Mar 24, 2025
Great tour! - This tour was truly enjoyable. Soham is a great guide, and you can really tell that his heart is in his work. I was a bit hesitant to join, due to the somewhat high price, but I’m so happy I did. You really get your moneys worth! All the food we tasted was great, and I got to see many places I would not have visited without a guide. Very happy with the experience and would recomend to everyone visiting Kolkata :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mar 3, 2025
What a magical night. I am so thankful for this experience. - What a magical night. I am so thankful for this experience.
I cannot speak highly enough of the guide Soham. He was overly accommodating, grew up in the neighborhood he is showcasing, and made sure everyone had a fantastic time on the walk. He explained the history of things, both from a West Bengali cultural perspective and also from his personal family history. He also took extreme care to ensure nobody was overwhelmed by spice and good hygiene was maintained.
You will navigate packed streets and tight alleyways and really feel the energy of the people. You will truly experience Old Calcutta. We went on a weeknight and at 9pm it felt like the energy of Times Square New York. There are also people in extreme poverty. This is a reality of the area that you should be prepared for.
You'll also see endless stray dogs that all look identical...Calcutta Street Dogs I called them.
The food experience from start to finish is fun, delicious, interesting, and always catered to your personal needs or level of preferred spice. To make the most of it, I strongly recommend fasting that day until dinner time. Your hunger will elevate all the flavors, and if you do not fast you will probably have leftovers to take home. It's a lot of food!
Final thought - the public bathrooms available on the tour are not absolutely terrible, but they are not good either. I would hate to be a woman and need to use them. Don't drink a lot of fluids before the tour to help avoid this issue...
If you're interested at all in this tour, odds are you will absolutely love it and take home some real memories.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mar 3, 2025
Not only Foodtour, a full Kalkutta experience! - A Full Kalkutta experience!
Unique spots, awesome food and Soham, the guide as the best caretaker!
Anytime again !
What should I write more, nothing to say, just do it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Feb 9, 2025
The best street food tour 😋 - This was my second tour with Soham and it was fabulous. With the delicious aroma of street food being cooked all around us, it was transformative to learn what some of these dishes were and to be able to safely taste them 😋.
As a native Bengali, Soham also weaved stories from his childhood & life into the tour explaining why and how particular street foods became his favourites and ended up on this tour 😊.
And for anyone wary about the hygiene of street food cooking, Soham has you covered and has already implemented a number of strategies to ensure his tours are safe, informative and very tasty 😋.
Make sure you arrive hungry!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jan 18, 2025
Best off-the-beaten path activity in Kolkata - and the best way to try street food without worries! - We’ve been on many walking tours, and this one was definitely one of our favourites! Soham is an amazing tour guide, storyteller, conversationalist - we learned so much about Kolkata, the rich history of the neighbourhood, the food, and even little snippets of Soham’s life growing up. Everything about the tour felt so crafted with care and love for the city, its people and its food! The food was so tasty on every stop, we were so full by the end of it we had to take desserts back to the hotel. Was also blown away by how attentive to food hygiene Soham was - really important when trying street food in a foreign country! Have been recommending this tour nonstop to my friends heading to/living in Kolkata - truly a highlight of the trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jan 17, 2025
The best street food by the best guide - This food tour was a joy, from meeting Soham outside his family home to eating the ( almost) last dish in a secret place. Soham is sharing the food and the neighbourhood he grew up and still lives in and the food is amazing. The hawkers( as they are called locally) make the dishes in front of you as requested by Soham so even the panipuri is safe to eat. The onion bashed was to die for and all the dishes exceeded my expectations, food tours don’t come any better
I liked it so much I bought the tee shirt !!
Thank you so much for making memories Soham
Ps Getting sent photos of me stuffing down food at the end was a nice touch
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jan 11, 2025
A wonderful evening! - Put your feet on the ground and join Soham for an unforgettable experience of a part of Kolkata you won't get on your own. His food/alleyway tour is underpinned by his knowledge, enthusiasm and love of his neighbourhood. When he says you should arrive hungry he wasn't joking. It's a great way to get an insight into a very old part of Kolkata. Highly recommended
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jan 10, 2025
A rewarding experience- dont miss it! - We did the alleyway food tour last night and it was absolutely fantastic. A truly wonderful way to experience life in Kolkata. Soham is so knowledgeable and gives you a great history of the city, the food, the people. He doesn't overload you with information but gives a perfect balance. He is passionate about what he does which is one of the reasons that he isso successful.
The food is wonderful. Make sure you arrive hungry! We adored everything we tried. We got to try local specialities we didn't know existed and we can't wait to have them again.
This was by far the highlight of our 3 days in Kolkata. It is a must if you are staying in Kolkata. Make sure and book early as the word is out.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jan 3, 2025
A neighborhood, a city, a country......and lovely food! - The Alleyway Food Tour was a perfect late afternoon/early evening slice of current life (& past lives...) in a historic Kolkata residential neighborhood. Historic in the sense that it is an old neighborhood with 4th & 5th generations of the same family still living in their family's homes, a time capsule of Kolkata architecture and living. The tour starts, naturally, in front of Soham's family home. From there we wandered the neighborhood lanes & alleys learning the history and stories of this neighborhood, Kolkata and India itself.
I was aware that Kolkata had formerly been the capital of India during the British Raj. And that Kolkata is the intellectual & cultural capital of India....but what that meant in historical terms, not so much. Soham gives fascinating insights into the actions of ordinary Bengalis and the not-so-ordinary Bengalis such as Subhas Bose who pushed India forward towards independence.
But ultimately I came to Kolkata for the food of West Bengal.....one of the major cuisines of India that I hadn't experienced yet. Soham's selection of Bengali street food, whether from a specific vendor's street cart or a historic hole-in-the-wall, was the perfect mix of all types of savory & sweet, veg & non-veg. I couldn't pick a favorite....it was all REALLY GOOD! He has carefully selected his vendors and pays attention to hygiene protocols. (To be blunt, the day after the tour I am no worse for the wear....)
Soham is extremely knowledgeable and has an easy, comfortable guiding style. Every question was welcomed and answered thoughtfully. I heartily recommend this tour to anyone.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dec 27, 2024
Extremely enjoyable & informative! - One hell of a food tour that we’ll be raving about for some years to come
Soham was brilliant, warm and personable, extremely considerate - took all necessary hygiene precautions with thought to traveller’s sometimes delicate constitutions & very importantly, really well informed about Kolkata’s history & culture.
As a Bengali returning after decades, with a group of people from different nationalities, it was impressive how the tour pleased all of us
Review provided by Tripadvisor
