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Pike Place Market Tour: Food, History, and Culture
4.8
228 Ratings
Seattle
Join Chef John on a 2-hour insider tour of Pike Place Market, Seattle’s premier food and crafts marketplace. Discover award-winning food merchants and artisans in this world-renowned destination.
Join Chef John on a 2-hour insider tour of Pike Place Market, Seattle’s premier food and crafts marketplace. Discover award-winning food merchants and artisans in this world-renowned destination.
Duration:
2 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- The Crumpet Shop - This is the designated starting point for Supersonic John’s Tasty Tours. The Crumpet Shop’s easily visible sign makes it the perfect landmark to gather beneath to begin the tour. You might be greeted with a rotating sample from one of the Market Family partners!
- Totem Smokehouse Smoked Salmon - Totem Smokehouse has been a…
- The Crumpet Shop - This is the designated starting point for Supersonic John’s Tasty Tours. The Crumpet Shop’s easily visible sign makes it the perfect landmark to gather beneath to begin the tour. You might be greeted with a rotating sample from one of the Market Family partners!
- Totem Smokehouse Smoked Salmon - Totem Smokehouse has been a part of the Market since 1978. It offers a wonderful introduction to the community as you enjoy complimentary salmon jerky samples and VIP discounts while learning about the PNW salmon species.
- Piroshky Piroshky | Pike Place Market - Piroshky Piroshky is a popular spot in the Market, where you can watch the operation through the bakery window. Be thrilled as you observe the skilled team crafting a variety of Piroshky. Samples are provided based on the line.
- Honest Biscuits - Honest Biscuits is situated on the picturesque west side of the Market. The operator will explain the artists and the craft line, as well as show you the original location of the first Starbucks before they moved. Enjoy views of Elliot Bay while savoring fluffy handmade biscuits with Beecher’s cheese baked in. Samples are included in the tour.
- City Fish Co - The tour stops at the first of the four fishmongers in the Market. City Fish opened in 1917. Enjoy complimentary samples and VIP discounts on some of the finest alderwood smoked salmon on earth.
- Corner Market - The O-Mart stop! The Oriental Mart won the James Beard award in 2020 and offers incredible Filipino cuisine. Meet the legendary Ate Lei at this exclusive Tasty Tours VIP stop. A sample is included in the tour.
- DeLaurenti Food & Wine - DeLaurenti Italian Grocery is located in the Economy Market building near the original Market entrance. Opened in 1946, you will sample the best pizza in Washington state at the fantastic lunch counter. This stop is exclusive to Tasty Tours, and the sample is included in the tour.
- Pike Place Fish Market - Yes, the tour visits the world-famous Pike Place Fish Co, where they throw the fish! The operator will explain the history and lore of this attraction as you enjoy complimentary dried fruit and vegetable samples at Simply Seattle.
- Don & Joe’s Meats - Don and Joe’s has been the Market butcher for 55 years and counting. A meat and cheese trail mix to go is included as the tour passes by.
- Pike Place Market - Secret Garden spot. The secret garden is a wonderful place for lunch with public seating and stunning views. The operator will explain the history of the Market and the roles of the PDA, Market Foundation, the Market Commons, and the Historic District in making it one of the magnificent seven public markets in the world and a truly unique community.
- MarketSpice - Discover teas from around the world at MarketSpice.
- Market Magic & Novelty Shop - Visit the longest-running magic shop in the Pacific Northwest and the sixth oldest in the USA as the tour ventures where no other tour goes, down into the seven-level Fairley Building. Perhaps a trick or two will be seen!
- Golden Age Collectables - The tour passes by Golden Age, the world’s oldest comic book shop, and where Sonic John began working in the Market in 1987.
- Holy Cow Records - Continuing the journey through the Lower Market Levels, the tour passes the amazing Holy Cow Records, always bustling with vinyl enthusiasts, as it makes its way back to the main level.
- Los Agaves At Pike - Located in the Sanitary Market Building, Los Agaves offers mouth-watering street tacos al pastor from this Market Family favorite. Samples and VIP discounts are part of the tour.
- The Athenian Seafood Restaurant and Bar - The Athenian boasts the best happy hour view in the Market and is also the filming location for “Sleepless in Seattle” starring Rob Reiner and Tom Hanks. You will see the very lunch counter where the scene took place. A wonderful Market Family hangout.
- Chukar Cherries - The tour concludes with dessert at Chukar Cherries near the Athenian and the bridge to parking. An assortment of chocolate-covered dried cherries and nuts is included in the tour. From this central location, you can easily continue your Seattle adventure. The operator will fondly wave goodbye as you depart, filled with food, history, and delightful experiences!
What's Included
- Sample delectable eats at 10 different food stops
- Exclusive discounts at each vendor shop on the tour
- Experience the Market with an insider guide from the Market family
- Sample delectable eats at 10 different food stops
- Exclusive discounts at each vendor shop on the tour
- Experience the Market with an insider guide from the Market family
What's Not Included
- Parking is not included. There are many options to choose from, prices range from $5 and up.
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Gratuity
- Parking is not included. There are many options to choose from, prices range from $5 and up.
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Gratuity
Additional Information
Tasty Tours invites you to “Meet the Market” and embark on an adventure filled with incredible food, history, and culture alongside Supersonic John, a true Pacific Northwest native and the sole Market Family tour guide.
The Market spans a 9-acre historic district that can be daunting without expert guidance. Specializing in smaller group sizes, Sonic…
Tasty Tours invites you to “Meet the Market” and embark on an adventure filled with incredible food, history, and culture alongside Supersonic John, a true Pacific Northwest native and the sole Market Family tour guide.
The Market spans a 9-acre historic district that can be daunting without expert guidance. Specializing in smaller group sizes, Sonic John will navigate you through the labyrinth to discover hidden treasures. Delight in a diverse array of Tasty exclusive food samples, including James Beard award winners, tacos, seafood, pizza, and more! Personally connect with the artisans, vendors, and community that make Pike Place Market unique. Looking forward to seeing you soon!
Tasty Tours is authorized and licensed by the Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority (PDA) to conduct tours in the Pike Place Market Historical District. The PDA mandates that any business or individual offering paid tours within its properties and public areas of the historical district must be pre-approved and licensed for this activity.
Location
The Crumpet Shop
1st Avenue
Your host will meet you in front of The Crumpet Shop. Remember Seattle is now for its overcast and rain, the tours will run regardless. Also, The Pike Place Market is over 100-years old and still has cobblestone streets and alley ways. So, get those walking shoes and dress appropriately!
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.8
(228 Ratings)
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Susan_t
Jun 3, 2025
Lots of walking but lots... - Lots of walking but lots of fun. Chef John very knowledgeable and kept his group together without rushing us
Review provided by Viator
Lisa_u
May 31, 2025
Excellent. Really enjoyed... - Excellent. Really enjoyed this fun tour of Pike Place Market. John really knows the place inside out and is full of historical knowledge about the market. The food was also amazing, sampled quite a few different things. Would recommend. We could not have seen as much on our own.
Review provided by Viator
Sallymc9250kt
May 30, 2025
Wonderful and excellent service. I loved the place. There is an employee called Hana who meets people with a smile and - Wonderful and excellent service. I loved the place. There is an employee called HANA who meets people with a smile and treats them with all respect. I wish her success.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Linda_t
May 28, 2025
Great way to see the whole market! - So fun with Sonic John! He was wonderful and really cares for his Market and the community there! We enjoyed so many delicious spots and learned so much! Be prepared you’ll cover a lot of ground! It was a wonderful time!
Review provided by Viator
X9116yxheatherh
May 23, 2025
Awesome Food Tour - Our tour guide was great! We had some fantastic food tastings, great views of the market, and we had a great time. Our tour group was super friendly and our guide was super informative.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Diane_l
May 19, 2025
Tasty Samples - John aka Chief John is very knowledgeable regarding the Pike Place Market as he has lived in the Seattle area most of his life. Many of the merchants know him and we received special treatment. John was interesting and fun and provided a good overview to the market.
Review provided by Viator
Brooke_r
May 11, 2025
Come hungry and with... - Come hungry and with walking shoes. John has great knowledge of the market and all the good eats! !!
Review provided by Viator
Celeste_m
May 13, 2025
More of a history tour than a food tour - I think this is a good experience for you to try if you want more of a history tour and not as much of a food tour. The pros of this tour were that the guide does know a lot of the history of how Pike Place started and its current standing. He seemed to know everyone that worked and lived at the market so the facts he knew could not be doubted. He could give you a lot of information on the buildings, what they are made of, how old they are, and who works in them. However, if you are not interested in any of that then you may be bored. The cons of this tour were that it often felt like we were just a part of his social hour. Since he knows everyone he often would stop and talk to people for an extended amount of time, which did not make the tour feel very professional. We also spent the first 30 minutes walking around and learning about the history of the area when I was under the impression that this tour was more about food. We did get food sample and it was enough food, but the food seemed to be rushed and more of a background item when I thought it would be more of a highlight. I think the title "Tasty Tours" is inaccurate as it should be "History Tours" or something like that. We also went to lesser known places for food which I did not mind but if you are looking to get the kind of foods that Pike Place is known for such as Beechers, Chowder, or anything else then you will be disappointed as this tour does not try food at any of those places. I think my expectations were that it would be more about the food as I have taken other food tours and the food was definitely the highlight with a little bit of history mixed in and this was the opposite. The tour was not bad but it was not what I expected so if you chose to go with this tour guide just know what to expect.
Review provided by Viator
Sightseer120064
May 10, 2025
Disappointed - We travel very often and always enjoy doing food tours. This was very different from any other tours we have taken . We never
Sat down at any of the restaurants which we found disappointing . We dont feel like we got
What we paid for . Unfortunately this was the worst food tour we have taken . Would not recommend this tour at all . The tour guide
Had common knowledge, but nothing over
The top . Honestly we feel like he put his name
On business card and called himself a tour
Guide . We both left hungry and disappointed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Roselyn_m
May 8, 2025
Very bad and... - Very bad and disappointing. I had nobody to phone as I got lost I could not find the crumpet shop, so I was a little late and so I got left
Review provided by Viator
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