Food tourism, as one of the major emerging trends in the tourism industry, plays a vital role in enriching travel experiences and supporting the economic development of destinations. Culinary mapping, as an innovative tool, enables the organization, guidance, and highlighting of identity-related elements associated with local foods. Within this context, Gilan Province—with its wide variety of local dishes and rich culinary culture—holds significant potential for the development of food tourism. The research employed a descriptive-analytical approach, and data were collected through interviews with tourism experts, local food service providers, questionnaires, field observations, and documentary studies. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS software and qualitative data with MAXQDA, while spatial data were analyzed using GIS tools to provide accurate mapping of restaurants and local food outlets. The results indicated that food tourism in Gilan plays a key role in attracting tourists, and local foods are valued not only as meals but also as interactive cultural experiences. Restaurant density was found to be highest in the provincial center, while certain areas in the north and southeast lacked adequate coverage. Based on the finding’s, recommended restaurants were identified to fill these gaps, and multilingual maps of culinary routes were developed. The study demonstrates that culinary mapping, in addition to organizing food tourism routes, serves as an effective tool for enhancing Gilan’s food tourism brand.