9 Most Delectable Portland Oregon Food Tours
It’s no secret that I travel for the food. In fact, I have a whole section of this blog dedicated to my foodie-ventures. Naturally, when I visited my family in Portland, I couldn’t let the week go by without taking some food tours.
Luckily, Portland’s food scene is incredibly diverse and delicious. They’re constantly ranked number one in the food scene for their food carts, pizza, and breweries!
I’ll share the two tours I took in detail and some other great Portland Oregon food tours, so you can decide which is best for you!
Coffee and Donuts
Portland is known for coffee and donuts because of their fresh ingredients, commitment to quality, and independently owned shops. You’ll likely recognize some household names that have expanded beyond Portland, like VooDoo Doughnuts, which you can now find at the Universal theme parks.
1. Underground Donut Tour (the best donut tour in Portland)
I took this tour and as a bonafide sweet tooth, I’ve never had a sugar rush until this tour. Holy (sweet, sweet) cow!
On this donut tour, you’ll try 4 of Portland’s best donut shops including two of the most popular (VooDoo Doughnuts and Blue Star Donuts) and two smaller, but equally amazing donut shops (I’ll let those remain a surprise).
Not only that, but you’ll learn about Portland’s icons around the city like the Portlandia statue, Pioneer Square, and Shemanski Fountain.
What I loved most about this tour was that it prioritized a range of different types of donuts — not just a simple glazed or even artisan donut. But, we got to try mochi donuts (which are an experience if you’ve never tried them), local coffee, and seasme donuts for unique flavors that make the donut scene in Portland so special.
And don’t worry because you’re on the tour, you can skip the line at the most popular spots and get straight to tasting!
If you’re visiting during December, you can also book their special Holiday Donut tour for festive donuts to try!
Cost: $70 per person
Tastings: 4 shops (multiple donuts per shop)
Duration: 2 hours
Accessible?: yes
2. Coffee and Donut Tour (emphasis on the coffee)
From Lost Plate Food Tours, this coffee and donut tour is best if you lean more towards coffee than donuts because coffee is the priority for this tour! That means you’ll try three different coffees, learn techniques from a local barista, and sample donuts along the way.
While the previous tour focuses on Portland’s highlights and a couple gems, this tour is all local gems, off-the-beaten-path spots, and independent shops. If you want to visit VooDoo Doughnuts and Blue Star Donuts without the lines on a tour, this one is not right for you (see the above tour for that!).
✅ Tour Portland
Still, this tour is perfect if you’re looking for that local experience. I’d recommend this one if you’ve visited Portland before, are a coffee connoisseur, or want a more in-depth local feel.
This tour only operates on Thursdays and Fridays.
Cost: $59 per person
Tastings: 4-5 shops (3 coffee drinks + donuts)
Duration: 2.5 hours
Accessible?: no
Food Cart Pods
Portland’s food cart pods are one of the most unique things in the city and as someone who has been to a TON of US cities, I can confidently say, you won’t find these anywhere else.
But what is a food cart pod? It’s a collection of food carts, which are similar to food trucks, except that they do not have wheels and are stationary. They’re not trucks at all, in fact! A pod is made of at least 3 carts and in Portland there are over 70 pods! …yes I learned that on a food cart pod food tour 😉
That makes food cart pods one of the most essential activities to do on your Portland itinerary and even better, a food cart pod tour!
3. Food Cart Pods + Brewery (the top Portland food tour)
I absolutely LOVED this food cart pod tour! At first, I was worried 3 hours was going to feel too long and be too much food, but it was perfect all the way around.
This tour goes to two food cart pods in the Central Eastside neighborhood and a brewery nearby, so it’s certainly a good value.
Not only that, but the tour guide will share so much interesting information about Portland’s food scene that you’ll walk away stuffed with food and knowledge. For example, did you know that Portland doesn’t have a signature dish, but instead a signature way of eating abbreviated as FLOSS (fresh, local, organic, sustainable, and seasonal).
My favorite things we ate were chicken pelmeni, a Ukrainian dumpling, and the Bavarian Queen waffle with strawberry and lemon custard from Smaaken!
You can only do this food cart pod tour Tuesday through Friday, so if you’re visiting on Saturday through Monday, you’ll have to keep reading.
Cost: $99 per person
Tastings: 5-7 carts + brewery
Duration: 3 hours
Accessible?: no
4. Food Cart Pods + Bikes
Portland is one of the best cities for biking in the US, so why not combine their iconic food scene with biking? This is especially great if you need a little exercise to work up your appetite between stops.
This biking and food cart pod tour comes with a city bike and helmet, so no need to stress on finding one yourself. Plus, it’ll give you a good feel for navigating the city using a public bike, if you want to keep that up during your time in Portland.
You’ll tour through the Southeast side of Portland over the course of four hours traveling 8 – 12 miles and sampling food from 4 food cart pods including the first ever!
What I love most about this tour is that the food stops are chosen by the guide after learning your preferences and favorite foods. That means you know you’ll get to try something you’ll love!
Just FYI, this tour does not run on Mondays.
Cost: $75 per person
Tastings: 4 stops
Duration: 4 hours
Accessible?: no
Best Walking Food Tours of Portland
Without a focus on food cart pods, you’ll still have an incredible selection of food tours in Portland because let’s face it, it’s harder to find a bad restaurant in this city than a stellar one.
If you want a more traditional walking food tour of Portland stoping at more brick and mortar spots, here are some options.
5. Walking Pizza Tour
You may have missed it, but I mentioned that Portland has some of the best pizza in the country and a pizzeria in Portland (Ken’s Artisan Pizza) was actually named the best pizza in the world behind a shop in Naples, Italy.
On this pizza walking tour, you can decide for yourself where you’ll try 4 different slices and styles while conversing with the pizza makers aka pizzaiolos.
This tour takes place in the Northwest District, which is one of my favorite areas in Portland!
This is also the best tour for anyone with dietary and mobility restrictions as it can accommodate gluten-free and vegan diets, and wheelchairs. Not to mention it’s perfect if you don’t have as much time to spend on a food tour, since it only lasts 2 hours.
A note that this tour does not run on Mondays.
Cost: $75 per person
Tastings: 4 stops
Duration: 2 hours
Accessible?: yes
6. Secret Food Tour
I am a big fan of Secret Food Tours. If you’ve never done one, they have food tours around the country and there’s always one “secret” spot on the tour that’s always the most memorable. For example, in New York our secret spot was an Indian taco shop where the tortillas were swapped with roti and naan. I’d travel back to New York just to have more of those tacos!
If I were to go back to Portland, I’d certainly choose this Secret Food Tour.
It’s a traditional walking tour through downtown Portland and the Pearl district and includes samples of some of Portland’s most iconic eats like ramen (Portland has a diverse Asian population!).
Cost: $94 per person
Tastings: 5 stops
Duration: 3 hours
Accessible?: no
7. Brunch on Mississippi Tour
I was thiiiiiis close to booking this tour and now that I’m writing this, I’m certainly regretting not going for it. The only thing holding me back was time and the fact I had two other food tours booked.
All this to say, this Brunch on Mississippi tour looks incredible! It’s run by Portland by Mouth, a local tour operator, so you know they know the best spots and have authentic local connections with the vendors you’ll visit.
This is a perfect option for you if you want to see more of Portland’s historic homes and a cozy neighborhood feel, rather than the modern, downtown vibe. The restaurants and food options look especially enticing and perfectly varied with breakfast sandwiches, pastries, brioche donuts, tacos, and more!
A note that this tour only runs on Thursdays and Fridays.
Cost: $95 per person
Tastings: 6 stops
Duration: 3 hours
Accessible?: no
Other top Portland Oregon food tours
8. Foodie Bike Tour
If you’re leaning more toward biking and less toward food (the opposite of number 4 above), this is your best bet. This is primarily a bike tour with a sprinkle of food throughout. It’s run by Cycle Portland, so the ratio of bike to food probably doesn’t come as a surprise.
On this foodie bike tour, you’ll bike 7 – 8 miles along Tom McCall Waterfront Park, over a couple of Portland’s 12 bridges, and sample food from 3 stops including coffee, lunch, and ice cream for dessert.
Because of the nature of the tour, there is a minimum age of 10 and it is not accessible. A bike is provided as well as rain gear, if necessary. They can also accommodate dietary restrictions, so be sure to let your guide know.
One thing I love about this tour is that you can book a standard bicycle or an eBike, so if you know you’ll need assistance biking the tour’s distance and duration, you can opt for an electric bike! My asthmatic self appreciates that!
Cost: $95 per person (standard bike) or $109 per person (eBike)
Tastings: 3 stops
Duration: 3 hours
Accessible?: no
9. Guided Ice Cream Tour
If there’s another thing Portland is a master at, it’s ice cream. Basically, take any craft, handmade, artisan food and Portland is doing it best.
Naturally, ice cream is fantastic here. Salt and Straw which started in Portland has become the biggest household name as it’s expanded to the Disney theme parks and beyond. But, Portland has so many other wonderful ice cream shops with just as fantastic flavors.
If you can sample some on an ice cream food tour, it’s definitely a good way to go! On this one you’ll try 4 different shops and a total of 12 different flavors!
Cost: $55 per person (2 person minimum needed for tour to run)
Tastings: 4 stops
Duration: 2 hours
Accessible?: yes
More PNW resources:
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I absolutely loved your detailed breakdown of Portland’s food tours, especially the Underground Donut Tour! As a fellow foodie who has explored various cities through their culinary offerings, I can relate deeply to your excitement about food-focused experiences. I took a similar donut tour in Portland last year and was amazed by the variety, especially the mochi donuts, which were a delightful surprise. Your mention of skipping lines at popular spots like VooDoo Doughnuts really resonates with me – making the experience smoother and more enjoyable. Also, the blend of tasting and learning about local landmarks adds a cultural depth that enhances the tour significantly. I appreciate your nuanced distinction between the two tours catering to different preferences – it’s insightful for anyone planning a visit. Your blog inspires me to explore more food tours in other cities, as they truly offer a unique way to connect with local culture and flavors. Looking forward to reading more of your foodie adventures!