New York City

Top activities in New York City

Trip Inspiration

New York City Lower East Side Culture and Food Tastings Tour

Name: New York City Lower East Side Culture and Food Tastings Tour
Brand: Intrepid Urban Adventures - USA
SKU: 5713SUNB
Price: 76.04 USD
Rating: 5.0 (792 reviews)

Badge of ExcellenceNew York, United States

Special Offer

From USD 76.04

USD 84.49 Save USD 8.45

Price varies by group size

Select Date and Travellers

Free cancellation

Up to 24 hours in advance.

New York City Tours

All New York City Tours

Seasonal & Special Occasions

Tickets & Passes

Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises

Travel & Transportation Services

Unique Experiences

Attractions

Things to do in New York City National September 11 Memorial & Museum Tours & Tickets Broadway Tours & Tickets One World Observatory Tours & Tickets Statue of Liberty Tours & Tickets Top of the Rock Tours & Tickets Manhattan Skyline Tours & Tickets Empire State Building Tours & Tickets

Recommendations

All Recommendations Ways to Celebrate the Fourth of July in New York City New York City Walking Tours for Foodies New York City for Foodies How to Find the Best Pizza in New York City Ice Skating in New York City Ways to Celebrate Christmas and New Year's Eve in New York City Things to Do in New York City This Winter

Nearby

New York Brooklyn Long Island Philadelphia Boston Salem Washington DC Williamsburg Buffalo Niagara Falls Niagara Falls & Around Montreal Toronto Pennsylvania Massachusetts

3 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Overview

From stroopwafel to mozzarella to knishes; there are many amazing eats on Manhattan’s Lower East Side. On this small-group walking tour, discover the neighborhood's diverse cultural heritage and learn how its immigration history has influenced its dynamic foodie scene. Along the way, visit markets, bakeries, and restaurants, and sample delicacies from all around the world.

Explore Manhattan’s Lower East Side like a New Yorker with a local guide
Sample New York’s famous knishes and four other dishes
Small-group tour offers a more personalised experience
Receive insider tips and recommendations on where to eat in the city
This tour is carbon neutral, operated by the world’s largest travel B Corp accredited company

What's Included

Friendly Local, English-speaking food lover guide
Stroll in the Lower East Side, Chinatown, and Little Italy on 3 hours food walking tour
Learn about the importance of immigration to the city
Sample 4 historic dishes on 4 Food stops
See 100-year old bakerie, churches, and historic New York sites
Get tips on what else to see, do and eat during your stay

Gratuities
Drinks

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

7 Elk St
7 Elk St, New York, NY 10007, USA
In front of the African Burial Ground National Monument, across from 7 Elk Street (between Duane and Elk Street), New York, NY 10007

End point

Lower East Side
Lower East Side, New York, NY, USA
Your tour ends in the heart of the Lower East Side neighborhood (New York, NY 10002)

What To Expect

Today the Lower East Side is crammed with bars, clubs and trendy restaurants. But if you know where to look, you can find very edible remnants of its intriguing past. The neighborhood was once home to many of the city’s new immigrants and the old-school food of the area still reflects this.

So come hungry for this fun small-group tour, where you’ll munch on the sample some of the best snacks and learn a lot about the history of the Lower East Side. Start off with some stroopwafel, which is Dutch for ‘syrup waffle.".

Next, try knishes, representative of the Jewish immigrants who once populated the area, at some of the bakeries that are still sprinkled around here. Munch on mozzarella in nearby Little Italy, today just part of Mulberry Street, but once a bustling part of town with thousands of immigrants from southern Italy.

Learn about the history of the neighborhood from your local guide. From Poles to Jews to Italians, many different immigrants have called the Lower East Side home and they’ve all left their mark. Also learn about the erstwhile African burial ground, where Africans, both enslaved and free, were put to rest through most of the 18th century.

Finally, step into chaotic Chinatown, where steamed pork buns and succulent soup dumplings compete for your taste buds.

The tour finishes back on the Lower East Side, where you can continue exploring on your own.

It’s advisable to wear or bring clothing that is weather appropriate depending on the season, as you’ll be outside for at least 3 hours. It’s also recommended you book the tour at least 48 hours before.

African Burial Ground National Monument

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

New York City Supreme Court

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Columbus Park

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Chinatown

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Little Italy

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Nolita

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

St. Patrick's Old Cathedral

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Sara D Roosevelt Park

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Lower East Side

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Tenement Museum (Pass By)

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Children aged 5 years and younger are welcome at no charge
Tour runs rain or shine
Comfortable walking shoes recommended
Maximum group size is 14.

Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Most travellers can participate
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 14 travellers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveller Photos

Featured review

Lisa_S

Excellent tour and food tasting! Our guide, Erik, was fantastic! His extensive historical and cultural knowledge and ability to relate it to our surroundings made this tour both educational and entertaining. His pacing of the tour was spot on, both for the tour pause and talk spots and the food stops. And the food, oh my! Some of the best tasting we've had of those items, and while plentiful, not overwhelming. Highly recommend this tour and this guide!

Reviews

5.0

792 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travellers.

Showing 1-10 of 792 reviews

History Comes to Life Through Stories & Food

Teresa_D, June 2023

Mickey’s presentation made history come to life. It was a small group, which made asking questions & having conversation very easy.

Hannah our guide was an...

Tom_D, June 2023

Hannah our guide was an absolute teaching/informational sweetheart! While the tour was expertly done, it’s the people you remember, and Hannah will be remembered a long time! Tom & Ana

1st New York visit

Shana_P, June 2023

Hannah was the best tour guide. If I lived here I think we would be friends. She explained all history. The food was delicious on the tour. I would take this tour again if she were the guide. 5stars

A Nolita/LES must do!

Delaney_L, May 2023

This food/walking tour was awesome!! The historical part was very insightful, and the food was delicious. Request Micaela Fagan - she was an awesome guide. 11/10 experience!

Definitely worth doing. Bruce was great.

Adele_I, May 2023

All of it—learning the history, diversity and intermixed cultures of the area. Food tastings were delicious!

History, culture, and food of NYC's Lower East Side in one outstanding tour!

Lisa_S, May 2023

Do this tour, ask for Mickey

sdesfoss, May 2023

Mickey was the most exceptional and memorable part of our experience. Her knowledge of the area, her wit and humour was infectious. The food delicious; the group pleasant. My daughters and I loved, loved this experience. I highly recommend this tour.

A NYC trip highlight!

ALEXANDER_Z, May 2023

Our guide Hanna was delightful, knowledgeable and funny. The food was amazing. Best pizza, best dumplings and best babka ever! Learned the history behind the various immigrants settling in New York over the centuries! Highly recommend!

Enlightening, immersive and fun

Laden_O, May 2023

Very informative and entertaining tour. Our tour guide Michaela was very knowledgeable and clearly passionate about the history of New York. She told us lots of interesting historical facts and pointed out supporting evidence from our surroundings such as architectural style of historical buildings and historical streets. Sampling different foods was also nice. This was one of the best things I did in New York.

Best part of our trip to NYC!!

Raleigh_G, Apr 2023

Our tour guide, Eric, was amazing! So knowledgeable and personable! We recommended him and our tour to friends and family the very next day! Best part of our 7 day New York trip hands down.

Could be interesting

MGgie_H, Apr 2023

Chinatown and its history was interesting. Food offered was too starchy, salty and filling. Would have like more commentary as we walked along. Could be a much more engaging walk/tour. Interesting areas visited.

Highly recommend this tour

Rose_B, Apr 2023

My daughter and I had a fantastic time on this tour with our guide Alex!! Alex was fantastic, very informative and the food was fantastic.

Hannah was an awesome...

Nicholas_S, Apr 2023

Hannah was an awesome tour guide. We loved the food along the way. She handled all the ordering at each place. Dumplings were our favorite. Good amount of walking. Mostly outside so bring an umbrella and wear layers.

Multicultural Food Tour

Carol_G, Apr 2023

The tour gave us new insight into NYC’s immigrant story. The multi sensory tour appealed to sights, smells, sounds and tastes. Alex was knowledgeable and took all the time needed to answer questions ~ he was a terrific guide!

Great guide - good not worth the cost

Lisa_E, Apr 2023

Cullen was a great guide - he knew the history and supplemented with interesting facts. We felt that the food portion of the tour was inadequate given the price. A shared piece of pizza? A quarter of a knish? Half of a pastelitos? Very disappointing.

Walk with a local who loves New York's neighborhoods

Sharon_C, Apr 2023

Bruce clearly loves food and New York's immigrant story. He brought a lot of energy to showing us his city and sharing the ways in which we are all richer for the cultures and traditions that people have brought to NYC over time. And the food was delicious! I could not have found all these special places on my own. We enjoyed the "insiders" treatment at each store and restaurant.

Perfect tour with many interesting stories and great food

Conny_R, Apr 2023

Great tour in a small group with our guide Alex - very interesting stories, delicious food - a fun and perfect way to explore NY neighborhoods.

A most interesting, pressure free, 3 hr walking tour

Padraic_T, Apr 2023

We experienced an excellent 3hr tour with our very knowledgeable guide Cullen. The history of the Lr East Side is so interesting with the never changing issue of immigrant assimilation. 13 was a perfect number for our group. The 4 food stops were very tasty and different, featuring Chinese, Italian, Jewish and Puerto Rican. This is an amazing way to experience an historic area at leisure.

Excellent tour! Fun, engaging, and informative! Highly recommend!!

mike, Apr 2023

Hannah was an amazing guide. Experienced, knowledgable, friendly and professional. Fun experience and well organized. Highly recommend!

Fantastic tour!

Kayla_G, Apr 2023

Such a fun experience!! I highly recommend Mickey and this tour if you visit NYC! You will try some great food and learn so much history and interesting facts about the different immigrants and how NYC came to be!

...