Food tourism has been spreading during the recent decades, both in urban environments and in rural areas. Food is a key motivation for many trips. This research delineates the conceptual linkages between food tourism and local community development. To achieve this, the study sets the relationship that exists among local cheese producers and farmers’ markets in the region of Canterbury (New Zealand). The wide natural appeal and a traditional community sense of place come together in a place where both hosts and guests are delighted to experience the taste of the land through local food