About Us

The Local Sauce Tours Story
My name is Justin, I’m the guy with the “tour guide hands” in the photo. I started Local Sauce Tours back in 2018 after escaping a corporate law career. I realised that I was working around a lot of unhappy people and I thought, “I want to work in a more enjoyable industry – let’s try tourism!”
From starting with one walking tour on a Saturday morning offered on Airbnb Experiences, we’ve grown to offer a wide range of unique tours and experiences, led by a team of amazing hosts.
In 2022 and 2023, we were awarded Gold in the NSW Tourism Awards for Cultural Tourism. We’re also ranked #1 for all Tours & Activities in Sydney on TripAdvisor, so you’re making a great decision to explore Sydney with us.
What our tours are like
Our tours focus on showing guests around Sydney with an expert local, weaving in entertaining stories about the area while visiting excellent, independently-owned bars, restaurants and cafes.
We limit our group sizes on all of our tours to 12 people, as we’ve found this is the magic number for guests to meet each other, bond and have a fun time. If you’re visiting Sydney or travelling solo, you’ll probably meet people on the tour to hang out with while you’re here!
You’ll quickly discover that a tour with us is a little bit different to a regular one, as we focus on making it feel like you’re just in a group of new friends hanging out and enjoying themselves, with your host keeping everything flowing and telling you stories.


Our promise
We love having each and every guest along on our tours. Whether you’re visiting Sydney or a local looking for something new to do, we know that you can choose from a million other activities – but you chose to join one of our tours and hang out with us!
We take that commitment from you seriously and will do everything we can to give you an amazing experience and the best possible introduction to Sydney. We guarantee you’re going to love the Sydney that we show you so much, you’ll be asking “when’s the next tour?” and booking again with us!
Since we started, we’ve received thousands of 5-star reviews on Airbnb, Google, TripAdvisor and Facebook. Check some recent ones out below.
We’ve received over 2,500 five-star reviews
All Reviews 5.0
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Google 4.9
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TripAdvisor 5.0
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Airbnb 5.0
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GetYourGuide 5.0
- Steven13/04/2025Justin was great. Excellent knowledge base. Very friendly. The amount of food and the location of the stops were excellent. Timed perfectly. He even had laminated photos and documents to share about the Chinese history in Australia and Sydney. We recommend whole heartedly.read moreread lessBrad11/04/2025I did this tour on the day I arrived in Sydney for the first time. It was an excellent way to orient myself to the city geographically and a fantastic experience learning about the depth of its history. Dan was a wonderful guide with great stories and an obvious dedication to his work.read moreread less
- Jelena10/04/2025Exploring Sydney by night was such a fun experience! The bars and The Rocks area were full of character and great vibes. Our guide Steve was fantastic—knowledgeable, engaging, and brought great energy to the whole evening. Definitely a memorable way to see a different side of the city!read moreread lessTom10/04/2025This is a fantastic tour! Daniel is amazing! I cannot emphasize what a brilliant tour guide he is! His presentation and knowledge were outstanding. Being in a small group allowed for even a more personalized tour. The walking pace was excellent and doable. We learned so much about Australia and Sydney. We Highly recommend this tour and if you’re lucky enough to get Daniel…Bonus!read moreread lessJoyce10/04/2025Daniel was a great guide, very engaging and knowledgeable. We are not massive art fans but wanted something a bit different- Daniel was enthusiastic and made the tour very interesting for us. The food/drink stops were very good too. Daniel went above and beyond at the end of the tour by escorting us to the bus stop and advising us what bus we should get and when to get off which was very much appreciated. Thanksread moreread less
- John08/04/2025What a terrific introduction to the Newtown neighborhood! Well rounded descriptions and back stories to the fabulous murals! Enough food and drinks mixed in to give a taste of what Newtown has to offer…and where to come back to next time. The glue to the tour? Our guide Danny! Personable! Upbeat! And certainly able to share funny tidbits about his old hangouts!! Don’t scroll by! Book now…and be glad you did!read moreread less
- Joannah26/03/2025This tour gives you more than just a walking tour of the city – it really feels like a personalised service, including a snack, drink and a hotline for tips & recommendations for the rest of your trip. The tour itself was interesting, well-paced and gave me a really good feel for the city, meaning that I could then find my way around easily for my remaining time. It also helps you identify what you might want to go back and explore further. Dan was a great host, knowledgable and friendly, making sure we were all at our ease. Can thoroughly recommend.read moreread less
- Jillian24/03/2025Michael was a great guide and made sure everyone was comfortable throughout the tour. It was really interesting to learn about the culture and history of Sydney – there were a lot of things that I would have just walked past. It is a good amount of walking, but that was to be expected. Loved the recommendations he shared as well! A few of us stayed at the last stop to grab some food before heading off!read moreread lessLiz23/03/2025My brother and I had a great time on the Small Bars and Street Art tour. We got to visit some cool, quirky, hidden little bars and artworks we may never otherwise have found. Saskia was a fantastic tour guide and host. Overall we would highly recommend this experience!read moreread less
- Becky4444_1123/03/2025Must do in Sydney! ❤️ Local Sauce tours FANTASTIC tour led by Melinda. I loved exploring Newtown, a district in Sydney that many visitors unfortunately might miss – the area is evocative of Brooklyn or Stoke Newington, for example, and Melinda expertly guided us to delicious (!) local eateries and the nuances of street art. Newtown is full of cool small shops including vintage and much more. See the real Sydney with Local Sauce tours – do not miss these experiences!read moreread lessPortland_OregonSadie22/03/2025Fantastic tour with Daniel!! We did both the Ultimate Walking Tour and China town tours. Really enjoyed both. Daniel was our tour guide, and he was by far, our most favorite guide out of all our Sydney activities. Book direct if at all possible. Highly recommended!Angela & Mannyread moreread less
- Kudzai Chigogora21/03/2025I do a lot of tours and this was one of my favorites! The food was great, obviously, but beyond all the tasty treats was all of the super interesting Australian history and stories and the suggestions of places to come back to along the walk. Don’t hesitate to book this tour!read moreread lessSeaside4321/03/2025One of the very best tours of the many we’ve taken! I’ve been on many tours and this was one of the best. It was a great way to learn about the city’s past and present. Our guide, Dan, is an expert on local history and a great story teller so we learned a ton and were entertained at the same time. His energy and passion were infectious… before we knew it the tour was over. His recommendations on pubs and restaurants were really helpful (dinner at Le Foote was excellent) after walking for about 3 hours the beer (or soft drink) in Campbell’s Cove at the end was spot on. It was a perfect way to end a great experience in a beautiful city!read moreread less
- Becky4444_1123/03/2025Must do in Sydney! ❤️ Local Sauce tours FANTASTIC tour led by Melinda. I loved exploring Newtown, a district in Sydney that many visitors unfortunately might miss – the area is evocative of Brooklyn or Stoke Newington, for example, and Melinda expertly guided us to delicious (!) local eateries and the nuances of street art. Newtown is full of cool small shops including vintage and much more. See the real Sydney with Local Sauce tours – do not miss these experiences!read moreread less
- Portland_OregonSadie22/03/2025Fantastic tour with Daniel!! We did both the Ultimate Walking Tour and China town tours. Really enjoyed both. Daniel was our tour guide, and he was by far, our most favorite guide out of all our Sydney activities. Book direct if at all possible. Highly recommended!Angela & Mannyread moreread lessKudzai Chigogora21/03/2025I do a lot of tours and this was one of my favorites! The food was great, obviously, but beyond all the tasty treats was all of the super interesting Australian history and stories and the suggestions of places to come back to along the walk. Don’t hesitate to book this tour!read moreread lessSeaside4321/03/2025One of the very best tours of the many we’ve taken! I’ve been on many tours and this was one of the best. It was a great way to learn about the city’s past and present. Our guide, Dan, is an expert on local history and a great story teller so we learned a ton and were entertained at the same time. His energy and passion were infectious… before we knew it the tour was over. His recommendations on pubs and restaurants were really helpful (dinner at Le Foote was excellent) after walking for about 3 hours the beer (or soft drink) in Campbell’s Cove at the end was spot on. It was a perfect way to end a great experience in a beautiful city!read moreread less
- David Smith18/03/2025It was a great decision to join 2 tours with Justin, Crawling Sydney’s Secret Bars and Discovering Sydney’s Best Kept Secrets. As a tourist I know Sydney well, but I discovered so much more thanks to these tours and Justin’s local knowledge/recommendations. He has a host of interesting stories to tell, keeps everyone engaged and facilitates a great group atmosphere. The social interaction of both groups was a highlight and the wide age range of participants only enhanced the experiences; definitely a plus for solo travellers/couples who want to enjoy a group atmosphere for a few hours. I highly recommend both tours and will most likely join one/both again on my next visit, whenever that might be!read moreread lessRhonda Tracy17/03/2025Bunny was such a good guide on this tour. She had energy, knowledge and a great personality. The history she shared was fun to learn and she told it with such excitement. We enjoyed the information she shared with us and she took us to eat as some very good places with a good variety. We really enjoyed this tour.read moreread less
- D X16/03/2025This was one of the best walking tours we’ve ever taken! Steve really knows Sydney and shows pride is his country’s heritage( even through days of darker history). His passion for telling people bits of history through the peoples’ personal struggles and life stories, makes him a perfect guide. A refreshing glass of a local brew was a welcome ending to already wonderful day spent exploring Sydney. Dmitri and Olga form Californiaread moreread lessGareth Roscoe14/03/2025We really enjoyed the Ultimate Sydney tour. Very informative but also funny, we got to know a lot about Sydney and its origins. We also had a chance to spend time with the other tour members and share our travel experiences. I definitely recommend this tour.read moreread less
- Margaret D13/03/2025Newtown Chewtown I took some friends from the UK on this tour and they thoroughly enjoyed it. I was pleased to know the tour guide Melinda was a local and she had grown up in the area so she knew lots of hidden places to guide us and many stories to tell. She had a unique insight into the street art having studied it formally and written a book. She was friends with many of the artists. The food we tried was delicious. I was happy that the tour catered for vegetarians and food intolerances. It was a lovely way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon in Newtown.read moreread less
- D X16/03/2025This was one of the best walking tours we’ve ever taken! Steve really knows Sydney and shows pride is his country’s heritage( even through days of darker history). His passion for telling people bits of history through the peoples’ personal struggles and life stories, makes him a perfect guide. A refreshing glass of a local brew was a welcome ending to already wonderful day spent exploring Sydney.Dmitri and Olga form Californiaread moreread less
- Margaret D13/03/2025I took some friends from the UK on this tour and they thoroughly enjoyed it. I was pleased to know the tour guide Melinda was a local and she had grown up in the area so she knew lots of hidden places to guide us and many stories to tell. She had a unique insight into the street art having studied it formally and written a book. She was friends with many of the artists. The food we tried was delicious. I was happy that the tour catered for vegetarians and food intolerances. It was a lovely way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon in Newtown.read moreread less
- Grant M11/03/2025This was an excellent tour which was very inclusive and not at all rushed. It is definitely a walking tour but covered so many subjects and our guide Dan is so passionate about the history of this tour and was able to convey all this in his presentations. Any excellent tour for everyone, local or overseas travellers.read moreread lessMrsD10/03/2025Fabulous tour by Melinda, from Newtown. Her knowledge of the street artists and their art was incredible. Lovely person to be with too. She took us to some delightful eateries as well – many in the back streets where you wouldn’t generally go as a tourist, such as the Pie Inn and Young Henry’s. One of our best tours in Australia. Would highly recommend.read moreread less
- Christ00far09/03/2025The street art was great, but the background, stories, meanings and discussions encouraged by our guide Daniel were even better! He was very informative, clearly enthusiastic about what he was showing to us and had an amazing, fun, positive, infectious energy throughout!The food we tried was tasty and incorporated well into the tour.Would highly recommend!read moreread less
- Sergio G06/03/2025This is a great tour to take when you first arrive to Sydney… We moved things around with the help of Justin so that it was the first tour we took in our first visit to this lovely city.If you are lucky enough to get Steve, you will get a guide who is very knowledgeable of Sydney’s highlights and with a singular sense of humor.read moreread less
- BadSheep03/03/2025We’ve done a lot of city tours, and this was right up there with the best. Host Michael made it fun and engaging, and his passion for the city shines through. It’s not just facts, figures and dates but a truly informative take on the origins of Sydney, and beyond that Australia. The relationship between the convicts and their british masters is related through landmarks as you walk around. And this history of the indigenous first nations people is also very much to the fore – they are not airbrushed out at all (even though they are more of less invisible in central Sydney) Thoroughly recommended and special shout out to Michael who put so much into it.read moreread lesswellesian01/03/2025First rate – funny, informative, full of interesting stories and insights into Sydney and the history of Australia. A small group so lots of opportunities for questions and interaction. Steve is a brilliant tour guide. We loved it and thought it was great value for money.read moreread less
- Brad11/04/2025I did this tour on the day I arrived in Sydney for the first time. It was an excellent way to orient myself to the city geographically and a fantastic experience learning about the depth of its history. Dan was a wonderful guide with great stories and an obvious dedication to his work.read moreread lessJelena10/04/2025Exploring Sydney by night was such a fun experience! The bars and The Rocks area were full of character and great vibes. Our guide Steve was fantastic—knowledgeable, engaging, and brought great energy to the whole evening. Definitely a memorable way to see a different side of the city!read moreread lessTom10/04/2025This is a fantastic tour! Daniel is amazing! I cannot emphasize what a brilliant tour guide he is! His presentation and knowledge were outstanding. Being in a small group allowed for even a more personalized tour. The walking pace was excellent and doable. We learned so much about Australia and Sydney. We Highly recommend this tour and if you’re lucky enough to get Daniel…Bonus!read moreread less
- Joannah26/03/2025This tour gives you more than just a walking tour of the city – it really feels like a personalised service, including a snack, drink and a hotline for tips & recommendations for the rest of your trip. The tour itself was interesting, well-paced and gave me a really good feel for the city, meaning that I could then find my way around easily for my remaining time. It also helps you identify what you might want to go back and explore further. Dan was a great host, knowledgable and friendly, making sure we were all at our ease. Can thoroughly recommend.read moreread lessJillian24/03/2025Michael was a great guide and made sure everyone was comfortable throughout the tour. It was really interesting to learn about the culture and history of Sydney – there were a lot of things that I would have just walked past. It is a good amount of walking, but that was to be expected. Loved the recommendations he shared as well! A few of us stayed at the last stop to grab some food before heading off!read moreread less
- Tani17/03/2025This was a wonderful tour! My husband and I were lucky to have Michael as our tour guide. He was a wealth of knowledge, kind, and personable. In such a short period of time, we saw so many major sights in Sydney and learned a lot about Australian history, as well as history about Sydney and the Aboriginal people as well. As history buffs, we got exactly what we were looking for out of the tour and more. Couldn’t recommend this tour more!read moreread less
- Lina14/03/2025This experience was just what I needed to feel more comfortable in Chinatown. During my stay, I had walk through several times, but now I have a better understanding of what I’m seeing and mom&pop shops to go back to. The food we were served was delicious and I will definitely go back to explore more options. Thanks Justin for your enthusiastic and interesting story telling about this area and the Chinese experience in Australia.read moreread less
- Steven13/04/2025Justin was great. Excellent knowledge base. Very friendly. The amount of food and the location of the stops were excellent. Timed perfectly. He even had laminated photos and documents to share about the Chinese history in Australia and Sydney. We recommend whole heartedly.read moreread lessJoyce10/04/2025Daniel was a great guide, very engaging and knowledgeable. We are not massive art fans but wanted something a bit different- Daniel was enthusiastic and made the tour very interesting for us. The food/drink stops were very good too. Daniel went above and beyond at the end of the tour by escorting us to the bus stop and advising us what bus we should get and when to get off which was very much appreciated. Thanksread moreread less
- John08/04/2025What a terrific introduction to the Newtown neighborhood! Well rounded descriptions and back stories to the fabulous murals! Enough food and drinks mixed in to give a taste of what Newtown has to offer…and where to come back to next time. The glue to the tour? Our guide Danny! Personable! Upbeat! And certainly able to share funny tidbits about his old hangouts!! Don’t scroll by! Book now…and be glad you did!read moreread less
- Liz23/03/2025My brother and I had a great time on the Small Bars and Street Art tour. We got to visit some cool, quirky, hidden little bars and artworks we may never otherwise have found. Saskia was a fantastic tour guide and host. Overall we would highly recommend this experience!read moreread less