Had the opportunity to participate in a food tour in the Fort Lauderdale Historic District, with my…read morebrother and nine other people on a beautiful February late afternoon. All of us had a really great time.
My brother purchased the tickets through Viator, at $120 per person for the 3 hour tour. Their website is really well done, with tickets being purchasable directly through it (eliminating the middleman costs, more to the provider). It is a family run business, with the owner (Cyndi) and her husband personally guiding us through a four-course meal, visiting these locally owned restaurants in a relaxed and casual manner. We started the tour right on-time, at the Museum of Discovery and Science. They have been doing this for about a year now, and what I came to realize is that they have been modifying all the consumer touchpoints to make it better for everyone (consumers, guides, and restaurants) involved. Where there were lulls in other tours I've taken, in this case, it was filled with education and (in the case of the Bryan Brothers House) a guided tour. Plus with the backdrop of the New River and city riverwalk, the mostly pedestrian traffic in the area, and very little walking we had to do, everything was pleasant and stress-less, even before we got to the most important thing (the food).
Cindy is very passionate about the food that is being served, and wanted to make sure we were educated on the ownership and history of the places we visited. Her husband (originally from Italy) provided us commentary at breaks, and was our 'herder', making sure we were all going to the right spots. I thought we were a pleasant group, willing to try different things and following directions (relatively) well.
In terms of the food, all of it was very good: from a classic Italian appetizer, to a decent fish dish, to a simple buy tasty dessert. Wine/beer could be purchased separately, and was easy to do since a couple of the stops had dedicated speakeasys that we were able to sit down at. Even though it was a Saturday early dinner rush, we always found space to sit as a group, and enjoy our food without rush. And in each place, the ownership/management made us and the tour feel very welcome.
Cindy mentioned that for locals, this area is mainly known for the late night club scene, and not so much for the fine dining scene. I think Gastronomy City Tours is trying to help change that.