History and architecture may draw visitors to Galena’s historic downtown, but it’s the aromas and flavors that make you linger. Galena Foodie Adventures takes you on specialized tours that pair thoughtfully chosen tastings with stories from a local guide, turning a walk down Main Street into a shared culinary experience.
At the heart of it all is a passion for food and travel. Founded in 2023 by Devin Ganka, the two-hour-plus walking tour includes five savory and sweet stops, each carefully selected to make the visit memorable.
“It’s a great way to experience downtown in a different way. I always tell people they are literally tasting their way through our Main Street,” says Ganka, adding that the tours often help visitors try new places and foods.
Ganka, an Iowa native and JCE Co-op member, grew up taking family trips to Galena and has a culinary background. He was working as a traveling general manager for a coffee chain when he decided to start his own business.
“As much as I love food, I’ve always loved to travel,” he says. “I stumbled across food tours on my own travels and fell in love with the concept. I thought, ‘Galena’s food scene is growing; it’s exciting. There’s nothing really to showcase that … so I’ll start it.’”
While the tours touch on some Galena history, Ganka takes pride in focusing on the food and the stories of the people behind it.
In its fourth season, Galena Foodie Adventures now has four types of tours. The original Galena Downtown Food and Drink Tour remains the most popular. It features five stops and nine tastings, with no reservations to worry about, no waiting in line, and food costs and gratuities all included in the ticket price.
The tour starts at The Galena Bakehouse with a full-size empanada and seasonal beverage. Across the street, Galena River Wine and Cheese pairs a grilled cheese with three to six liqueur and wine samples. Next up is Root Beer Revelry for an amazing root beer float featuring their own Driftless or Fever River root beers, giving guests a taste of local flavor.
Premiering on the tour this season is one of the newer additions to Galena’s culinary scene, Caliza Mediterranean Cuisine. Here, foodies will sample the ham croquettes and a delightful sparkling sangria, Tinto de Verano. Rounding out the tour is the Galena Taphouse and a featured sampling that changes seasonally, Thai donuts and a draft beer.
Galena Foodie Adventures has grown since its start, with about 300 tours planned for this season. Offerings include the original downtown food and drink tour, a cocktail adventure tour, ugly sweater food tours with exclusive holiday-themed tastings, and a honey and mead tasting tour in partnership with Dry Creek Beekeeping, a nearby apiary.
Ganka works closely with all the tour’s business partners, keeping in touch weekly and sampling everything. “I’m not going to put something on the tour I don’t like,” he noted. “That’s how the locations were picked at the beginning. [They were] my favorite places, and I wanted to share that with the world.”
Including food tour partners, Galena Foodie Adventures works with 17 Galena businesses through cross-bookings, lodging packages and promotional partnerships that add value and support other local businesses.
Giving back is important to Ganka. In addition to supporting community events and organizations, starting in 2026, $2 from every ticket sold will be donated to the Iowa Donor Network in honor of his father, who passed away in 2014.
Galena Foodie Tours
