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Eataly
Photograph: Paul Wagtouicz

The best food tours in NYC

Looking for an awesome food tour? NYC’s best culinary adventures will take you everywhere from Williamsburg to Harlem.

Written by
Dan Q Dao
&
Annalise Mantz
Contributor
Camila Karalyte
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With more than 20,000 restaurants in Gotham, it’s hard to know where to begin, unless you want to spend a fortune trying each and every single one (we wouldn't blame you if you tried). One way to try at least some of the greatest restaurants is to book a comprehensive food tour of NYC.

One of the great things about NYC is that it's made up of tons of unique neighborhoods, each with a distinct culture that plays a role in shaping its cuisine. And while you could, technically, try to hit all the best restaurants in NYC, it would be quite the challenge. From cheap eats in Chinatown to some of the best New York pizza in Greenwich Village, there’s a food tour in NYC for whatever you’re craving. Better come hungry!

RECOMMENDED: Find more NYC tours and walks

Best food tours in NYC

Best of Brooklyn Half-Day Food and Culture Tour
Photograph: Shutterstock

1. Best of Brooklyn Half-Day Food and Culture Tour

Despite Manhattan's abundance of white-clothed, Michelin-starred dining rooms, some are now touting Brooklyn as the epicenter of food culture in NYC. Either way, it's impossible to deny that Brooklyn's dining scene is incredible, from pierogis in Greenpoint's Polish stronghold to tacos and pupusas in Sunset Park and trendy farm-to-table newcomers in Williamsburg. To provide a thorough understanding of the borough's eats, this half-day tour will take you through all those neighborhoods, as well as Dumbo, the waterfront neighborhood where you'll enjoy sweets from the renowned Jacques Torres chocolate factory. The tour starts in the West Village and transportation is provided via an air-conditioned shuttle bus, for your dining comfort.  

Flatiron Food and History Tour
Photograph: Shutterstock

2. Flatiron Food and History Tour

Long considered a culinary wasteland, the Flatiron District has become, in recent years, a full-fledged foodie destination, thanks in part to the recent surge of boutique firms and tech start-ups setting up shop there. This bang-for-your-buck tour comes with six tastings at NYC favorites including Italian megamarket Eataly, historic Eisenberg’s Sandwich Shop and Beecher's Handmade Cheese. The tour also stops at the iconic Flatiron building for a photoshoot, and passes through the Union Square Farmer's Market (Saturday only) before finishing off at Bread's Bakery, where you'll sample their beloved chocolate babka right from the oven.

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Pizza Walking Tour of Manhattan
Photograph: Tova Carlin

3. Pizza Walking Tour of Manhattan

What trip to New York would be complete without sampling some of the city’s best pizza? Everyone has a favorite spot and your tour guide is no exception. Choose between three nabes—Little Italy, Greenwich Village or the Lower East Side—and prepare to feast on several slices of crispy thin-crust pizza fresh out of the oven. Depending on which route you pick, you’ll visit beloved local institutions like Joe’s Pizza, Patsy’s Pizzeria and John’s of Bleecker Street.

NYC Food Tour: Chinatown and Little Italy
Courtesy: Viator

4. NYC Food Tour: Chinatown and Little Italy

NYC is a beautiful blend of different cultures, so what better way to spend a day than touring around foodie hotspots in Chinatown and Little Italy? The two-hour tour takes you to four different tastings, learning about the history and visiting local shops and establishments that have been standing for generations. You'll be led by historian tour guides and be part of a small and intimate group to get the best out of the experience

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Chelsea Market and High Line Food Tour
Courtesy: Viator

5. Chelsea Market and High Line Food Tour

Embark on this three-hour tour of the hippest and foodie-focused places in NYC: the High Line, Chelsea Market, and Meatpacking District. The small-group tour will be led by a guide, offering insider tips and educating you on the locations you're visiting. Savor artisanal specials picked up from the market and marvel at the architecture of the Meatpacking District. Delish!

Half-Day Hell's Kitchen Food Tour and Central Park Stroll
Courtesy: Viator

6. Half-Day Hell's Kitchen Food Tour and Central Park Stroll

A food tour of Hell's Kitchen and a walk through Central Park to burn it off, what could be better? Sample food with Middle Eastern, Latin, and Indonesian backgrounds, then discover the secrets of Central Park, led by a professional guide. The group is limited to eight people so you can guarantee an intimate experience. It lasts two hours and the food tastings are included. Put on your comfiest shoes and loosest pants, you're about to indulge. 

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Lower East Side Bagel Tour
Photograph: Courtesy Flickr / Ricoslounge

7. Lower East Side Bagel Tour

Come hungry: You start this walking tour of the Lower East Side with a piping hot bagel smeared with cream cheese. The eats only get better as you visit venerable New York institutions like Katz’s Delicatessen, Russ and Daughters, The Pickle Guy and Economy Candy. It’s not all about the food either: Your guide will explain how immigrants shaped both this neighborhood and its cuisine as you walk.

Greenwich Village Food Tour
Photograph: Shutterstock

8. Greenwich Village Food Tour

With stars like Robert de Niro and Sarah Jessica Parker having called this beautiful neighborhood home, it’s no surprise that the nearby dining options are top-notch. This tour, however, explores more of the low-key offerings frequented by the food-savvy NYU undergrads, from excellent Indian vegetable rolls from a Washington Square Park street cart to thin-crust pizza at Joe's and cupcakes at Magnolia Bakery—first popularized in the show Sex and the City. If you’re feeling tired from the walk, the two-hour tour will also make stops at the craft coffee shops on Bleecker Street. 

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Kosher Food Tour of the Upper West Side
Photographs: Imogen Brown

9. Kosher Food Tour of the Upper West Side

This tour focuses as much on the Upper West Side’s Jewish community life as it does the food. You’ll learn about Judaism’s traditions, rituals and religious practices like keeping kosher on this 2.5-hour tour. After stopping at a few local synagogues, you’ll nosh on tastings from kosher eateries like the Kosher Marketplace, Murray's Sturgeon Shop and Zabar's. There’s also time to do some grocery shopping, if you need to restock your supply of whitefish and lox.

New York City Pierogi Walk
Photograph: Lizz Kuehl

10. New York City Pierogi Walk

Past the seedy vape shops and tattoo parlors on St. Mark’s Place, you’ll find the East Village’s borscht belt. The Polish, Ukrainian and Eastern European immigrants who moved into the nabe in the ‘30s brought pierogies, kielbasa, blintzes and potato pancakes with them. Join a two-hour pierogi walk to savor the neighborhood’s history and food in one fell swoop. 

Looking to walk off all the food?

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