Yes, there are guided food and drink tours in Bath. Savouring Bath's Food Heroes tour is the best-known option: a 3-hour walking tour with food and drink tasting stops for £90 per person, running Wednesday to Friday and some Saturdays between February and November. Bath Food Tours, run by local food writer Chris Allsop, offers small private tours instead of a fixed public schedule. Here's how the two compare and what you actually get.
Savouring Bath: the Food Heroes tour
This is Bath's main scheduled food and drink tour, and it's the one most visitors book. A few confirmed details direct from the operator:
- Price: £90 per person, reducing to £85 per person if you book 5 or 6 tickets together
- Duration: around 3 hours
- Group size: semi-private, minimum 2 participants, maximum 6 tickets per time slot
- Schedule: Wednesday to Friday at 9:45am and 2pm, plus selected Saturdays at 9:45am, running February to November only
- Booking: advance booking required, at least 48 hours ahead
The tour walks you through the city's historic core while stopping at independent food and drink producers, with a mix of savoury and sweet samples along the way, roughly equal amounts of each. It's built around what the operator calls "food heroes," both the specialities that have shaped Bath's food identity and the people currently running the city's independent food scene, with a guide sharing the stories behind each stop.
Dietary note: the operator is upfront that this particular tour isn't suitable for anyone with a severe allergy or intolerance, or anyone following a fully plant-based diet, since most samples contain gluten, dairy or caffeine. They can adapt for vegetarians with advance notice, so flag any dietary needs when you book rather than on the day.
Savouring Bath also runs private food and drink sampling tours, a seasonal Flavours of Christmas tour, a self-guided audio tour you download and follow at your own pace, and food-and-drink add-ons like a Gin Spa or Cheese Spa tasting session. Contact the operator directly for current pricing on these, since published rates can change between seasons.
Bath Food Tours: the private option
Bath Food Tours is run by Chris Allsop, a food and travel journalist based in Bath who has written restaurant and food guides for outlets including National Geographic and Decanter. Rather than a fixed public schedule, Bath Food Tours operates as small-group private tours, walking you through the city's independent restaurants, English wine and Somerset farmhouse cheese, with the itinerary shaped around your group. Spaces are kept deliberately limited to keep the experience intimate. Contact the operator directly (hello@bathfoodtours.com) for current pricing and available dates, since this runs on request rather than a published timetable.
Comparing your options
| Tour | Format | Duration | Price | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Savouring Bath, Food Heroes | Semi-private, 2-6 people, scheduled | ~3 hours | £90pp (£85pp for 5-6) | 48hrs+ ahead, Feb-Nov |
| Savouring Bath, private tours | Private, your group only | Varies | Contact for pricing | On request |
| Bath Food Tours | Private, small group | Varies | Contact for pricing | On request |
Is a food tour worth it in Bath?
If you want a structured introduction to Bath's independent food scene with a guide who knows the shopkeepers and producers personally, both operators deliver that. The Food Heroes tour is the easier one to simply book online for a fixed date, which suits visitors planning ahead. A private tour from either operator suits a group that wants flexibility on timing, dietary needs or a more bespoke route.
Either way, you'll get more out of it than wandering independently, since a lot of Bath's best independent food spots are tucked away rather than on the obvious tourist streets. If you'd rather explore on your own terms afterwards, pair it with our guide to where to stay in Bath or day trips from Bath to round out a longer visit.
Booking tips
- Book the Food Heroes tour at least 48 hours ahead; it only runs February to November and group slots are capped at 6 tickets.
- Flag any allergy, intolerance or plant-based diet before booking the Food Heroes tour specifically, since the operator says it isn't well suited to those needs without advance planning.
- For a private tour from either operator, email ahead with your group size, dates and any dietary requirements so they can tailor the route.
- If you want afternoon tea built into a walking tour rather than a food-tasting format, Savouring Bath also runs a dedicated tour combining the two; ask when you enquire.