On this gourmet food walking tour of Berkeley’s ‘Gourmet Ghetto,’ venture behind the scenes of the North Shattuck district. Food tastings include gourmet cheeses, chocolates, gelato, pizza, sandwiches, and wine at notable venues committed to sustainable and organic cuisine. An in-the-know guide introduces you to local owners and chefs who enlighten you about the culinary culture of this San Francisco Bay Area enclave.

Food tour of Berkeley’s 'Gourmet Ghetto' district
Visit several acclaimed eateries and chat with the chefs and owners
Enjoy samples of gourmet cheeses, chocolates, cupcakes, gelato, sandwiches, pizza, wine, and more
Sip coffee at the original Peet’s Coffee & Tea location
Learn about the San Francisco East Bay’s culinary history and culture from your knowledgeable guide
All food tastings included

What's Included

All food tastings
Professional guide

Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

1504 Shattuck Ave.
1504 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA 94709, USA

Start time

11:00 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Meet your informative guide at a convenient location on Shattuck Avenue in downtown Berkeley—easily accessible from San Francisco or East Bay cities by BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit)—and embark on your walking tour of North Berkeley, colloquially known as the 'Gourmet Ghetto.'

You’ll explore this culinary landscape, home to long-established icons including Chez Panisse and The Cheeseboard Collective, while you discover local hotspots, chat with food purveyors, and enjoy a variety of tastings. Learn about Berkeley’s commitment to sustainable practices as you enjoy seasonal, organic and locally grown food.

At Love at First Bite Cupcakery & Bakery, sink your teeth into homemade cupcakes; savor velvety chocolates at Alegio Chocolates; sample crispy potato puffs at Gregoire’s and pizza at The Cheeseboard Pizzeria. Sip tea at Imperial Tea Court, munch on meaty sandwiches at The Local Butcher Shop, and slurp homemade soups at SOOP in Epicurious Garden.

Top off your gastronomic tour at Vintage with a wine tasting and set foot inside the original Peet’s Coffee & Tea for a taste of this West Coast institution, before returning to the starting point.

Please note: Places visited and tastings are subject to change depending upon availability.

University of California, Berkeley (Pass By)

Shattuck Avenue

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Peet's

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Epicurious Garden

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Please advise any specific dietary requirements in the "Special Requirements" box at time of booking
Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.
A moderate amount of walking is involved; comfortable walking shoes are recommended
All food tastings are subject to change depending on availability
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible

Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Transportation is wheelchair accessible
Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

Cancellation Policy

This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Cristina A

Our tour guide Rebecca was wonderful! She used to work in the neighborhood so she was able to provide more details than the regular tour guide. The quality of food was delicious and varied from different cultures and flavors.

Reviews

5.0

22 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-7 of 22 reviews

Good foot and company

jeff_s, Aug 2022

First time in Berkeley. We were introduced to some excellent eating establishments. Also, Eve was a wealth of information about the restaurants themselves.

Response from Host, Aug 2022

Thanks so much for joining us, Jeff! We love sharing our passion for the North Berkeley food scene with our guests, and yes, Eve, is the BEST! We hope you'll join us again someday.

Berkeley Gourmet Ghetto Goodness!

Cristina A, Dec 2018

Organized, spirited, knowledgeable and a must try

Tricia C, Dec 2018

Ive been on many walking tours, but tgis ine takes the cake. The instructor was knowledgeable, experienced, thoughtful and an all around pleasure. We started at the Cheeseboard Collective and ended at the same place. I was absolutely stuffed by the end of it.I didnt feel hurried or streessed about making the next stop. It was chill, educational with an awesome variety of food types as well: pastrami sando, coffee, chocolate, smoothies, cheese.. etc etc etc.. its a must try!

Fab tour, tried lots of excellent...

Nigel R, Feb 2016

Fab tour, tried lots of excellent food and plenty of it , well worth the time and tour quite was sooo good, very interesting thanks Would highly recommend

Tour guide was knowledgable of the...

June N, May 2015

Tour guide was knowledgable of the area and restaurants beyond just the tour. Best walking tour We have taken. Come hungry. Kentucky if food to eat. I highly recommend taking this tour

Our tour guide was great and the...

Jane S, Jan 2014

Our tour guide was great and the food was excellent. We also enjoyed learning about tea and the wine tasting.

This Berkeley food tour was...

Laura All Over, Apr 2013

This Berkeley food tour was outstanding! We visited nine locations around the Gourmet Ghetto neighborhood, and the samples at each spot were tasty and quite varied. The group was small, so it was easy to hear our guide (Carrie, who was fantastic!) as she explained the story behind the restaurants, shops, and dishes. Each person we met at the stops was very passionate about what they do, and shared very interesting stories. I feel like a learned a lot on this tour, and as a San Francisco resident I look forward to returning to many of these places that I never would have found on my own.