Top 10 Best Midwest Food Tours 2013

Food tours have become one of tourism's most requested activity and the Midwest is no different.
Whether checking out a new city, or exploring your own, learning about the cuisine of the area is a delicious way to travel.

Basically, there are two types of food tours: Ones that focus on the food itself, concentrating on the chefs, restaurants and ingredients; the other covers the neighborhood, architecture, and history while enjoying the foods of the area. If you are looking to learn about a town, historic area or neighborhood you will want to choose the second type. True foodies, gourmet cooks and potential restaurant owners may be more inclined to choose the first style.

The best way to figure out which type of tours are available is to research. A simple call, website check, or email is all it should take. Culinary tour owners and staff are eager to ensure you choose one you will enjoy and will lead you in the right direction. Tours might be dedicated to a specific food (pizza, beer, cheese, chocolate), a specific area of town, or ethnicity. Transportation is normally by walking, but in some cases it might be by bicycle or shuttle.

Click here for the Gotta Go Food Tours segment on Indy Style ~

Below are my insider's tips and (in no particular order) the list of my recommendations.

Top 10 Best Food Tours 2013

Insider tips

Wear comfortable walking shoes

Bring a camera

Extra money is good for shopping after it's over

Come hungry

Let the operator know of allergies when booking

Go in a group or with a friend for memory-making

Be open to new foods and drinks

Milwaukee

Milwaukee Food Tours

Tours: Walking, Shuttle-Brady Street, Historic Third Ward, Walker’s Point, Riverwalk/Westown, Bloody Third Ward/Bloody Mary Brunch, Bay View/Bloodies & Beers, Village of Wauwatosa, Cedarburg, Pizza Bus, Churches & Chocolates, Christmas Around Milwaukee Bakery Bus, Grandparent’s Day, Bone Appétit (dog friendly), Walker’s Point Dine Around

MilwaukeeFoodTours.com

Saint Louis

STL Culinary

Tours: Walking-Market Street Gastro, DeMun Gastro, UCity Loop, Edwardsville, Chaumette Vineyards

STLCulinaryTours.com

Savor Saint Louis

Tours: Walking-Central West End

SavorSaintLouis.com

Indianapolis

Taste Indy Food Tours

Tours: Walking-Mass Ave., Wholesale Food District, Fountain Square, City Market

IndianapolisFoodTours.com

Chicago

Bobby’s Bike Hike

Tours: Bicycle-Bikes, Bites & Beer

BobbysBikeHike.com

Tastebud Tours

Tours: Walking-Gold Coast, Sweets (Chocolate and desserts), Loop/Millennium, Magnificent Mile

TastebudTours.com

Chicago Food Planet

Tours: Walking-Gold Coast/Oldtown, Chinatown, Bucktown/Wicker Park

ChicagoFoodPlanet.com

Cincinnati

Findlay Market Tour

Tours: Walking-Customized Findlay Market

FindlayMarket.org

Lexington

Bleu plate Tours

Tours: Walking- Heart of Lexington, Sunday Stroll

BleuPlateTours.com

Bloomington

Bloomington Food Tours

Tours: Bites of Bloomington

Walking-Downtown Bloomington

BloomingtonFoodTours.com

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated fine-living, travel, food, wine and spirits columnist, freelance writer and photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic for Gotta Go. Read Infused, her spirits, wine & beer lifestyle column, at www.GottaGo.us and www.FoodDigital.com and catch her as Indy’s Personal Lifestyle Adviser on Indy Style, WISH8 (CBS). Gotta Go is published on www.Gottago.us, www.BroadwayWorld.com, and in print. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.