Arthur Avenue Walkabout

My husband and I wanted to get a feel for the neighborhood since our daughter was touring Fordham University. Susan went out of her way to reschedule the tour for the only day that worked for us. The tour was informative and included delicious food samples from shops along Arthur Avenue. It gave us a good picture of what the Bronx, at least this part of the Bronx, is really like -- and peace of mind if our daughter does end up going to Fordham. We definitely enjoyed it and would recommend it to all.

We had a delightful day with Susan and the merchants of Arthur Avenue. Susan was full of trivia, facts, and interesting details about the area. She also had a good relationship with all the merchants visited. The foods on the tour were excellent. We were delighted with our day in the Bronx!

My husband and I grew up in New York but had never been to Arthur Avenue and had always wanted to do a food tour of the area. (We have done food tours around the world, including in NYC, though not with SusanSez, and always had a good time.) So we signed up with SusanSez as it was the only walking tour we could find of the area. Susan is lovely and clearly knowledgeable about the Bronx, but there were too many people (16) in the group and the tour quickly dragged. Also, we were expecting to go straight to Arthur Avenue, visit many of the shops and taste their specialties and learn about their history. Instead, the tour was more a casual history of that part of the Bronx with, after an hour (to go less than half a mile), a glimpse of Arthur Avenue. Maybe we misunderstood the point of the tour, but we were very disappointed, especially after spending $97, and left hungry. My recommendation: If you are looking for a slow-paced walking tour of the Belmont section of the Bronx with a little food thrown in, sign up with SusanSez. But if you are looking for a true food tour, do some research online and do a self-guided tour. (Many of the shops offer free samples.)

Not enough history of the Italian immigration experience Stops for tastings were all delicious. Commentary on "Red sauce is red sauce and bread is bread" I found absurd as an Italian American. Guide was accommadating and pleasant, however be careful of the restaurant recommendation.

Very good guide

Everyone I've spoken with since I relocated from Souther CA has said, "If you want to see an authentic Italian neighborhood with the most delicious food offerings, you must go to Arthur Avenue." I also had received a copy of the fantastic book, "The Arthur Avenue Cookbook" from the photographer, Vegar Abelsnes, who shot all the photos and truly captured what this Italian community looks and feels like. So, I gathered up 6 other friends and signed up for SusanSez's Arthur Avenue Walkabout. This turned out to be a wonderful treat starting with an historical overview of the area, punctuated with visits to many authentic grocery stores, markets, cafes, parks, bakeries, sausage stores, cheese stores, etc. Our guide arranged for us to sample many tasty foods along the way including a demonstration on how to make our own mozarella, which could then be purchased if you wished. If you love sun-dried tomatoes, you must try them at Teitel Bros, a family owned, aroma filled, old time grocery store since 1915 and one of the few Jewish owned stores in the neighborhood. But no matter how wonderful the area one visits, it is the guide who makes the difference. Susan was extremely knowledgeable about the neighborhood and has established long standing relationships with the store owners which makes you feel you are part of the family. In addition, her voice was strong and could be hear by everyone even those with some hearing impairment. She was the perfect guide for the perfect day so much so that we lingered around for several hours revisiting many of the stores to buy up a variety of delicious items we saw earlier.

This was a great tour to a part of NYC that I seldom get into. The historical information provided was very helpful and the food tastings were delicious. Would highly recommend this tour to anyone wanting a different NYC experience.

The walk to Arthur Avenue was guided by the our Guide Susan. The stories were a bit tóo American for us (4 Dutch). The actual visit of the shops was wonderful en vibrating. She could adjust a little bit more to the descent of her followers. But, Susan was a great guide! Enthusiastic and very educated on the subject. Many thanks. Nico Fortmann

Enjoyed it, but it was more of a food shopping tour than a tasting tour.

This is a wonderful tour of an iconic Italian neighborhood known throughout the tri-state area and beyond. The walk along Arthur Avenue and adjoining side streets was a treat, literally. The tastings of Albanian pastries, olives, cheeses, pizza, canolis, etc. from the Italian shops that dot the avenue was a delicious part of the tour. I also appreciated commentary/ history about some of the bulidings. As a local I've always wanted to go to Arthur Avenue to shop and browse. This was definitely the way to go and the list of establishments that we visited, provided by Susan Sez, will come in handy on my return trip to AA. My friend from San Francisco, a total foodie, was truly impressed with the area and the tour. Many thanks again to Susan Sez for a delightful outing.