Lincoln is one of the truly under-appreciated food capitals of England. As the county town of Lincolnshire – a region that quietly grows a huge share of the nation’s food – our city is a hub for great, locally produced grub. But these traditions aren’t so well known beyond our borders. So, we were excited to hear that the creators of an award-winning food tour were bringing a new experience to Lincoln, aiming to shine a light on the city’s weird and wonderful food history.
Matt and Charla, the team behind Hidden Food Tours, invited us along to the final trial run of their Lincoln walking food tour before it officially launches in May 2025, running on the second Saturday of every month. Without giving too many secrets away, here’s our review – and a little teaser of what you can expect on this journey through 2,000 years of Lincoln’s food heritage.
A tour created by two passionate foodies
The story of Hidden Food Tours began in Melton Mowbray, the home of its creators, Matt and Charla. While not a real-life couple as some assume – “we are partners – but not in that way!” as Matt explains – they are neighbours connected by a shared love of food.
This passion inspired Matt and Charla to create a food-themed walking tour of Melton Mowbray, the so-called “Capital of Rural Food”. The experience quickly became a hit with locals and visitors, and was named the best new tourism business at the Leicestershire Tourism and Hospitality Awards in 2024.
When I met Matt for a coffee a couple of weeks before the final Lincoln trial, he explained why the city was the natural next step as their second tour destination. Lincoln’s history has been closely entwined with food traditions since Roman times, but so many of those stories remain untold. Also, there’s just a lot of great food to be found here!
After many months of research, visits, and building connections with local businesses, the tour slowly took shape. And on a bright spring morning, we joined a small group on the rooftop at Seven Districts Coffee Bailgate – the tour’s starting point – ready to see what they’d been cooking up.
Food history meets thriving modern scene
Seven Districts Coffee is a fitting starting point for the tour. While this Lincoln coffee house is set right at the heart of the historic uphill area with sweeping views of the age-old castle and cathedral, it is a relatively new business created by Lincolnshire locals. Its name is a nod to the seven rub-regions that make up the county.
There’s a lot of creativity and entrepreneurship in Lincoln’s food scene today, with an array of independent, locally driven businesses making their mark in recent years. Matt and Charla’s tour strikes a great balance between celebrating this thriving modern food culture while digging into the city’s oldest traditions.
Weather permitting, the tour begins over a freshly brewed coffee on the rooftop terrace at Seven Districts. We were lucky to catch a sunny morning, and listened intently as Matt gave a compelling open-air introduction, while Charla handed out a little gift to get us started.
Niche stories of Lincoln’s formative periods
As local bloggers who grew up in the area, we thought we already had a pretty solid grasp of Lincoln’s history. This tour made us realise there’s a LOT we don’t know!
Each stop was brought to life with fascinating and often hilarious tales of Lincoln’s food traditions, weaving through the city’s most significant developmental periods, from Roman times to the industrial revolution and many beats between. All delivered with Matt’s signature energy and wit.
We really enjoyed that so many stories focused on human experience; how food traditions influenced and shaped people’s lives in the city at different times.
What food will you try on the tour?
Matt and Charla’s tour, like many food experiences, is designed to evolve over time – so the stops and tastes may change slightly from one month to the next.
So, the trial run might not have been the final tour route, but it did give us a flavour of what you can expect – a marathon of tastes and insights, blending Lincoln’s oldest food traditions with the international influences that have shaped the scene here in recent years.
Lincolnshire sausages are probably our best-known local speciality, and the tour included a taste of one of the city’s finest, alongside other traditional bites from a favourite local butcher.
Other delights along the way included a selection of Lincolnshire cheeses and accompaniments at a specialist cheesemonger and café (where we were introduced to some mind-blowing flavour combinations), sumptuous slices at a local pizza joint, and fish and chips from one of the oldest chippies in England.
Between stops, we slowed down for a local ale at a Lincoln pub, and the experience finished with an irresistible tub of gelato at a lively food hall.
You certainly won’t go home hungry!
How to book the Hidden Food Tours Lincoln experience
You can book the Lincoln food walking tour on the Hidden Food Tours website.
Tours are scheduled to run on the second Saturday of each month at 10am, but timings and details could be subject to change, so always check the latest information on the website before you book.
The tour starts in uphill Lincoln at Seven Districts Coffee Bailgate and finishes downhill around the Cornhill Quarter. If you’re driving, it may be a good idea to park downhill. There is a walk and ride bus service that can take if you don’t fancy the climb up Steep Hill.
Should you eat breakfast before the tour? We had a very light bite at about 8am, which worked out well. The first tasting doesn’t come until around 10:30am, so you might want a little something beforehand – just be sure to leave room for the avalanche of flavours to come!
Overall, we absolutely loved the tour and how it brings Lincoln’s food folklore and traditions to life. It’s a brilliant addition to the local scene – immersive, entertaining, and a great way to discover the city’s food story, whether you’re a local or just visiting for the weekend.
It reminded us how proud and lucky we are to live in Lincoln!
Places to stay if you’re taking the tour
If you’re thinking of taking the tour while on a weekend trip to Lincoln, these are some great places you can stay near the meeting point:
- White Hart Hotel: fabulous modern hotel that had been recently refurbished, set in the heart of uphill Lincoln by Castle Square.
- The Castle Hotel: luxurious, intimate hotel in uphill Lincoln with 18 spacious rooms and an award-winning restaurant.
- The Old Palace Lodge: unique guest house set in a repurposed 19th century church part-way down Steep Hill, a quiet but central location.
- The Poplars: lovely hillside bed & breakfast run by a local couple, within a few minutes’ walk of the Cathedral Quarter.
You can find more options in our guides to hotels in Lincoln and guest houses and B&Bs in Lincoln.
Have you tried the Lincoln food tour? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
See our full guide to things to do in Lincoln for activity ideas in the city.
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