Beverly Hills Food Tour with Gourmet Tastings and Drinks

Beverly Hills is more than palm trees, designer storefronts, and movie shorthand. This small-group food walk pairs local stories with tastings, drinks, and stops in places that help explain how the city eats and presents itself.

I like two things in particular: the mix of food with film and fashion, and the limited group size of eight, which gives the guide room to include everyone. Brian Rodda often leads the tour, bringing personal connections with local businesses and a lively style to the walk.

One consideration: the named tasting stops are not guaranteed. The route also involves a fair amount of walking, and at $189 per person, it makes most sense if you want a guided afternoon with food, drinks, and local context, not simply a quick snack.

• Four generous tastings and two alcoholic drinks make this a substantial afternoon meal, not a nibble-by-nibble sampler.
• A group capped at eight helps keep the walk personal and gives you more chance to ask questions.
• Food, film, and fashion share the stage, from historic civic buildings to Rodeo Drive.
• The food partners can change, so treat the named restaurants and shops as likely stops, not promises.
• The tour starts at 11 a.m. and lasts about three and a half hours, ending on Rodeo Drive with time to browse afterward.

Start at Beverly Hills City Hall

Meet at 455 N Rexford Drive, at Beverly Hills City Hall. The tour begins with a short look at the Civic Center and its architecture, including the guide’s introduction to a building described as one of the country’s most expensive civic projects.

This is a useful place to start. Before the shopping streets and restaurant names take over, you get a little civic context and a sense of Beverly Hills as a city, not just a backdrop for film and fashion. The stop is brief, about ten minutes, so expect an introduction rather than a detailed architectural tour.

From there, the group sets out on foot. The small size matters on a walking tour: it is easier to hear the guide, keep the group together, and make the experience feel more like a hosted outing than a parade. The trade-off is that you should be comfortable walking for much of the afternoon. Wear good shoes and arrive ready to spend time on your feet.

Erewhon and the city’s food culture

Erewhon is a Southern California supermarket with a high profile of its own. When it is included, the tour stops for the Hailey Bieber smoothie, a pop-culture tasting that tells you as much about today’s Los Angeles food scene as it does about the drink itself.

I like this stop because it gives the tour a contemporary note. Beverly Hills dining is not only old institutions and luxury storefronts; it is also a place where celebrity culture, wellness trends, and food businesses overlap. The smoothie is a specific draw, but it is not guaranteed. The tour operator can change tasting partners, so do not book on the assumption that this exact item will be served.

The stop is listed at about 20 minutes. That gives you time to taste and take in the setting, rather than simply grabbing something on the way past. If Erewhon is not on the day’s route, the tour still offers other food stops, though the precise replacements are not specified in advance.

A glimpse of Beverly Hills history at The Wallis

The walk also passes The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, a Beverly Hills landmark that formerly served as a train station and post office. It is a neat reminder that the city’s story includes more than present-day boutiques and celebrity sightings.

This stop is not given a separate visit duration, so think of it as a short piece of street-side context rather than a full tour of the building. That is still worthwhile: a guide can point out how a place has changed purpose over time, then connect it to the city around it. You will get more from this moment if you enjoy small historical details woven into a walk.

La Scala, a local institution

La Scala is a long-running Beverly Hills restaurant and a frequent stop on the tour. The visit is scheduled for about 30 minutes, enough time for a proper tasting and a look at a dining room associated with the city’s restaurant life.

The tour’s appeal here is not just the food. A guide with local relationships can add context about the businesses and the people who keep them going. Brian Rodda has been praised for knowing staff at stops and for sharing stories about the area, which can make a meal feel less like a transaction and more like an introduction.

As with the other restaurants, La Scala is not guaranteed on every departure. If you are attached to trying a particular dish or restaurant, this tour cannot promise it. Go for the overall mix and be open to the day’s actual route.

Cantina Frida and a change of pace

Cantina Frida brings a Mexico City-style taco stop into the Beverly Hills mix. The tasting is listed at roughly 30 minutes, giving the group a chance to sit or pause and enjoy something more substantial than a quick sample.

This shift in cuisine is useful. A food walk through a wealthy shopping district could easily become a procession of polished dining rooms and sweets. A taco stop adds variety and gives the tasting sequence a more casual counterpoint. Exact dishes are not specified, and this restaurant is also subject to change, so view it as a likely part of the experience rather than a fixed menu.

By this point, you will have been walking and eating for a while. The tour is designed to be generous, and people often finish full. If you have a light appetite, pace yourself at each stop instead of assuming the portions will be tiny.

Chocolate at andSons

andSons Chocolatiers is a family-run, second-generation chocolate business that has been making gourmet bonbons since 1983. It has received national attention, including recognition in food publications and Oprah’s Favorite Things.

The stop is listed at about 20 minutes. It offers a taste of Beverly Hills through a smaller, specialist business rather than a restaurant. Chocolate also makes a natural change of pace after savory food, and the shop’s long family history gives the guide another way to connect an individual business to the neighborhood.

As elsewhere, the specific tasting and availability can vary. If you have dietary restrictions, check with the tour provider before booking; no specific accommodation details are provided.

Kith, fashion, and ice cream

Kith on Rodeo Drive is a fashion house aimed at a younger, Gen Z crowd, with an ice cream shop inside. The tour allows about 25 minutes here, bringing the food-and-fashion theme together in one stop.

This is a particularly modern Beverly Hills pairing: luxury retail alongside an easy, familiar treat. It also helps explain why this tour is not a conventional restaurant crawl. The guide is showing you businesses and trends that shape the area, not only serving a succession of meals. The store and tasting partner may change, so the ice cream stop is not guaranteed.

Finish on Rodeo Drive

The walk ends at a fashion house on Rodeo Drive. The exact end point varies by tour date, but the finish is always on this famous shopping street. The schedule sets aside about an hour here, giving you time to browse after the guided portion ends.

That final hour is practical. You do not have to rush off immediately after the tastings, and you can look around at your own pace. Keep in mind that the tour itself does not include a shopping budget; Rodeo Drive is best enjoyed as a spectacle even if you are not buying designer goods.

The route’s film connection is part of the appeal too. The guide points out settings associated with well-known movies and shares stories about the area and notable people who spend time there. Celebrity sightings can happen, but they are never something to count on. Treat one as a lucky extra, not a promised feature.

What $189 buys you

At $189 per person, this is a premium walking tour. The price buys more than four tastings and two alcoholic drinks: you are also paying for a guide, a carefully paced route, small-group attention, local business connections, and a mix of food, history, film, and shopping context.

The value depends on what you want from Beverly Hills. If you would happily spend an afternoon eating your way through local stops while hearing stories and getting oriented, the price can make sense. If your main goal is to visit one specific restaurant or try one exact dish, the changing partners make the cost harder to justify.

The food portions are described as generous, and people regularly leave full. That makes the tour closer to a substantial lunch than a light tasting walk. The two alcoholic drinks are included in the experience, but participants must be at least 18 to drink. The tour is offered in English.

Who will enjoy this walk most

I would choose this tour for a first visit to Beverly Hills, a special occasion, or a day when you want a guided plan rather than another afternoon figuring out where to eat. Families, couples, friends, solo visitors, and locals can all take part; the small group cap makes it well suited to people who like conversation and a more personal pace.

It can also work well for locals who want a fresh look at familiar streets. The guide’s business relationships and stories about the neighborhood give you a reason to pay attention even if you already know Rodeo Drive. The tour is less suited to anyone who dislikes walking, expects a fixed restaurant lineup, or wants a deep architectural or film-history lecture.

Book for the broad experience: good food, local stories, and a guided route through a place many people know only from screens. The best advice is simple: wear comfortable shoes, arrive hungry, and leave room for the possibility that the day’s stops will differ from the names you have in mind.

Practical details before you go

The tour starts at 11 a.m. at 455 N Rexford Drive and lasts approximately three hours and 30 minutes. It ends on Rodeo Drive, though the exact fashion house varies. The maximum group size is eight, and a mobile ticket is accepted.

Service animals are allowed, and the meeting area is near public transportation. Most people can participate, but expect a fair amount of walking. The tour requires good weather; if poor weather leads to cancellation, you can be offered another date or a full refund. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations made later are not accepted for a refund.

Should you book it?

Book this if you want a half-day that combines food, drinks, neighborhood stories, and the spectacle of Rodeo Drive in a group small enough to feel personal. Brian Rodda’s warm hosting style and local connections are a major part of the appeal, and the generous tastings make the outing feel like a meal.

Skip it if you need a guaranteed stop at Erewhon, La Scala, or another named partner, or if $189 feels steep for a guided walk whose exact tastings can change. For the right kind of afternoon, though, it offers a more human way to experience Beverly Hills than simply strolling past the shop windows.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

It starts at 455 N Rexford Drive, Beverly Hills, at the Beverly Hills Civic Center.

What time does the tour begin and how long does it last?

The start time is 11 a.m. The tour lasts approximately three hours and 30 minutes.

How many people can join the tour?

The group is limited to a maximum of eight travelers.

Are the named restaurants and tasting stops guaranteed?

No. The tasting partners, including Erewhon, La Scala, Cantina Frida, and andSons, are not guaranteed and may change.

How many tastings and drinks are included?

The experience includes four generous food tastings and two alcoholic drinks. Participants must be at least 18 years old to consume alcohol.

What happens if the weather is poor or I need to cancel?

If poor weather cancels the tour, you can be offered a different date or a full refund. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start time.