Tours - we thought they did a great job. They were super responsive when we wanted to book our tour with just a few days notice - so mad props for their fast, friendly service in getting us booked so quickly!! Our guide was friendly and very knowledgeable about Carmel, and provided an overview about the area and was very willing to answer any questions we had. We enjoyed chatting with her throughout the 4 hour experience. We enjoyed tastes from 5-6 different locations throughout the downtown Carmel area. We were definitely provided a lot of variety and everything was delicious - from doughnuts and coffee and nuts to French onion soup and sushi. We had the opportunity at one of the locations (Toro) to have an interactive experience, spending time speaking with the general manager learning the background about the restaurant. We also had a special sake tasting featuring three different sakes. It was a very unique experience and the sushi was also extremely fresh and delicious. Overall, it was a good experience and we were able to enjoy a nice variety of food that local restaurants provide. Important tips for future tour goers: 1. Don't eat before going on a food tour. We thankfully didn't eat -otherwise, we would not have been able to enjoy the food tour to its fullest. 2. Don't book any reservations to restaurants that same day. We were still stuffed by the time it was time to go to dinner - and that was more than 5 hours later! read more

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Did the tour today with Bonnie! And 10/10 would do it again. We had a wonderful time, got to try some great bites and things I might not have ordered on my own, and was blown away by everything! It was such a fun way to spend our day. read more

This was such an amazing experience! I learned so much about Carmel. Our tour guide Bonnie was great! All the food and wine stops were exquisite! Lives this and will definitely do this again! read more

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The tour gal was super friendly and nice, though we didn't ever catch her actual name. And some of the points of interest were helpful and interesting. The places we were taken to wasn't as nice as we expected with all the amazing restaurants in Carmel. We started at Patisserie Boissiere, then Cafe Carmel, then honey tasting, Toro Japanese, and a Dutch Door Donut. The ads and previous viewers posted more upscale places, and showed cocktail tasting. So what we experienced felt more like a bait and switch deal. The French restaurant was yummy. However, having French Onion soup and wine to start at 11:00 was a bit odd as their pastries might have been a better option (their pastries are made in house). Cafe Carmel was more like a deli feeling, and certainly not upscale or special at all. We spent the most time at Toro Japanese food, with 3 courses. Which seemed strange as we thought we'd experience more different restaurants and different. Especially since two in our party did not really enjoy Japanese cuisine enough to want it as the main event. The honey tasting included 4 quarter teaspoons of samples with tiny bits to match the honey. The donuts were fabulous but seemed odd as we had to stand outside the shop and eat it without any fanfare. The food options just seemed meh. Not worth the $150 per person. It looks like they used to take people to much nicer and more upscale places. For what we got it seemed rather minimal and standard. French onion soup, quiche with a mound of greens, mini honey tasting, and a $5.50 donut. read more

Carmel Food Tours - Quiche and greens. - Food Tours Near Me

Bonnie is fantastic, local knowledge, fun, inviting, very organized and worth considering for a way to sample and learn about Carmel! read more

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First question, "is it worth it?" My answer, yes! We toured five different venues as well as historic points of interest and some fun secret passages Carmel is known for. We took the advice of our guide Rusti and "put aside our self imposed dietary restrictions" to experience food and drinks we would not normally have thought to try on our own. At the same time they were very accommodating members of our group who had food allergies. "Do you get enough food?" Yes, I did not leave hungry. "How was the tour guide?" Our guide Rusti did a fantastic job. We were honored that our tour was her first tour she guided. You wouldn't know it. She handled the tour like a seasoned pro. An unexpected pleasure of the tour were the two other couples joining us. Their stories only enhanced our enjoyment of an already well planned adventure. I highly recommend anyone new to Carmel to take this tour. read more

Carmel Food Tours - Food Tours Near Me

Enjoyed our food tour very much. Our guide, Rusty, was a delight. Lots of tidbits about the neighborhood we walked. Food, drink and ambiance were all delicious and different. This was my first food tour and would definitely try another in the future. read more

While I'm a local, I believe this is a great way to learn details about our gem, Carmel-by-the-Sea. I discovered niches that few people know about. The route and food stops are well honed and food all delicious. Our guide, Amanda, was so fun, knowledgeable and, being an artist, has an eye for details eager to share. I'd highly recommend this memorable experience. read more

This was a fun tour: Veronica was fun and knowledgeable about the area and showed us some quirky little spots. Loved the hidden alleys. The spicy Italian sausage at Nielsen Bros. was great. The tempura cauliflower at the taproom was my favorite. read more

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This was my third tour and they never disappoint. Bonnie is friendly, knowledgeable, organized and kept us on time without rushing us along. She stopped along the way to point out various point of interest. All the stops were interesting and delicious! We took our donuts home with us from the last stop because we were too full and wanted to enjoy them later at our leisure. I would definitely recommend. read more

Great experience! Rusty was our guide and did a great job, and all the stops were delicious. Everything was well organized - food was ready right as we arrived, and it all moved at the right pace. The sushi stop in particular was incredibly considerate of our toddler. Highly recommend! read more

Our group of 7 had a fantastic time with our guide Rusty who showed us the beautiful town of Carmel by the sea. We had plenty of food and drink at three different locations all equally tasty with varied food styles. Topped that with a stop at a chocolate shop and a local honey shop. Along the way she gave us interesting info about the town and showed us some of the secret passages and courtyards. It was a great tour. read more

We love Food Tours and this one is a must if you are in the area. Great starting point with lots of parking available. Wonderful food and drinks. We loved every stop and Bonnie did a great job as our guide. Finding the little alleyways that you would miss if you didn't know what to look for. Over all a wonderful experience. read more

8/27/22- Carmel Food Tours (CFT) was so much fun and would highly recommend for people out of town. We have booked various food tours this is our 8th excursion and we loved all of them but Brian was thee best. Our tour guide was awesome, attentive and knowledgeable. We not only loved the food tasting but also fun facts and history of Carmel. read more

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Bonnie was our guide, and she was wonderful, knowledgeable, and an actual local who grew up there. She shared history and background as we walked. We visited a nice variety of restaurants, finishing the tour with Lula's chocolate! Food served included: French Onion soup, Quiche & salad, Chili, Naan Pizza. We walked in between, so although it sounds like a lot of food it was perfect. Although not a restaurant, we also visited "The Nut Hut" where we were given multiple samples of flavored organic nuts and fruits. read more

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Bonnie led us on this well paced and organized food tour. We stopped at 6 different restaurants and had different small bites and at each. Plenty of bar drinks and wine were available too. All were wonderful! We felt truly welcomed at each spot by the wait staff and even a couple of the owners. Bonnie did a wonderful job of sharing interesting stories about the area and gave us a lot of recommendations of restaurants and points of interest. It lasted 3 hours but seemed to fly by. We came on a Thursday and were lucky to have a small group of 5. After this tour we changed our upcoming reservation for dinner tonight! read more

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What a fun experience! We are locals but wanted to explore Carmel-by-the-Sea from a different perspective and this was a great way to do that. There was a group of 12 of us that went to a handful of local spots and tried everything from wine to fancy donuts. Each spot was well prepared and the guide was knowledgeable. I would definitely recommend this as a fun outing with friends or family. read more

Had my food tour scheduled on the last day of my vacation, and it turned out to be a rainy day. They texted me the day before to ask if I wanted to either go through with the tour, reschedule or cancel for a refund. Everyone else who had signed up for that day rescheduled, but I was unable to, so I told them I would accept a refund if they didn't want to do a solo tour on a rainy day. They replied to me that they were okay with doing it on a rainy day if I wanted, so I went ahead with it. My tour guide, Bonnie, was awesome. Having grown up in Carmel, she was able to tell me a bit of the history of the town, and show some of the unique things that make Carmel such a special place. We trudged through the downpour, but didn't mind because we were prepared with boots and raincoats and umbrellas. Bonnie was cheerful & happy throughout the tour, and is the absolute nicest person I have ever met. We stopped at 3 different restaurants (I opted in on the adult beverage upgrade, which was totally worth it) and each restaurant offered a selection of different delicious specialties that showcased some of the best that Carmel has to offer. We also stopped at 2 different specialty food shops that offered what seemed like nearly unlimited samples to taste, in addition to a discount on whatever I purchased from them because I was part of the food tour. Hats off to Bonnie, for making a dreary day into the brightest shining part of my entire vacation. I would definitely do this tour again, as it was well worth every penny. I would rate the tour five-and-a-half stars out of five. read more

Great way to explore several fun spots around town. Learned a bit about the history, had sizable portions of food and drink while walking around, and got inspired to go back to one of the restaurants because the food was that good (Mission Bistro). Loved our tour guide, Bonnie, and her knowledge of Carmel and all the hidden gems! The pacing of the tour and food was perfect. I would definitely do it again! read more

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I took this food tour in 2012. I enjoyed it so much, I'm still talking about it today. I'm happy to see she's still doing what she loves, based on the recent reviews. I loved all the places she showed us, I would've never paired balsamic vinegar with frozen yogurt or known the fun facts she shared. I'm a Native Bay Arean. I've been coming to Carmel for decades. This food tour was the most memorable. read more

First time visiting Carmel and we really enjoyed the tour & getting to hear about Carmel from a local. We got to sample mushroom risotto, honey, tapas, cashews, donuts along with several wines & beers. Plenty to eat & see without too much walking. read more

Carmel Food Tours - Nut Hut - Food Tours Near Me

We had the best time with Amber on our food tour. I knew it was going to be a great tour after the first stop. We got a meatloaf slider with a fried onion ring and it was amazing. After that we stopped for a sausage at one of the oldest markets in Carmel. We did a honey and chocolate tasting, had street tacos with fried grasshopper and mezcalita and one of the best eclairs I've ever had. Every stop was amazing. Portions were generous and while we finished everything, most people in the group were not able to finish everything. I'd definitely recommend this tour since you explore all the little charming side streets that would be easily missed otherwise. read more

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My third time taking the tour with Carmel Food Tours during the 2020 Thanksgiving weekend was a little different from the previous two due to the pandemic. It was stylishly named 'Standing Room Only" food tour! The group today was six guests, four of us and a nice couple, and the tour guide Bonnie (I think that's what she said but with the mask on I could be wrong, sorry). I really enjoyed her company. She was very pleasant and made me feel really welcomed and comfortable. Because of the "Standing Room Only" theme of the tour, I really didn't know what to expect. However, much to my surprise, we ended up seated (outdoor) at three of the five stops. I'm not sure if I should reveal the details, so I'll only share the high-level summary here. Five stops in two hours included (not in order) two casual tasting spots for honey and for chocolate, pairing of wine with small bites, and two more stops enough for a late lunch, with bottled water and with alcoholic beverage. The walks between the spots were easy and at comfortable pace. I'm far from fit but could easily manage. Taking shortcuts on some of many, many alleys of Carmel-by-the-Sea was a lot of fun too. Weather in Carmel-by-the-Sea is like San Francisco. November is often sunny and beautiful. So, naturally we were sun-kissed and no jacket or scarf was needed. All you need is a pair of comfortable shoes and of course your mask (if you are going anytime soon) ;-) Signing up is very easy online. If there are any questions, online chat works great. Once booked, the information such as the meeting spot, direction, tips are easy to understand. Restrooms are available at some stops. Discounts were offered for purchases at honey and chocolate shops. I would love to go again when the pandemic is all over!! read more

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I have been over a dozen food tours, usually at the start of a vacation, to learn about local delicacies and great places to eat. The better food tours are always less than 10 people, each restaurant serves small portions of multiple dishes, and the owner or manager introduces them to you. This was by far the worst of the bunch. For starters, we had a group of 17 which is way too big for everyone to hear and get engaged. As for the food, we went to 5 restaurants and each one gave a single food offering and most were fairly generic appetizers. The most disappointing was a Spanish Tapas Restaurant, where we were served a bowl of "Spanish Fries" drowned in overly spicy sauce -- I would have expected them to serve several samplings of tapas dishes. The only thing that I enjoyed - a lot - was Veronica. She was brimming with energy and shared lots of stories about the area, fun facts, etc. But at the end of the day, it was a food tour and came up short. read more

Carmel Food Tour was outstanding! Went on the tour this past fall with my parents. We loved it. Lots of variety and good amount of food. Great history along the way. Easy walking tour. read more

My family and I enjoyed an afternoon with Bonnie from Carmel Food Tours. We had a private tour where we enjoyed fare from quite a few dining venues, the Nut Hut, and Lula's Chocolates. At each venue we were allowed time to enjoy their specialties and even had the chance to meet with the owners of the venues. We were able to learn about the locals, the city, all while feeling welcomed at the same time. We loved it so much and look forward to doing it again. Bonnie went above and beyond. Her bubbly friendly personality made it perfect. read more

Really fun for a daytime date or for groups of people. It was informative, the food was delicious and getting a history of Carmel and background of the chefs, restaurants, and founders of the town made everything feel more special. Big shout out to our amazing tour guide Nicolette. You rock! Highly recommend. I will definitely be back with friends. read more

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Fantastic tour and fantastic tour guide. Amber did a great job explaining the history of Carmel and tying it to the various places that we stopped on our food adventure. Highly recommend if you are in the area and want to experience Carmel at another level. read more

The Carmel Food Tour was a delightful experience. It was a great way to see the town because the experience was on foot and also try some good eats. On this food tour - we had the opportunity to stop by 7 different locations. Our first stop was at Anton & Michel Restaurant. We started the day with a glass of Rose and delicious braised beef sitting on top of a polenta cake. Afterwards - we stopped by Carmel Honey Company to do some honey tasting. I never knew that honey can have so many different flavors - this was a neat experience. The honey was served with cheeses and crackers. The next stop was 400 degrees. This spot is known for their burgers which is grilled / seared at 400 degrees. Although they are known for their burgers, we were provided with half a pulled pork sandwich and chips instead. The sandwich had a bit of smoke / spice and was amazing. Oh - i should mention that it came with a beer sample as well. For dessert, we stopped by an Italian restaurant for homemade tiramisu and stopped by Lulas for some dark chocolate sampling (so good!). Make sure you take some chocolates for the road to enjoy with a glass of red wine. I would recommend this experience. Great way to tour Carmel and try a variety of local restaurants . Cheers and enjoy! read more

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Perfectly organized. Food and wine were excellent. The leader was charming and knowledgeable.

Bonnie(our guide)was very knowledgeable and lead the tour with ease. Each place was welcoming and provided prompt excellent service read more

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This tour was so much fun and I'm a local! The food was great, the tour guide was fun and knowledgeable, and I learned some really interesting historical facts. 10/10 recommend. And will do another tour with friends very soon! read more

Carmel Food Tours - We were fortunate enough to be in a small group. - Food Tours Near Me

Went on a food tour with Veronica in April 2023 - visited 6 different eating establishments and saw some great sights in Carmel. Also learned some interesting facts about Carmel. Highly recommend taking this tour read more

completely loved this tour. Bonnie was a delight and each destination was unique and delicious! This tour is a must do if you are thinking of visiting this area. read more

We had a great experience with Bonnie our guide! She gave just the right amount of information and the tastings were excellent. I would definitely recommend this tour. read more

So fun spending a few hours with our tour guide Bonnie showing us some wonderful spots in Carmel by the Sea. Yum! From the chowder to the chili to the honey and the chocolate...just a few of the yummy spots she took us too. Also shared. Beautiful "locals" perspective! Great job Bonnie read more

Showed us gems I had not found (been there 3x that year) and tried food I might not have ordered AND it was all delish. Lots of samples and small plates w minimal walking. Our guide was wonderful. read more

Took a team of 35 out to Carmel and this was perfect for a group outing and getting to know the area. The team raved about how fun it was. Very well organized and fantastic guides, would highly recommend!! read more

I brought my family along on the tour and it was incredible! Bonnie was an amazing tour guide who got us all talking, and was extremely patient with our large crew as we got engrossed in conversations. We enjoyed a wide variety of foods and venues that traversed Carmel's business district. At the end of the tour we all were exchanging pictures and contact information. Very well done! read more

We have done food tours all over the world, and this ranked as one of the best. This tour was fantastic, delicious, fun, and plentiful! Bonnie was such a fun and interesting guide. She is local and really had a fun narrative that really added to the experience. She kept things moving and the size of the group was perfect. I am already planning a weekend back here with friends to do this again! read more