Are you intrigued, yet a little intimidated by this fascinating, colorful neighborhood in the heart of downtown Boston?

Are you wild about Asian food, but easily confused by the huge variety of unfamiliar ingredients in the markets? If so, this tour is your key to unlocking the mysteries that lie beyond the Chinatown Gate. Follow, as your guide leads you through this vibrant, energetic “village.” Learn the differences between the many regional cuisines of China. Find out where to buy and how to select the finest authentic ingredients.

• Discover a bakery offering the best Chinese sweets, and learn the origin of Chinese Moon Cakes.

• Visit a Barbecue Shop and savor the tastes and smells of traditional Cantonese roasted meats.

• Slip into an authentic Chinese Herbal Pharmacy, and explore the concept of Yin and Yang.

• Experience the phenomenon known as “Bubble Tea.”

• Tour a market with exotic produce, fabulous seafood, and an endless array of spices.

• Complete your stroll with a delicious Dim Sum Luncheon, hosted by your guide. Learn the ins and outs of ordering from the roaming carts and stationary stalls, and the unique rules of Dim Sum etiquette.

Michele Topor, Inc. has offered culinary walking tours in Boston's “Little Italy” since 1994. Trained as a professional chef, Michele has taught cooking, catered, and consulted on Italian food since 1979. Her cooking classes, market tours and culinary trips to Italy have been featured on television, on the radio, and in various national and international publications.

In 2006 Jim Becker began to work with Michele in conducting the North End Market Tour. Also trained as a professional chef, Jim speaks fluent Mandarin and Cantonese, developed the Asian component for a local professional Chef Degree Program and worked in many well known Boston restaurants as well as his own venture, Rauxa Restaurant and Cava Bar. Although Jim has a great knowledge of Mediterranean food it was easy to recognize that his knowledge and passion for Asian cuisine surpassed that, and hence -- a new tour was developed, the Boston Chinatown Market Tour.

Today, Jim enjoys nothing better than weaving his way through the narrow streets of Boston's Chinatown, leading visitors in "walking cooking classes", where he is able to combine his love of food with his passion for teaching.

THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE

Step through the Chinatown Gate and join us as you enjoy the fantastic sights, and experience the culinary and cultural traditions in this little sliver of Hong Kong right here in Boston. Take a walking tour that is like a cooking class on foot: to learn the regional differences of the many regional cuisines of China; glean insider cooking tips; gain resources and knowledge on how to identify and where to buy the very best and authentic ingredients. The tour concludes with a dim sum lunch while your guide explains the unique rules of dim sum etiquette as you sip tea and feast on an assortment of traditional delicacies.

FOOD TASTINGS

As you visit various markets, you will enjoy small tastes of sweets, Chinese barbecue and bubble tea. The tour concludes with a Dim Sum Lunch hosted by your guide.

TOURS INCLUDE:

• A two and a half hour tour of the Chinatown markets

• Dimsum lunch following the tour

• Tips on purchasing, cooking, and storing foods

• Tastings of several Chinese delicacies on tour

• A handout describing the best stores and favorite restaurants

• Historical insights into the Chinatown community

TIMES + RATES

Thursday and Saturday
9:30am to 1:00pm

Please click here to view our latest schedule. Or please contact us via e-mail at info@micheletopor.com, or call us at 617-523-6032 to let us know what date you are interested in.

• $60 + 5% tax per person - dimsum included.

• Advance tickets required: purchase online at Zerve

• Exact meeting location details will be provided immediately upon ticket purchase

• Limited to 13 people on Thursday and 10 on Saturday

CANCELLATION POLICY

All tickets sold are non-refundable and may not be exchanged or re-scheduled. In the rare situation where we cancel a tour that fails to attract minimum enrollment, we will contact you ahead of time to reschedule your tickets or issue a full refund, whichever you prefer. We reserve the right to limit the number of participants and to cancel a tour that fails to attract minimum enrollment. The tour is held rain or shine.