Q. Payment

Tickets must be purchased in advance so that we can order the appropriate amount of food. Tickets can be purchased online using any credit or debit card here.  Each guest on the tour must purchase an individual ticket and tickets cannot be shared. If guests would prefer to pay via a different method such as PayPal, check, or cash contact us to arrange payment. We also encourage you to purchase a Private Group Tour!

Q. What to bring on tour

Please bring a bottle of water or other beverage for the tour. Although we will be going in and out of shops, we will be walking around so we definitely encourage you to wear walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothes! On our winter tours, we will try to have handwarmers available to warm you up. (On our Davis Square Tour please also bring or wear socks.)

Q. CANCELLATIONS

We can provide a full refund for any tour purchased if there is a need for us to cancel the tour for which guests purchased tickets already such as due to weather. We will send an e-mail to all tour participants in advance of the tour either confirming the tour or letting guests know about the cancellation. Tickets are not refundable otherwise. Please note that if a refund is granted, they take 3-10 business days to be received due to the processing time of our booking partners.

Q. RESTROOMS

Restrooms are available at most, if not all, of our stops throughout the tour. If you have a particular concern in this regard, please inform us upon signing up for the tour and we will be sure to accommodate your needs as requested.

Q. GRATUITIES OR TIPS (ENCOURAGED!)

Please note that gratuities are not included in the ticket price. We love our fabulous tour guides, and they rely on tips. Therefore, we highly encourage tips. Thank you so very much!! On our Private Tours, please arrange to tip the guide 10-20%.

Q. AMOUNT OF FOOD

Each food tour stops at at least four places. We will sample a variety of foods that will be enough for a satisfying lunch for most guests. And where possible we will be able to obtain a take-home bag for items that you are too full to eat! For our chocolate tour, it will be enough for a satisfying dessert for most guests - so bring your sweet tooth!

Q. DIETARY RESTRICTIONS (WE CAN ACCOMMODATE!)

It is imperative that you let us know if you or anyone in your group has a food allergy or dietary restriction or preference when you purchase your food tour ticket. If we have advanced notice, we will do our absolute best to accommodate all dietary needs. We will have vegetarian and gluten-free options on every tour, but we cannot guarantee there is a substitution available on every stop. On our Harvard Square Food Tour, there is at least two stops without gluten-free options. On our Harvard Square Chocolate Tour, we can make this dairy-free. We also can make our Davis Square and JP Food Tours vegetarian or vegan-friendly.

Q. IS THE TOUR FOR LOCALS TOO?

Absolutely! This tour is a great way to get to know neighborhoods in a new way, meet local owners, try out places and items you haven't yet, and learn more about the rich history and local color. We will also be recommending other local activities. This tour is a fun activity to entertain out-of-town guests and to celebrate life events. So come along and join us!

Q. COST FOR KIDS

Unfortunately, our food samples do not come in kid sizes, and therefore any ticket that comes with food must pay the regular adult price. Kids who are comfortable walking the 1.5 - 2 miles will definitely love this tour! Please email us with any concerns as sometimes we are able to provide discounts for certain situations.

Q. PETS

We LOVE pets, but they aren't allowed on the tour. We have a dog ourselves, but according to MA regulations in the cities where we operate the tours, we are not able to bring our furry friends along unfortunately.

Q. WHAT TO EXPECT

Each tour is approximately 2.5 - 3 hours in duration and will depart from their meeting spot (see Where To Meet page.)

Your food journey and tour itinerary may change based on dietary restrictions of our guests or availability of our partners. 

A sample tour may include:

• Start your day in the heart of the neighborhood and meet our friendly, knowledgeable guide as well as other guests. Walk to an innovative business and customize your first offering to satisfy your belly while speaking with the owner of the shop. Ask him how he got started in the food business and what his top-selling flavors are!
• Hear the most intriguing history of the area and take a stroll down our famous bike path to a storefront of local entrepreneurs with incredible aromas from a company that started as a street vendor.
• While learning about our city's industry in the past, sample an authentic family-recipe, overflowing with flavor and homemade goodness and hear stories from the owner who grew up in town.
• Wander the streets with us and learn more about the food history and unique architecture and rich culture, then dine in a unique venue and sample their award-winning fare.
• End your day relaxing with fellow guests trying a Boston treat or you may even be able to try New England's candlepin bowling.

Q. SOCIAL MEDIA AND REVIEWS

We are a tiny local company that is homegrown and built with love. We would appreciate it greatly if you would spread the word about our tours and help us build awareness. Please take photos and post the images on Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, YouTube, etc. using the hashtag #otbpfoodtours and tagging us at @offthebeatenpathfoodtours or @otbpfoodtours.

We also would LOVE it if you'd leave us a positive review if you enjoyed the tour on any of the channels including TripAdvisor, Yelp, Google +, Facebook, etc. Thank you so much!

If you had a negative experience, please contact us to remedy the situation and provide us feedback instead of leaving public comments which could prove to be extremely detrimental to our tiny business!

We hope you have a wonderful experience and will do everything we can to make it up to you if you don't.

Q. VEGETARIAN/VeGAN OPTIONS?

Yes, great question. We have a lot of tasty and unique vegetarian options on our tour. Our food tours can be made fully vegetarian (and often vegan and other dietary restrictions) so please specify your preference as you sign up. Our Vegan Chocolate Tour of JP, Davis Square Food Tours, and JP Food Tours can all accommodate vegan diets.