Local Love: Sanford Food Tours

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to try out Sanford Food Tours. Having lived in Sanford for a few years, I was excited to go back and see what was included on this food tour. Downtown Sanford has grown a lot since I left and it is definitely a happening spot for good eats and tasty beer.

The Sanford Food and History Tour is a three-hour walk through the heart of Downtown Sanford. They “walk” you through the timeline of events from the Seminole Indian wars, the arrival of Henry Sanford, the haunting tales of the I-4 dead zone and the evolution of this quaint town.

On the tour you enjoy large, sample-sized portions of food with roots in the Deep South and Europe. You’ll also watch as a traditional apple strudel recipe is made before your eyes (you’ll get to taste it too!). Finally, you’ll hear the story behind the development of gourmet marshmallows and decorate your own to take along.

Local Love: Sanford Food Tours

So where did we go on this tour you ask? Well we started out at the Tennessee Truffle where we had their amazing made from scratch biscuits and gravy. Even though I knew we had plenty of tasty places to go on our tour, I couldn’t help but eat every last bite.

Local Love: Sanford Food Tours

On our way to stop number two we stopped at the Wells Fargo bank to check out their vault. Did you know that vault was in Oceans 11 (the remake)? Well, there is a bit more to that story but I’ll let you find out for yourself when you go on the tour.

Local Love: Sanford Food Tours

Our second stop was at Park Avenue Popcorn. The owners, Heidi and Wiley Plummer, have been selling popcorn since 2009 and have popped more than 5,000 pounds. They owned a shop in Iowa, but relocated to Florida in 2012. Their love for selling gourmet flavored popcorn influenced the decision to open Park Avenue Popcorn in Sanford.

Local Love: Sanford Food Tours

We were able to try out some of their delicious flavors and even got to watch Heidi whip up a batch of kettle korn. My favorite that I tried was the Sea Salt Caramel Corn. I was REALLY excited when we were given a little bag to take home.

Local Love: Sanford Food Tours

Stop three was a sweet and savory stop! At Dreamy Cakes Bakery we were introduced to the owner and able to sample their homemade chicken salad and macaroons. They are open Tuesday through Saturday which gives you plenty of time to stop by to have lunch or pick up one of their amazing sweet treats. If I’d had more room one of their cupcakes definitely would have landed on my plate.

Local Love: Sanford Food Tours

I was super excited to hear that our next stop on the tour would be at Magnolia Square Market. Magnolia Square Market is run by the fine folks from the Willow Tree Cafe and is full of amazing German goodies. On our visit we were able to learn how the make their famous Apple Strudel AND taste some of it. I must admit that I really am not a fan of cooked apples, but I ate every last bit of their amazing strudel.

Local Love: Sanford Food Tours

Our next stop was at Wop’s Hops Brewing Company – Sanford’s first microbrewery. Not only do they have an impressive selection of house made beers and a great food menu (definitely not your average bar food), they are also located in one of the most haunted buildings in the state. But don’t worry, your tour guide and the Wop’s Hop crew will fill you in on all the details. After enjoying their Wop-sicle, one of their signature meatballs served with sauce and parmesan cheese on a stick, and a beer we were on our way.

Local Love: Sanford Food Tours

The last stop of the tour is at Wondermade to decorate your own marshmallows. If you have been in Orlando for any period of time I’m sure you’ve heard of Wondermade and their amazing treats. After a tour of the kitchen and learning the story behind Wondermade you get to get messy and decorate your own marshmallows to take home. It was so much fun and very tasty!

Local Love: Sanford Food Tours

Stephen our tour guide was full of fun trivia and history tidbits about Sanford and truly loved the town. He was the perfect person to take us on our adventure around town. Tours are available on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and you can have as few as four people in your group. And if you are worried about the walking, the entire tour only covers about 1.25 miles over the three hours. Definitely doable! If you are looking for something new, interesting, and super tasty to do in the Orlando area I strongly suggest that you check out Sanford Food Tours.

Local Love: Sanford Food Tours

*Disclosure: I was given the opportunity to try the Sanford Food Tours with some fellow bloggers at no charge. As always, all thoughts and opinions are 100% my own. 

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