Melting Pot Walking Tours

Next time you’re in Los Angeles, tap into two insiders’ knowledge of the best places to eat, drink, and shop for food. Sisters Diane and Lisa Scalia, co-owners of Melting Pot Tours, host food-focused walking tours in a city better known for its car culture. But with Diane’s experience as a chef and Lisa’s hospitality and tourism background, the tours are fun, informative and filled with grazing. Each tour lasts about three hours and costs $49 per person. The sisters are committed to only patronizing independently owned and operated businesses, making these truly local adventures. So far, they have regaled more than 1,500 guests with the personal histories of owners of shops and restaurants, attracting people who “want to engage in a fun and interactive event where they can experience a local’s point of view,” says Lisa.

On one of LA’s most walkable streets, teeming with cafes, bookstores, gourmet groceries and restaurants, is where the tour of the original Farmers Market on Third Street takes place. The Scalias hit spots that offer an array of cuisines, ranging from Brazilian to French to Japanese, and neighborhood shops, including a tea emporium with an unrivaled selection of more than 300 types of specialty teas, as well as little-known haunts frequented by celebrities. The Old Pasadena tour winds through the colorful alleys and secret thru-ways of this historic neighborhood, stopping at ethnic eateries and sweets havens for tastings, including a visit to Mexican tortas cafe, a rare Nepalese-Tibetan restaurant and an exquisite chocolate shop. Lisa says, “We want people to have an appreciation of Los Angeles as a ‘foodie destination.” Sign me up.—Denise Shoukas

Denise Shoukas is a regular foodspring.com contributor and is the author of foodspring’s food forager blog.