Gourmaze; The Talisman Treats Adventure!

When considering a day out in London to explore the sights and eat some delicious food the plethora of options can be overwhelming. So when I discovered Gourmaze who have curated delicious themed treasure hunts across the city I knew this would be the perfect adventure for a friend's day out. Solving a stream of riddles sent to your team via text, you will go on an adventure to find the mystery hidden food gems and uncover secret discoveries!

There are currently three themed Gourmaze hunts to select from: The Time Traveller's Space Bytes, The Sweet Escape and The Talisman Treats. As lovers of Asian food, we selected the Talisman Treats adventure which would take us around Soho hunting for our three secret food venues and competing to see if our puzzle-solving skills would win us a spot on the Top 10 leaderboard.

A talisman can be any object ascribed with magical powers intended to heal the individuals for whom they are made.  Our mission was to locate the 3 treats scattered by Confucius to help heal our mind, body & soul to eventually unlock the golden rule if we were deemed worthy.

We selected an afternoon slot for the challenge and waited at the pub tucked away in Soho for the start of our adventure. The exact location remains a secret, only revealed upon booking your tickets. At our designated time we began our quest via WhatsApp and after a brief explanation of the rules we were introduced to Confucius himself! From the beginning the messages are filled with clever puns and enigmatic wisdom, leaving everyone intrigued and ready to solve the clues. All of the team can have visibility of the clues on their own devices if you wish, but the team leader is the only one who can respond to the questions.

The first set of directions, in the form of a riddle, were exciting to decode and follow. We definitely had to read it a couple of times and pay close attention to the hidden clues within but we were able to work our way through each step  to answer our first question. At each stage you have the option to 'Decode Directions' for some help if you're lost or hit 'I just want food' to skip directly to the delicious treats! Incorrect answers, asking for help or simply skipping to the food stop will add time to your final score if you are competitive!

Soon we arrived at what we believed to be our first location where Confucius had given us a phrase to say to the staff. This could have been embarrassing if not at the right venue, but thankfully we had it correct! The staff at all the restaurants were aware of the game and some were even part of the game! Finding each of the locations felt like such a fun accomplishment and I almost felt like I was on a TV show like The Amazing Race at times (which I absolutely relished!)

Once you are at your stops the timer is paused, so you can enjoy your food and drinks without worrying about your time score. The time at the end will be the time it took you to find them plus any penalties from incorrect answers, help awarded or skips. Once at each stop you get a message explaining how to receive your food and also the options you have available to select from. At every stop we were presented with options suitable for vegetarians and we were lucky enough to be able to dine in, although be prepared to have to find a spot outside if the locations are busy.

Of course, I can't reveal any images or clues about the food we received or it would spoil the experience! Plus Confucius needs to ensure you're worthy of learning his golden rule! All I will say is that we were pleasantly full from our dishes and loved every discoveries we made on the day. Along the route there were additional options to stop at nearby pubs, with a discount at some, if you showed your booking/game message. At any of the secret locations you can purchase additional food & drinks should you wish to as well. We couldn't resist cocktails at one of them as they looked amazing, and it was a wonderful addition to our experience.

The Talisman Treats Gourmaze was an absolutely amazing day out for us all. Unfortunately we didn't quite make the leaderboard, but we were only a few minutes out of the Top 10! The combination of an outdoor treasure hunt with riddles to solved really added to the deliciousness of the food discoveries they led us to. I had never experienced an activity that combines an escape room with a food tour. With all the foods on the stops included in the price as well, it's an extremely fun and value for money full day adventure in London. I will definitely try the other Gourmazes, I think I fancy the Sweet Escape next!

Cost & Time: £39.99 per person & Max. 5 people per team. It's estimated to take roughly 2-3 hours depending on your breaks & puzzle solving skills! Prebooking essential! Remember to factor in paying for some additional drinks in your budget  - you won't want to miss them!

Nearest Tube Station: Piccadilly Circus

Website: Gourmaze

Date: May 2023