Who we are
We are simple, the best and only walking food tours in town.
Created and crafted by a group of foodies and chefs, Tomate Quesillo is the result of a 4 year research into the restaurant scene of San Cristóbal De Las Casas. Bringing together the local flavors and the high end restaurants of the city.
We strongly believe that the only way to meet and know a culture is by tasting the food and culinary expressions of his inhabitants. So in 2012 we start visiting every restaurant and local food place to meet and greet with the local “Mayoras” and chefs. As this process began, we encounter the freshness of the local products, the value of local creativity and the necessity of expressing this knowledge to the world.
We believe that the concept of San Cristóbal food is in his locals, and markets, in his own recipes and veggies, and most important in the people which everyday works in the kitchens to represent the best in town.
We know that there´s so much more than this city has to offer.
Our Tour Offer
A variety of food tours, all of which include the food and drinks. Each will include the visit of 5 to 7 destinations, according to the restaurant rules. Each of them are the result of a wonderful process to know the local flavors, textures and ingredients.
Mexican and Chiapas Gastronomy
As you get to know Chiapas, its own gastronomy will leave you speechless. Walking around to the best restaurants in San Cristóbal de las Casas will take you, on every bite, to a unique afternoon, while our team shares history and anecdotes of our city. Internationally renowned chefs and the local delicatessen are the core of this culinary experience, where the senses and our Pueblo Mágico guides you through the flavours and textures of our Mexican Gastronomy.
Duration: 3 1/2 hours
Tortilla Tour
As we advance into the 5 to 7 stops in our tour, We will discover the flavours of the magical tortilla and all of his specialities. Between Panuchos and our beautiful Tacos we provide some history and anecdotes of our food, gastronomic traditions and the Pueblo Mágico of San Cristobal de las Casas. From Cochinita to Carnitas, Quesadillas to Gorditas the maíz is the main ingredient.to create a conjunction of tastes which will transform your evening into a great culinary experience.
Duration: 3 1/2 hours
We are very sorry to inform that due to the ingredients in Mexican Tacos, this tour is not recommended for Vegan or Vegerarian Diets.
Social Shopping
The team of Tomate Quesillo had a wonderful idea to improve the live and work of those communites and cooperatives that create some amazing work in San Cristóbal de las Casas. THis tour will take you to the real producers of those handcrafts that are the insignia of our town and cultures.
Since this is a Social Tour, Tomate Quesillo will not profit from it, the cost will be to cover the transportation and Guide expenses. And be sure that we will not charge any feeds to the visit we will take you. This in order to reach our goal. TO give you the best of the city and improve the conditions of our people.
Also for every person that takes this tour, Tomate Quesillo will donate a fee to Cadena de Sonrisas Chiapas, A social entity that works to give information on all NGO´s that work improving our Chipas.
Frecuently Asked Questions
All you need to know
Tickets must be purchased in advance as our tours sell out quickly ahead of time. Please book well in advance to ensure that you get the day and time that you prefer. Tickets can only be purchased online with Visa, AMEX, or MasterCard. Cash is not accepted. For any special requirement please email us to contact@tomatequesillo.com
We do not provide a waiting list. If a date and time is sold out, there is always a good chance that we will add an additional tour on that day. Please email us to let us know what date you are interested in if you do not see availability contact@tomatequesillo.com
There are two types of tickets available for our walking food tours:
Mexican and Chiapas Gastronomy Walking Tour
Wednesday through Sunday:
Standard Ticket Ages 13 and up: $50 USD
Child Ticket Ages 12 and under: $40 USD
Tortilla Food Tour
Wednesday through Sunday:
Standard Ticket Ages 13 and up: $40 USD
Child Ticket Ages 12 and under: $30 USD
When you purchase a ticket it includes: all food and beverage tasting from 5-7 stops, a passionate and trained food tour concierge leading the tour route, and a bottle of water.
Tomate Quesillo Walking Food Tours serves enough food that for most participants lunch afterwards is not necessary. With the combination of drink and food tastings plus the breaks for architectural, cultural, and historical insight, most participants are comfortably full after our food tours. Please understand our food tours are not intended to replace breakfast and lunch combined, so please consider eating a light breakfast before the tour.
Although Mexican food is cooked with several ingredients, which include diverse chiles, our food tastings are not hot or spicy. We offer hot salsas that you can add to your samples, we recommend to do it under your own sole risk.
We take pride in our sample sizes on our tours. We feel it sets us apart from other food tour offerings. You won’t find 1 oz. cups or a sample so small you are not sure what you just put in your mouth! Our chefs are passionate about what they make for our tour groups and if anything, we have to keep telling them to cut back on the amount they share with our participants!
We supply everyone with a bottle of water at the start of the tour, and every place we visit has his own beverage some even, include alcoholic drinks.
Our tours generally lasts 3.5 hours approximately. Participants can expect to be sitting for a majority of the time. We walk at a moderate pace and we will walk a total of 1.5 kms or 35 minutes total.
Absolutely! The majority of our customers are locals, so we believe Mexicans and foreigners will equally enjoy our tours. San Cristóbal de las Casas (Coletos) locals participate to learn about the the city in which they live in. We hope to introduce you to new restaurants and specialty food stores in your city as well as talk about local landmarks that you may not know as much about.
If you enjoy the service your tour host provides, gratuities are greatly appreciated. The standard gratuity in the service industry is 10%.
Yes, our tour of Mexican and Chiapas Gastronomy tours offer alternative tasting options for vegetarians. In the case of the Tortilla Tour, unfortunately, we cannot provided a vegetarian option. Please notify us of your dietary restrictions when you purchase your ticket.
Please be sure and let us know if you (or anyone in your group) has a dietary restriction (e.g. vegetarian, diabetic, allergy, and diets that are milk-free, alcohol and caffeine-free, etc.) when you purchase your tickets. As long as we know in advance, we can make substitutions for many food preferences to accommodate your needs. There are some tasting locations where it is very difficult to find substitutions (for example, finding an alternate food tasting for a dairy allergy in a cheese shop or a diabetic in a pastry shop).
If you HAVE SERIOUS FOOD ALLERGIES please contact us before purchasing tickets for any of our food tours or event. Please email us at contact@tomatequesillo.com
We ask that you please wait to shop until after the tour so that we can stay on our food-tasting schedule. The tours are on a schedule to arrive at each tasting location so its important to stay on schedule so the food is freshly prepared for the participants. Please think about taking extra time at the end of the tour to stop back at your favourite spots that you discover along the tour!
We highly recommend taking our food tours at the beginning of your visit so you allow plenty of time to revisit the wonderful state of Chiapas and all his landmarks, also enjoy returning to your favourite food tasting locations. Since tours usually sell out well in advance, there is not a better day of the week versus another.
While we offer children tickets, the tour is three hours and a half long and some children have a limited attention span and therefore the tour may not be appropriate for some of them. Parents, who know their children best, should assess the situation individually. Since there is a lot of standing and walking, please consider this when deciding whether the tour is appropriate for your child.
Yes, Tomate Quesillo Walking Food Tours Gift Certificates are available for all tours offered. To purchase or learn more about our gift certificates. Contact us for any further information and a member of Tomate Quesillo staff will respond with payment and further instructions.
Yes, Private Group Tours are available for all tours offered. To set up or learn more, please visit our Private Group Tours page and submit a Private Group Tour Request Form. A member of Tomate Quesillo staff will respond within 24 hours. Please be aware that a minimum of 8 people is necessary for any Private Tour.
Yes, we will be alcoholic beverages are included in some of our tasting locations.
Absolutely not! Tomate Quesillo Wlaking Food Tours combines architectural commentary, historical facts, local culture and culinary insight into a unique 3 1/2 hour experience. We explain Mexican customs and social norms surrounding food, including café culture, the restaurant experience, the menu, other diners, etc. By understanding cultural differences, your dining and eating experiences will be heightened and enjoyed for the remainder of your trip and all future visits. Imagine walking through Mexico eating our local artisans most delicious foods while learning Mexican culture and history. That beats a museum any day!
Our list of restaurants and locals is constantly updated, for any specific inquiries please contact us prior to the tour your book. Food-tasting locations can change without notice.
No,our Tours do not finish at the same location as the meeting point. However, detailed instructions are provided after ticket purchase with starting point locations, and all of the restaurants and locals we visit are in the town center.
No, we also offer tours in English and other languages. Since our clients came from all over the world, we try to give our tour in at least Spanish and English. Please email us if you would like to make arrangements for your own interpreter to join the tour or if you are interested in a tour in a different language as we are able to accommodate most requests ahead of time.
Once purchased, tickets cannot be refunded or rescheduled because your space is being guaranteed for that tour. Our tours often sell out. No partial credits or rescheduling is allowed for partial attendance, no shows, or late arrivals. Tours start promptly, and it is your responsibility to be on time at the correct location. Please plan to arrive 15 minutes early.
The tours are held rain or shine. In the event of inclement weather, we will be able to go inside many of the establishments on the tour. However, we advise to check the weather conditions for your days event and dress appropriately.
If you are bringing an infant/very young child and they will not be participating in the tastings, you do not need to purchase a ticket for them. However, please do let us know if you will be attending with an infant or young child when you purchase tickets in the Notes section
Wear whatever you are comfortable in, but be sure to have comfortable shoes since we will be doing a fair amount of walking
Yes, bathrooms are available during the tour at selected food-tasting locations.
Sorry, your pet will have to stay home on this walking food tour. We do visit some wonderful dog friendly restaurants for your future return. Our policy is no pets of any kind.
Yes. Cameras and filming are allowed during the tour. We strongly encourage participants to take photos during the tour. Feel free to post them to our Facebook page.
Yes – we encourage it! We are all about social networking and love it when we have live-action tweeting and posting going on. Many fans post photos of the food and people they are interacting with as it happens. Like us on our Facebook page and post away! https://www.facebook.com/tomatequesillo
Yes, there is both private and public parking located near the meeting point of our tours.
Private Groups
Come and join with your party
WHO SHOULD CONSIDER PRIVATE GROUP TOURS?
Tomate Quesillo Walking Food Tours are one of the top things to do in San Cristóbal de las Casas, so why not enjoy a tour with a great group of friends, family and colleagues.
Private group tours with Tomate Quesillo Walking Food Tours are a perfect event for:
Team Building Functions
Corporate Events
Large Friend & Family Outings
New Employee or Intern Socials
Singles & Networking Groups
Birthday Celebrations
Weekday/end Group Activity
Culinary & Cooking Groups
Bachelor & Bachelorette Wedding Parties
Bridal or Baby Showers
Grade/High School & College Field Trips
Wedding Anniversary
PRIVATE GROUP TOUR INFORMATION
Please read the following information carefully before contacting us in the form Below.
All logistical details will be agreed upon ahead of time by the private group tour organizer and Tomate Quesillo Walking Food Tours.
- Minimum Participant Requirements: The minimum requirement is 8 people.
- All private group food tours are approximately 3.5 hours in length and cannot be shortened.
- Private group tours are the exact same experiences as the Public Tours only in a private setting.
- The best private group size is from 8 to 12 people. Larger groups can be split and escorted by different guides.
- Smaller groups are possible but pricing is based on a minimum group size of 8.
- Each food tasting and cultural walking tour highlights classical food establishments and their specialties, including the history, culture, architecture and local entertainment and restaurant offerings.
- Weekday private tours are generally easier to book than weekend tours.
- It is very important to arrive 20 minutes prior to your group’s departure time.
- Tomate Quesillo Walking will try to accommodate any particular requirements or dietary restrictions of your private group event.
- Private Group Food Tours are held rain or shine.
PRIVATE GROUP PRICING AND RESERVATIONS
- Private group tour tickets are sold at the same price as Public Tours. A tour guide gratuity fee of 15% will be included in your total cost and provided directly to your tour guide(s). No refunds are given for no-shows or cancellations.
- Private Group Tour tickets that are sold less than 15 days from agreed tour date require full payment to hold a specific date, tour route and time.
- Private Group Tour tickets that are sold more than 15 days from agreed tour date require a $240 USD ($3,000.00 MXP) non-refundable deposit per a minimum of 8 persons paid via credit card to hold an agreed upon date, time slot(s), and tour guide(s).
- Final headcount and remaining balance (non-refundable) paid via credit card are due 10 business days prior to the event.
- Once purchased, all tickets and payments are non-refundable and cannot be rescheduled.
To complete a Private Group Tour Request please write us to contact@tomatequesillo.com and a representative from Tomate Quesillo will contact the Tour Organizer within 1-2 business days.
