1. It All Started with a New Orleans Idea
Back in 2017, my sister Karen had just returned from a New Orleans trip with something bigger than beads or recipes: a vision.
She had experienced a food tour there that opened her eyes to what Galveston was missing. We had the flavors. We had the architecture. We had the kind of layered history tourists crave. But no one had stitched it together into a real, walkable culinary experience.
So she built it from scratch. That tour became Taste of the Strand, the first-ever food and drink tour on Galveston Island.
With my help on PR, marketing, Google search setup, and local buzz generation, we got it out into the world. I even helped with video work, photo content, early branding. It was a true grassroots hustle.
But as life pulled me in another direction, I stepped back — while Karen took it forward, growing Taste of the Strand into a tour that would soon span 21+ locations in under four hours.
2. The Pandemic Didn’t Stop the Tour — It Transformed It
Then came 2020.
The tour was already at peak complexity. And then, state safety mandates hit: spacing rules, group limits, logistical chaos.
Instead of shutting it down, Karen adapted. She split the original master tour into three distinct legs, each catering to different interests:
- One for families
- One for food-and-drink pairings (like tapas tastings)
- One for the grown-up crowd who wanted local bars, drinks, and music
That last one is the route I would later take over and refine: Pubs N’ Grubs.
It was never just about drinking. It was about where the locals actually go — the places you wouldn’t find unless someone showed you.
3. When I Came Back, the Island Had Changed (And So Had I)
After taking care of private matters off-Island, I returned — just as my sister invited me to rejoin the project.
Only this time, it wasn’t to promote her brand. It was to run my own.
I had already been dreaming up cigar-and-culture tours, thinking they’d be my first move. But the need to build out infrastructure, connect with guests, and grow visibility meant I had to start with the drink-forward tours instead.
So I stepped into the world we had once created together — now with a new role and vision.
Pubs N’ Grubs was born again, not as a spin-off, but as a true legacy tour evolved for today’s guests.
4. Why Pubs N’ Grubs Isn’t a Cookie-Cutter Tour
Here’s the deal:
- No corporate chains
- No high-gloss branding
- No loops designed for Instagram moments
This is a local-first, adult-only experience. Many of our guests are aged 50–65 and have already traveled the world. They don’t need a script or a novelty. They want the good stuff. Unfiltered.
We walk. We drink. We catch music if it happens (and most nights, it does). We adapt on the fly because that’s what the Island demands. You’re not handed a tour. You’re brought into a night that could only happen here.
The patios are real. The bands are real. The surprises? Those are just bonuses.
5. The Tour May Evolve — But the Roots Matter
Soon, cigar tours will open — both walking and sit-down formats. They’ll build on the same Island sensibility: relaxed, flavorful, no B.S.
But even when those are ready, Pubs N’ Grubs will stay the heartbeat. Because it came out of something honest: not a pitch deck or franchise manual, but a real Island-grown experiment that kept going.
We kept it raw. We kept it true. And you can feel that in every bite, every pour, every stop.
Booking Details
See current tour options: https://www.pubsngrubs.com/food-drink-tour
Planning a group? Private and corporate options here
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