Lip Smacking Foodie Tours Launches A Deep-Dish Extravaganza Especially Designed for Groups Beginning on National Deep-Dish Pizza Day

Following its wildly successful group excursions in Las Vegas, Lip Smacking Foodie Tours is excited to announce its first foray into Chicago with its new, decadent deep-dish pizza tour, debuting appropriately enough on April 5, National Deep-Dish Pizza Day, and available every day afterward

The 3-hour tour is especially designed for corporate and convention groups of 15 to 100. Trying to easily corral that many people into one – not to mention four of Chicago’s most popular restaurants -- can be a logistical nightmare on one’s own. But Lip Smacking Foodie Tours makes that effortless by providing immediate seating with VIP service at the four flagships that put deep-dish on the map here, all in one unique, unforgettable outing.

Chicago-native and Lip Smacking Foodie Tours founder Donald Contursi, who grew up on the city’s most iconic dish, has created the ultimate deep-dish tour that allows guests to skip the usual queuing to snag a table or the long wait times for these hefty pies to bake. Instead, attendees enjoy pizza delivered fresh out of the oven in only 10 minutes, rather than the customary 45 minutes. Best yet, they can take any leftovers with them to enjoy again later. At each stop, attendees also have the opportunity to sit beside different colleagues, making networking a breeze.

The tour’s stops represent a who’s who of the deep-dish world: Gino’s East on Superior Street with its fabled graffiti-clad walls and celebrity clientele; Giordano’s on North Rush Street that boasts a stuffed, two-crust pie; Pizzeria Uno on Ohio Street, which claims to be the originator; and Lou Malnati’s on Wells Street, famous for its butter crust crowned with a sausage patty that covers the entire circumference of the pizza. All are an easy stroll from one another in the vibrant Magnificent Mile area. At each stop, attendees will enjoy a half-cheese, half-sausage pie, made with each establishment’s secret dough recipe passed down from generations and a proprietary sausage blend. A vegetarian option is available upon request. Imagine getting the unheard-of opportunity to judge nearly side-by-side whose pizza you think reigns supreme.

The tour comes complete with a professional guide who provides entertaining and enlightening information along the way about these storied restaurants, as well as this dynamic metropolis. It is priced affordably at $99 per person. An optional $45 beverage package is also available, which provides a different Chicago beer pairing at each stop.

This group tour is an outgrowth of a well-received, similar but self-guided one for individuals and couples by sister company Finger Licking Foodie Tours. Although that one is geared toward locals and visitors alike, Contursi wanted to offer a tour specifically for business and convention groups, who make up such a sizeable portion of travelers to Chicago.

“Lip Smacking Foodie Tours is honored to offer a way to not only support and promote local restaurants, but to help invigorate business travel once again,’’ Contursi says.

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About Lip Smacking Foodie Tours:

Lip Smacking Foodie Tours is the premier culinary walking tour in Las Vegas, garnering not only loyal fans but outstanding accolades. Its tours offer guests personalized service and VIP access to the best tables at the city’s most acclaimed restaurants – all without the hassle of waiting in lines or making reservations. Each tour is led by an expert guide who entertains guests with insider knowledge about the sights along the way. At each of four restaurant stops on The Strip or downtown, guests indulge in signature dishes, as well as receive a warm welcome from the chefs. Guests can sit beside different patrons at every stop, gaining new friends and networking connections. The tours are perfect for everyone from locals to tourists to business travelers, including corporate groups of up to 250. In 2019, Lip Smacking Foodie Tours expanded for the first time outside of Vegas to include San Jose, Santa Monica, St. Louis, Seattle and Vancouver BC.

Recent honors include: "Best Tour", "Best Food Tour", and "Best Date Night Spot" by Las Vegas Review-Journal in 2020, 2019 and 2018; "Best Food/Beverage Tour Operations (Land)" by The World Food Travel Association 2018; "Best Tour", "Best Fine Dining", and "Best Brunch" by Las Vegas Review-Journal in 2017; "Best Tour" by Las Vegas Review-Journal in 2016; "Best Tour" by INVEGAS Magazine in 2015 and 2016; and "Best New Tour" by Thrillist in 2015; as well as inclusion in TripAdvisor’s “Top 3” tours in Las Vegas, and ranked #1 tour on Yelp.

Additionally, Lip Smacking Foodie Tours holds the honored distinction of “preferred partner member’’ of Virtuoso, the invitation-only member network catering to luxury travel advisors. That designation means that no other company offering similar experiences can become a member of this leading international travel agency network that specializes in opulent experiential travel. For more information visit LipSmackingFoodieTours.com

Have a news brief to submit? Contact Erika Johnson at @ejohnson@chicagohistory.org.