Flavors of New York Food Tour

This was a great introduction to some New York food with a history lesson thrown in.

This tour started well with some good historical information about the East Village but soon became pretty ordinary. We were shunted around by busy restaurants that didn't really want us to be there and it was not that welcoming at times. Most of the food we tasted was very good but the portions were tiny compared to other food tours I've done. I also thought it a little strange that the tour guide settled the checks at the end of each visit. What would be wrong with offering the tour company an account. Again, this is a practice I have not seen on any other food tour I've done.

Come hungry because the tour and the food are great along this tour of the best spots in the East Village. The tour gives a small historic background of the neighborhood without becoming a historical tour: this is about the food. You hit NYC classics like pizza and hot dog, but also some lesser known foods like egg cream (which has no eggs) and some up-and-coming restaurants starting to add to the food scene in the East Village. A great tour but I would reccomend the Artisan Food Tour of the Lower East Side even more. Also, most of the tour guides are trained chefs and know the food scene in NY pretty well, so come prepared with questions about the best sushi or best brunch in the city and they will point you in the right direction.

I had a great time on this tour. Our tour guide was helpful, knowledgeable,and blessed with a delightfully affable manner. She acted like she really enjoyed what she was doing. The stops were interesting, except for Motofuku, which I found to be way too noisy and way to crowded to be pleasant. I found Braczinsky's Meat Market a fascinating place because of the men that worked there. Most were Ukranian and spoke very good English. The veal loaf and cheese on bread was delicious. However, for me the star was the borscht at Verselka's. It was the first borscht that I have had that actually has a texture to it, in other words...was not pureed. The hot dog sample was too small and not a good representation, in my opinion, of a NY hor dog Overall, I enjoyed the two and a half hours and would consider another food tour on my next visit to NYC. Merrill J. (MJ) Palmer

This was a fantastic "flavors of" tour loaded with lots of yummy samplings of authentic pizza, hot dog and egg creams, plus ethnic-based, trendy and noveau foods found in the storefronts of the East Village of New York City. The guides were very engaging and along the way, and at each stop, brought in pieces of the history of the early settlers of New York and the long-time residents of the neighborhood -- as well as behind the scenes stories of the establishments. You felt truly honored to be hosted in each of the various locales and enjoying their yummy food... some made right in front of you! Bravo... this tour is a must-do for residents and visitors alike!

I thought the tour was just great...it was a great opportunity to meet local New Yorkians....Cheers

I enjoyed the tour which gave me a good overview of food in NY and bits of history of the area. My guide was very into food and we had loads of time to chat over different things foodie :) I would recommend this to anyone visiting NY from overseas as a fun way to get to know a real aspect of New York away from the tourist hum drum.

I had a great time on the tour with Kalisa - she was friendly, informative and it was obvious she was a real foodie! The food was all great and it was really good to get to see a part of the city that felt more like a neighbourhood with real people living there. The next stop on my tour down the the East coast was Philly and I enjoyed this tour so much that I tried to get a food tour there too, but unfortunately it didn't fit with my schedule. I guess it gives me an excuse to come back again and do more of the other tours :-)

I took the Flavor tour this past week, and it exceeded all my expectations. The tour was great, the guide was very knowledgeable, and I discovered some great places. Some of the spots I had walked by but never known much about. It definitely got me excited about my neighborhood again! Not only was the food great, but it was nice to hear for the owners of the shops about the history of the neighborhood shop. The tour was satisfying in every way and was an amazing way to spend an afternoon!

When I travel, I want to eat like a local. However, I don't have the experience of the folks who actually live there, so I am not typically successful in finding the best the city has to offer. The Flavors of New York tour by City Food Tours is the best way I can imagine to learn about the foods real New Yorkers eat. The locations we visited on the tour treated us like locals and we enjoyed their welcoming atmosphere. I plan to go back to these places on my next visit and share my new finds with friends and family. I enjoyed the comfortable pace of the tour and the attention our guide paid to each of the participants. One might expect to be rushed in New York, but I never felt hurried on this tour and I was able to really enjoy the foods we sampled. New York has a rich history, much of which is related to the food New Yorkers love. The tour route through the East Village gave me a chance to learn more about some of the people and places that were involved in building the city. Another benefit... I can guarantee you will not finish this tour hungry, so consider that the tour price includes some of the tastiest foods you will experience in New York.