How it works
We sell the research, not the meal.
Everything you need to know before you buy, in plain English.
Pick a walk
Choose a city area and a tier — from a short taste to the full feast. Choose the date and time you want to start.
We send your guide the day before
24 hours before your start, a private link arrives by email: every stop, one tasting per dish with its price, the stories behind them, drinks, sights and recommended toilets.
Eat your way through it
Walk it alone, in any order and at your own pace over several days. No group, no guide waiting for you. You pay each vendor directly.
Delivery and access timing
Example: you choose a start of Saturday 10:00 for a 3-day tier. Your guide arrives Friday 10:00 and the link works until Monday 09:59, destination local time.
Your guide opens in your phone's web browser — no app needed. You'll need mobile data or Wi-Fi to open it and for map directions. Once opened, it also works through short gaps in signal. Access ends automatically at the end of your N-day window. N is the number of access days for your tier: Express 3 days, Classic 4 days, Signature 5 days, Grand 6 days, Mega 7 days, Ultimate 8 days.
Access days by tier
| Tier | Tastings offered | Price | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Express | 6–7 tastings | $15 | 3 days |
| Classic | 13–15 tastings | $25 | 4 days |
| Signature | 20–24 tastings | $35 | 5 days |
| Grand | 30–35 tastings | $50 | 6 days |
| Mega | 40–45 tastings | $65 | 7 days |
| Ultimate | 55–60 tastings | $80 | 8 days |
Frequently asked questions
- What exactly do I get?
- A private guide for one city area: the stops, one tasting per dish with its price, the stories behind them, drinks, sights nearby and recommended toilets. No group, no human guide, no account to create.
- When does my guide arrive?
- 24 hours before the start date and time you choose at checkout, by email, as a private link. If you buy less than 24 hours before your start, it's sent straight away.
- How long can I use it?
- Your tier sets the number of access days. The window starts when the guide is delivered (24 hours before your start) and ends automatically in the destination's local time.
- Do I pay the vendors?
- Yes. You pay each vendor directly, at their prices. The guide price is for the guide only — we take no commission from vendors.
- Can I cancel?
- Free cancellation until the guide is sent. No refund after the guide has been sent. Purchases made less than 24 hours before the start get the guide immediately, with no refund. None of this affects your rights as a consumer — for example if a guide is faulty or not as described.
- Can I change my start date?
- You can change your start date once, free of charge, by emailing support@getbestbylocals.com any time before your guide is sent (24 hours before your start). Once the guide has been sent, the date is fixed.
- I'm in the EU or UK — what about the 14-day right of withdrawal?
- The guide is digital content. At checkout we ask you to tick: "I ask for my guide to be sent before the 14-day withdrawal period ends, and I understand that I lose my right of withdrawal once the guide has been sent." Until the guide is sent you can still cancel for free.
- What if a place is closed?
- Your guide lists more tastings than your tier promises, so one closed stall doesn't spoil your day — choose another. Known closed days and thin days (days when several places are shut) are listed on each destination page before you buy, so you can pick your start date around them.
- Can we share one guide?
- Yes. One guide is for you and the people you travel with, and the price is the same whatever the size of your group — each of you pays the vendors for your own food. Please don't pass the link to anyone outside your group: if a friend wants to do the walk, they buy their own guide.
- Why does access end?
- Your guide is made for your trip. Your tier sets how many days the link stays open, and you see the exact dates before you pay. When your access ends, the link closes and the copy saved on your phone deletes itself.
- Why self-guided?
- So the neighbourhood is yours. Nobody rushes you past the stall you wanted: sit longer, double back, or come back the next day and finish the rest.
- I have allergies or dietary requirements.
- Please read our food and dietary notice before you buy: cross-contamination is likely, so the walks aren't recommended if you have food allergies, and we don't state whether anything is halal. Where we know a dish contains pork, beef or alcohol we say so, but we don't cook the food — check with each vendor before you eat. If you have a severe or life-threatening allergy, we recommend you don't take part.
- Do I need an app?
- No. The guide opens in your phone's web browser.
- Do I need mobile data?
- Your guide opens in your phone's web browser — no app needed. You'll need mobile data or Wi-Fi to open it and for map directions. Once opened, it also works through short gaps in signal. Access ends automatically at the end of your N-day window. N is the number of access days for your tier: Express 3 days, Classic 4 days, Signature 5 days, Grand 6 days, Mega 7 days, Ultimate 8 days.