The Four Best Food Tours in Kansas City

Situated in the middle of the United States, Kansas City offers a melting pot of ethnicities and cultures. With that comes a diverse mixture of culinary offerings. Of course, barbecue is top on the list, with more than 100 restaurants competing to offer the city's best barbecue sauces and smoked meats. The Mexican food on Southwest Boulevard is another highlight with the prominent Hispanic culture in the city. But it's the lesser known foods — tapas at La Bodega, Austrian fare at Grünauer, Jerusalem Café's Mediterranean dishes — that attract foodies to KC. As with any city though, it's almost impossible to try all the restaurants the area has to offer. That's why these five food tours are some of the best ways to explore Kansas City's culinary scene.

Schnitzel and trains in KC's Crossroads District with the Crossroads Tours from Taste of Kansas City Food Tours

Photo via their official FB page.

The Crossroads District in Kansas City is known for its music, art and, of course, its food. Tour guests can take the walking tour to gain insight into the local culture, as well as taste some of the best food the city has to offer. A stop at Union Station, for instance, takes guests to the train station that thousands of people once frequented and is now home to famous KC restaurants such as Harvey's at Union Station, situated in the middle of the station's lobby. Grünauer, another popular spot on the tour, is located nearby offering Viennese cuisine. The beer menu is extensive for guests to wash down the sausages and schnitzel for which the restaurant is known.

A taste of KC history at trendy Westport with the Westport Culinary and Historical Walking Tour from Taste of Kansas City Food Tours

Westport dates back to the days of the Oregon Trail and is where travelers stopped along their way before making the trek out West. Today, it is a trendy spot for restaurants and nightlife, setting up the perfect stomping ground for a culinary and historical walking tour. Taste of Kansas City Food Tours takes groups on a journey through the neighborhood's more than 150 years of history, with several of the original buildings still intact. Tour guests will visit six restaurants in three hours. Joe's Pizza is a KC institution and a favorite on the stop. It is situated in the back of Kelly's, a local favorite bar with a rooftop and live music on weekend nights.

See KC's sights and tastes via Segway with Kansas City Segway Tours

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Kansas City is the perfect place for a Segway tour because its sprawling landscape can make it difficult to see all the sites on foot. Kansas City Segway Tours offers a variety of ways to see the city via Segway. The Museums, Parks & History tour for instance takes groups on a 2-hour exploration visiting Westport, the Nelson Atkins Art Museum and the area's famous Country Club Plaza, which features architecture influenced by Seville, Spain. The 1.5-hour Art & Glide tour keeps guests in the Country Club Plaza area as they explore Kansas City's various fountains and outdoor art.

Pour some sauce on it with KC Barbecue Tours

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Kansas City is known for its barbecue, which is why it can be difficult to choose from the hundreds of barbecue restaurants in town. Enter KC Barbecue Tours. The 4-hour tour takes tour guests to four of Kansas City's most popular barbecue joints to sample the area's best brisket, ribs and delicious sides. Two of the stops include local favorites Gates and Sons Bar-B-Q and Arthur Bryant's — both known for their very unique and very different sauces — while the other two are kept a secret. Guides will give guests a glimpse into the history of KC barbecue, and at the end, guests will be able to talk up their favorites like a true KC local.