Secret Food Tours vs Charleston Culinary Tours
The global operator against the hometown one — compared on route, food, price, and format so you can book the right walk.
Written by Alex H., a Charleston local Updated July 2026
Short answer: for a first visit, book Secret Food Tours — the French Quarter route with 7+ tastings covers the historic district and the Lowcountry classics in one three-hour pass, and it holds a 4.8★ average over 99 reviews. Book Charleston Culinary Tours if you want the hometown operator (running since 2006), a lower price at $95, or their Upper King Street route through Charleston's modern restaurant corridor.
| Secret Food Tours | Charleston Culinary Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Who they are | International food-tour company running tours in dozens of cities worldwide; the Charleston branch walks the French Quarter | Charleston-local operator, running food tours here since 2006 — the longest-running food tour company in the city |
| Signature route | French Quarter, 3 hours, 7+ tastings built around Lowcountry classics, with the company's "secret dish" reveal along the way | Two main routes: Downtown (French Quarter and City Market) and Upper King Street, the modern restaurant corridor, each about 2.5 hours |
| The food | The classics: barbecue, fresh seafood, and Lowcountry staples, finished with something sweet | Downtown covers the classics; Upper King tastes the New South side — the kitchens Charleston eats at now |
| Drinks | Not included; an optional paid drinks package adds two drinks | Not included on the standard tours; they also run separate mixology and cooking experiences |
| Group size | Capped small (around a dozen guests) | Small-group walking tours; exact caps vary by route |
| Bookable here | From $116.59, 4.8★ (99 reviews) on GetYourGuide | From $95, 4.6★ (6 reviews on GetYourGuide; their off-platform review record is much deeper) |
The case for Secret Food Tours
Secret Food Tours is a global company, and in Charleston that formula lands well because the route does the heavy lifting: three hours through the French Quarter, the prettiest and oldest part of the city, with seven or more tastings threaded between the landmarks. The menu stays on the classics — barbecue, fresh seafood, something sweet to finish — and the "secret dish" they withhold until you're standing in front of it is a gimmick that reviewers consistently enjoy. On the booking platform it carries the stronger record of the two: 4.8 stars across 99 reviews.
The honest con: it's the pricier ticket at about $117, drinks cost extra (a paid package adds two), and you're booking a franchise format rather than a purely local outfit, however good the local guides are.
The case for Charleston Culinary Tours
Charleston Culinary Tours has been walking these streets since 2006, longer than anyone else in town, and it shows in the restaurant relationships: routes rotate through partner kitchens rather than a fixed script. The Downtown route covers the French Quarter and City Market ground; the Upper King Street Culinary Tour is the more distinctive booking, 2.5 hours through the corridor where Charleston's restaurant scene actually lives now, at $95 the cheaper of the two operators. They also run cooking classes and mixology outings if a walking tour isn't the shape you want.
The honest con: their GetYourGuide listing is newer, so the on-platform review count is thin (six reviews at 4.6 stars as of this update). Their longer track record lives on other platforms, which makes comparing star ratings side by side less useful than comparing formats.
The neighborhood is the real decision
Strip away the branding and you're choosing between two walks: the French Quarter with the classics, or Upper King with the new kitchens. First visit, eat the classics. Returning visitor, eat where the city eats now. Our menu-by-menu comparison breaks down what lands on your plate on every Charleston food tour, including these two.
Which should you book?
Secret Food Tours for a first visit: the French Quarter route, the most tastings, and the deepest on-platform review record.
Charleston Culinary Tours for the local operator, the $95 price, or the Upper King Street route through the modern restaurant corridor.
Book the one you picked
Secret Food Tours
French Quarter Guided Food Tour with 7+ Tastings — from $116.59, 4.8★ (99 reviews), 3 hours. Their Upper King brunch walk is bookable too.
Check availability →Charleston Culinary Tours
Charleston's Upper King Street Culinary Tour — from $95, 2.5 hours, four restaurants on Upper King Street.
Check availability →Book a proven Charleston food tour
Full breakdown, pricing, and where to book each one:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Secret Food Tours Charleston the same as the French Quarter Guided Food Tour on GetYourGuide?
Yes. The listing titled "Charleston: French Quarter Guided Food Tour with 7+ Tastings" is Secret Food Tours' Charleston walk — the booking page path carries their name. It runs about three hours with seven or more tastings and rates 4.8 stars across 99 reviews there. Their Upper King Street brunch walking tour is on the platform too.
Which is cheaper, Secret Food Tours or Charleston Culinary Tours?
Charleston Culinary Tours, usually. Their Upper King Street Culinary Tour books from $95, while Secret Food Tours' French Quarter walk books from about $117. Both replace a full meal, so compare against what lunch for two costs downtown before calling either expensive.
Which one should a first-time visitor pick?
Secret Food Tours' French Quarter walk, for the route: first-timers get the historic district and the Lowcountry classics in one pass, and it has the strongest review record of the two on the booking platform. Pick Charleston Culinary Tours if supporting the local operator matters to you or if you want the Upper King modern-restaurant angle instead.
Do either of them include drinks?
No, drinks are extra with both companies. Secret Food Tours sells an optional package that adds two drinks. On any Charleston food tour, budget for a drink or two at the stops that offer them.
Still comparing food tours?
See every Charleston food tour compared by price, menu, and neighborhood in the full guide.