This was my second Afternoon Food Tour with Karen and can't say enough about the wonderful day spent with Karen and her warm personality sharing history and food of Salem. She makes it so comfortable every time - wlll definitely be doing another tour in the Fall. Thank you Karen! Judy C read more

This weekend Salem Food Tours had their first immersive experience, with a Food at 400. They had a Town Hall exihibition, trolly tour, restaurants taking part plus I saw Scott Conant in discussion with Karen at Salem State Theater. This was an amazing set of experiences, which continue all this week. Salem Food Tours go above and beyond. read more

This is one of the best and most unique food tours we have done - and we've done a lot of them! Karen is lovely, knows her stuff and is passionate about her community, its history and its small businesses. You eat less food than usual on this tour but what you eat is mind blowing. We did the Afternoon Stroll and had the best time. Highly, highly recommend! read more

Karen clearly has a lot of passion and knowledge about Salem and the local community! I would highly recommend this tour and I would also recommend that you make this one of the first tours you do in Salem! While it touches the obvious aspects of Salem's history, you also get to learn about the bits that you've never heard anywhere before. Additionally, her food recommendations are spot on! read more

KAREN IS THE ABSOLUTE BEST! We were the only people that signed up but she kept our tour. It was such a wonderful way to experience Salem, Ma so informative but also so yummy! This is a must when you come to town! read more

See all

My daughter lives in MA and is getting married. Her MOH set up a Salem Bachelorette Day!!! I had no clue 'food tours' was even a thing, so held no expectations. I had never been to MA before, let alone Salem. I can't say "Wow" or "OMG" enough to explain this tour. Karen is extremely personable, engaging, efficient, and proficient at cat wrangling! Her immense wealth of knowledge is mind boggling. She customizes your tour depending on the theme, and people attending. Her attention to detail is on point. And her enthusiasm, especially regarding Salem, is infectious!!! We had a member who has a not so common allergy. Though Karen doesn't (or didn't for our group) disclose where the stops will be prior to the tour, she did speak confidentially with our group member before the trip to go over what kind of stops we'd be making, what kind of foods we'd be tasting, and what substitutions would be needed for this member. The stops themselves were amazing. We not only got to taste some great samples, but also received history of the products, ingredients, owners, etc. We were treated to several "thank you" stops (businesses that gave a discount when you mentioned you found them because of the tour). My only sad from the day was not being able to buy certain items due to the complexity of traveling home with them *sigh*. I cannot recommend this tour enough! It's a definite 'must do' on a Salem visit. Especially for other out-of-state visitors like me!! Karen even takes pics of the group throughout the tour, then emailed them to us, so we have those memories to share with others. Thank you Karen for such an amazing time, and making my daughter feel as special as she truly is!!! read more

See all

Karen was a fantastic guide. She is engaging and fun. We learned a ton about the history of Salem, not just the witch trials, it was really cool. We had fantastic food along the way and got to see several different unique shops. Absolutely worth the price of the tour. It was also a great way to get to know Salem. We did the tour on our first day and knew exactly where to go from then on. read more

This is one of the best tours you can find in Salem. Karen is absolutely darling. She is so smart and knowledgeable regarding Salem history and culture. She is incredibly supportive of local owned businesses and supporting the thriving small businesses in Salem. And she is absolutely the most pleasant and lovely soul to spend 3.5 hours with (which fly by) as you see areas of Salem that you most likely won't see on other tours! We did five tours in three days and Karen's was our top pic. She clearly nurtures the relationships she's created in Salem and walking around town with her - gives a cozy small town vibe to this magical town. I can not say enough about it! LOVE THIS TOUR!! Karen is phenomenal! read more

I had planned a girls trip to Salem with 8 friends for this past weekend. We did the afternoon stroll with Karen and it was hands down our favorite thing we did all weekend. It was a very authentic local look at the town of Salem. We learned so much and got to go into so many places we would have overlooked otherwise. Karen is extremely friendly, knowledgeable, and a real foodie at heart. The local vendors were welcoming and the food they had was even better then I imagined. Karen took photos throughout the course of the tour so we could focus on being engaged with what we were learning and trying. The photos came out beautiful and added a lovely extra layer to the expierence. I highly recommend doing this food tour. read more

See all

This was the best tour of our weekend in Salem! Karen was an AMAZING guide. We took the afternoon stroll tour. Karen gave us an authentic and interesting food tour of Salem. There is more to Salem than Halloween. This tour offered a great insight into what the town has to offer. The restaurants and shops she led us to were fantastic. Karen has so much knowledge about Salem and it's clear she's passionate about her work. We had a great time, learned so much, and her recommendations were 100% worthwhile. I would book this tour again! Karen, please host dinner parties and start writing that blog! read more

My sister and my kids took this tour with Karen and it was amazing. She is a delight and has a deep understanding of Salem's history and focuses more on the spice trade and how that put Salem on the map. This was a great compliment to other tours we had already taken on the Witch trial history so as not to be redundant. Karen took us to the best quality places with divine food. We couldn't help but take something home from every place we stopped because it was all so delicious. My kids are pretty adventurous eaters so they are willing to try most anything. If you have picky eaters - you may struggle more. However she did cater our tour to include things like chocolate and popcorn. But the adults had tea, cheese, wine and more. My only regret was not taking the tour on day one so we could go back to the places she took us on day two for more! It's a fabulous tour. read more

See all

Our group went on an afternoon stroll August 17th and we had a wonderful time. Karen is engaging, fun, and informative. We visited several shoppes, bought lots of stuff, and tasted some wonderful food. Truly a lovely tour that focuses on the maritime and true history of Salem, so I learned something too in a fun way. Parking can be an adventure in town so bring lots of quarters for the parking meters, or park at the T station and walk about 15 minutes. Either way give yourself plenty of time to arrive on time. read more

This was wicked fun! Karen was an amazing hostess! She is full of information, bright, chipper and very accommodating. This is a wonderful way to experience Salem. We got to try food from five different places and everything was delicious. At each stop we were met by friendly informative staff people who provided wonderful service. I just love this way of eating your way around town. I have some dietary restrictions and Karen was able to accommodate me, no problem. We had such a wonderful day I highly recommend this experience. read more

Our food tour with Karen was the highlight of our weekend! Loved the history she provided and the variety of tastings even with the covid limitations prevailing. She has a true love for the community and that's the best "Welcome to our town" you can get! The vendors respect and know her well and are very accommodating and appreciative of what she does. Wonderfully authentic tour with the perfect combination of food, history and sight seeing. This is a "must take" tour when visiting Salem read more

We did the Coffee Walking Tour with Karen and it was a great visit for us! We started out at Jodi Bee Bakes with a cup of organic coffee and some delicious vegan/gluten-free bakery items. It's hard to find gluten free items that are that tasty and these were superb! We walked around the city and Karen gave us a taste of history along the entire route. We truly loved it and only have one regret...that we didn't get to do the wine tasting tour too! I highly recommend booking one of their tours on your next stop in Salem! read more

I chose the AM Coffee Walk to learn about the history of Salem and see the town. What a great walk! Our tour guide was Karen, who was kind, knowledgeable and gracious. We started at a local bakery, had coffee and free cinnamon roll tasting, and we were off. Karen took us through town, stopping at historical places and telling us all about Salem history. We ended the tour at Salem Spice where we did a spice tasting. I would recommend this tour, and any of her tours if you are visiting Salem. read more

Karen designed a Bridal Stroll food tour that was the highlight of our bachelorette shenanigans in Salem. Each stop included delicious tastings and a ton of information about the history of the town that I had never known before. She also introduced us to a variety of local businesses that we might never have found on our own otherwise. The experience Karen designs is not to be missed! read more

I just finished the Salem food tour with Karen and I was pleasantly surprised. I've eaten all around the world and I had no idea Salem had such a variety of delicious, locally sourced food. We visited six culinary locations, including a spice shop and perfume store. By the end of the tour, I was full, happy and had made friends with six like minded foodies. Food people are good people. The restaurants we visited went out of their way to welcome us and make sure we were happy and well fed. Karen was great as a guide. She has a wealth of knowledge about food and Salem history. It seemed like she has a great relationship with the vendors. I've lived in Salem for six years and had never been to most of the places we visited on the tour. If you consider yourself a foodie, do yourself a favor and let the "Salem food tours" show you what this town has to offer. read more

I highly recommend Salem Food Tours! We had a wonderful morning tour, despite it being the week of Halloween. We learned doe hot tips in spots to visit, along with tons of history of the town. I want to go back to Salem, just so I can bring my boyfriend on a tour. read more

We did the AM Coffee Walk with Karen on Monday and we had a great time! Jody Bee Bakes was awesome, Doug's treats were so good! We learned all about Salem's history and got some great recommendations from Karen for other things to do and places to stop to eat. We went to Turtle Alley, the macadamia turtles were to die for! The spice tasting was also very informative and educational! Thanks so much for a great time Karen! read more

Karen is wonderful! Not only is she very knowledgeable about the local restaurants she is also truly passionate about Salem and all it has to offer. We had a wonderful afternoon tour, I didn't want it to end. All of the tastings were wonderful, educational and fun! Two of the tour members, including me, had food allergies and Karen made arrangements to make sure that we both could participate without limitations. Her enthusiasm and that of the shop owners definitely has me wanting to return to see more of Salem. It is a great idea for fun day with anyone who appreciates good food and a bit of history. I will be back for another tour soon and I highly recommend that you do too! read more

Karen is a fabulous tour guide! This tour is not just about the food(which is delicious and plentiful) but also about the history of Salem. It was my first time to Salem and through this tour I got a real feel for the city. Karen supports all the local family owned operations in the town which is great during these tough times on small businesses. Take this tour you won't regret it! read more

Great afternoon stroll; Karen was a great tour guide. I would highly recommend. It was something different and available year round.

SO SO happy i took this tour! My aunt and uncle were visiting from Seattle and I was scratching my head trying to think of something fun to do with them. Then i remembered Salem food tour, and it was a HUGE hit! We had great weather but i think the tour would be awesome rain or shine. I live in Danvers, just outside of Salem and this tour let me experience restaurants, sites and shops that i would probably have not have gone into on my own, but will now go back and visit again! Karen, the guide is AMAZING and i don't think you could find a more perfect person for this tour. She is knowledgeable about the history of Salem and her enthusiasm for the city and for food shines through as she guides you around. It was also fun to get to meet some other people that were traveling in the group with us. If you have company coming into town, need a gift idea for someone hard to shop for, OR just looking for something new and exciting to do, i highly recommend taking one of the Salem food tours. The best part is that each tour is unique so you can do the tour multiple times and experience different things each time. I will most certainly be signing up for another tour soon! read more

Karen is knowledgeable and spends the right amount of time sharing history and architecture of Salem that you don't get in other tours. I am a recent resident, and this was a great way to explore the culinary offering of Salem! read more

My wife and I visit Salem every year around Halloween. We thought we knew all there was to know about the area but our amazing guide Karen taught us different. She introduced us to some of the best food the area has to offer. A personal highlight of mine was the spice shop at the end of the tour. You couldn't ask for a nicer, more informed guide than Karen. We are definitely going to tour again with this amazing company. I highly recommend it. read more

Excellent experience here with Salem Food Tours. We took a walking food tour of Salem stopping at a number of hidden local gems. We were in a small private group and received undivided attention from Karen. She was knowledgeable, friendly, answered all of our questions and took excellent care of us. We recommend this tour to anyone that's looking to find some really excellent places to grab a quick bite or a long meal. We learned so much about Salem and had a great time while doing it. Highly recommended! read more

We recently joined Karen for our second Salem Food Tour. Karen is a knowledgeable and passionate about the food and history of Salem. She has an excellent rapport with her food partners and they go out of their way to accommodate her guests. On this tour we enjoyed fresh sandwiches from Milk and Honey Green Grocer, several fresh and tasty dishes from Koto, some sweets at Pamplemousse, interesting spices at Salem Spice, awesome pasta at Firenze and then wine & brownies at Salem Wine Imports. A very enjoyable afternoon! read more

Plan ahead and reserve a spot on the Salem Food Tours. What an amazing afternoon! The tour leader, Karen, is a wonderful guide--professional and passionate. Karen provided local history and its relation to food as a compliment to the sites and tastes along the way. We were really were impressed with the involvement and offerings from local restaurants and small businesses, as well as their acknowledgment of particular food related allergies, and ability to accommodate any palate. We made new foodie friends along the way and look forward to dining together in the future. Each tour is unique and I look forward to another round of the Salem Food Tours! read more

Salem Food Tours - Food Tours Near Me

I cannot recommend Salem Food Tours enough--this is an amazing afternoon to spend with friends, family. And what an awesome first date--single people take note! This tour is awesome for locals OR tourists. The focus is really on food and how food history made/changed Salem history. At the same time, you get scrumptious samples and a happy tummy, AND get to talk one-on-one with chefs. When else in my life have I done that?! Also--I am a vegetarian and still had as much food to eat as non-veggie people. Really. So, so great. Thank you, Karen!! read more

Took the Salem Food Tour yesterday and have to share our fabulous time! Seven women out together celebrating a birthday - we were welcomed to Salem by Karen who should be in charge of all of our lives. She was so knowledgeable, organized (water bottles for all, taking pictures and notes) and well connected. We met new businesses to Salem and veteran ones, each of which were ready to share their passions with us, generous with their enthusiasm and food, and clearly pleased to be part of highlighting Salem and food. The pace was perfect, enough time to talk to the chef/owners or purchase a treat, but then exciting us for the next stop. Highly recommend this activity to share with extended family, girlfriends, out with other couples, new or longtime residents and folks visiting Boston or the North Shore - where else can you dine so well, learn a bit about food, wine, Salem and one another? Thank you to Karen, Chef Bill, Mr. David Bowie, Jean Louis, Akuura, Christina and especially to Chef Doug and the guys at 43 Church! read more

I went on the Vegan Food Tour and it was awesome! I cannot say enough great things about Karen! She was friendly and kind and so genuine. She has vast knowledge of Salem and was able to give us fun facts all throughout the tour. The stops we made were amazing. The food was delicious! I would recommend Salem Food Tours to anyone. read more

The food tour was excellent! Very generous and diverse treats from all over Salem. Karen is clearly well respected and highly involved in the community making the tour feel genuine and personal. At each stop we met the chefs and small business owners that make Salem so great! read more

We had a wonderful time on the Salem Food Tour with Karen. Part of the tour proceeds were donated to the House of THE Seven Gables, underscoring Karen's commitment to the city of Salem. The combination of foods paired with special stops along the way to learn some of the history of Salem was perfect. We started with Mimosas and croissants from A&J King Bakery and ended with The Salem Cheese Shop and sandwiches from the Milk and Honey Green Grocer served at Salem Wine Imports. Everything in between was also amazing. Karen has wonderful relationships with her tour partners and a HUGE variety of available stops. I'm sure we could go back for many more tours without any repeats. I highly recommend any of Karen's tours for both locals and tourists. read more

Fantastic way to spend a Sunday afternoon! Clearly a labor of love for the guide/owner Karen. A very special way to get to know the city of Salem. read more

Karen gives a fabulous coffee walk and food tour- we started off our trip with her coffee walk which includes a cup of organic coffee and a few treats that were delish - Karen gave us a great walk to lay down the foundation of Salem for us that she is so passionate about- her genuine demeanor and exceptional knowledge of the city including great places to eat was priceless- we tried most food spots she suggested and she was on point with each and every one. We ended in sampling spices at the spice shop while drinking hot cider. We ran into Karen all weekend and each and every time she was just as warm and welcoming with a bright smile and down to earth chat. I would highly recommend both of her tours to anyone that wants more than just ghost stories! read more