New York's food is fragmented the way the city is fragmented. 20 bookable food tours below — plus the neighbourhoods and dishes the city is built around.
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The guide
New York's food is fragmented the way the city is fragmented. Every cuisine is here. Every cuisine is the best in the country at it. The version you get depends entirely on which six-block radius you're in. Half the defining dishes are immigrant inventions (the bagel, the slice, the pastrami sandwich, the chopped cheese). The other half come out of a restaurant economy that runs hotter and crueler than anywhere else in the world. Famous restaurants close after twelve months. An Uzbek bakery in Rego Park has been there for thirty-five years. Eat across boroughs. The cliché that the best food is in Queens is also true.
Where to focus
Four neighbourhoods to anchor a few days of eating
Lower East Side
Old-Jewish-deli holdovers (Russ & Daughters, Katz's), dumpling shops in Chinatown two blocks south, the rare bagel shop that still hand-rolls.
Flushing (Queens)
The largest Chinatown in the Western hemisphere. Sichuan, Northern Chinese, Korean Chinatown adjacent. Take the 7 train; eat your way down Main Street.
Jackson Heights (Queens)
Indian on 74th Street, Tibetan and Nepali on Roosevelt, Colombian and Mexican on the avenues between. One of the densest eating neighborhoods on earth.
Williamsburg / Greenpoint
The current Brooklyn dining strip: natural wine bars, neo-bistros, late-night pizza, plus the older Polish places that have outlasted the gentrification.
What to eat
The dishes the city is known for
- 01
Pizza by the slice
· Foldable, thin-crust, sold from corner shops. Joe's Pizza is the reference for the classic style; ten newer places are arguably better. - 02
Bagel with lox
· Hand-rolled bagel, cured salmon, schmear, capers. The dividing line between real and fake bagel shops is whether they boil and bake on premises. - 03
Pastrami sandwich
· Cured beef, hand-cut thick, on rye with mustard. Katz's is the tourist landmark; the actual best may be Pastrami Queen on the UES. - 04
Chopped cheese
· A Harlem and Bronx bodega sandwich. Beef, onions, cheese, on a hero. Cheap, fast, easy to find within thirty blocks of any subway stop. - 05
Korean fried chicken
· Twice-fried, lacquered, sold in Koreatown 32nd Street boxes. Eat with cured daikon and beer. - 06
Bialys
· Older than the bagel, with an onion-filled depression instead of a hole. Kossar's on the LES is the survivor.
Practical notes
Meal timing, tipping, payment
Tipping in the US is 18–20% on the pre-tax total, more for excellent service. New York adds 8.875% sales tax. Reservations through Resy or OpenTable for anywhere with a name; walk-in seats are common at counter restaurants. The subway is the fastest way between neighborhoods.
All 20 food tours
Updated 2026-07-02The full list · sponsored partner links
- 01
NYC Greenwich Village Italian Food Walking Tour
TUESDAY TO SATURDAY TOURS meet at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 153 Sullivan St. , SoHo, Manhattan SUNDAY TOURS meet at FAICCOS 260 Bleecker St., Greenwich Village Manhattan This is a fun-filled interactive walking tour
2h - 02
NYC Greenwich Village Music And Food Tour
This walking tour of MacDougal Street explores Greenwich Village's most famous and hip street with its extensive and colorful musical history. Learn about jazz in the Village, America's left bank, and 1950's folk music,
2h - 03
NYC Greenwich Village LGBTQ+ History And Food Tour
The tour takes the traveler through the journey of NYC's LGBTQ Civil Rights and Historic sites accompanied with food tastings from some Greenwich Village's tastiest restaurants. Samples are subject to availability, and i
2h - 04
New York Celebrity Chef Self Guided Tour and Exploration Game
Discover NYC’s iconic buildings by solving clues and unlocking stories on your phone. Play the engaging exploration game, reenacting the story of a chef filming his new cooking show. As you solve challenges, the story u
2.3h - 05
SoHo, Little Italy and Chinatown - Food and Culture Tour
Explore the incredible cultural history of revolutionary SoHo, The Food and Organized Crime Epicenter - Little Italy and the diverse and unique tastes and sites of Chinatown. This tour includes 3 snacks along the way and
3h - 06
Long Island Winery and North Fork Tour With Hotel Pickup
Explore Long Island's exquisite North Fork wine scene on this private luxury tour, featuring stops at three renowned vineyards nestled along the breathtaking Peconic Bay. Enjoy a relaxed day of wine tasting with friends
10h - 07
MunchiesCrawl NYC Neighborhood Exploration Through Food
Experience New York City through its food, neighborhoods, and local culture on this guided small-group food crawl. Led by a local host, MunchiesCrawl takes you to 3–4 locally owned eateries where you’ll enjoy curated tas
2h - 08
Private Coffee Tour in New York City with Friendly Local Guide
If you love coffee, you will enjoy this tour greatly: here come exciting and remarkable places where you can buy and drink coffee mixed with Wall Street world-known attractions. Visit these coffee shops to feel that warm
3h - 09
Pizza Walking Tour in Manhattan with Friendly Local Guide
Pizza is the huge tradition in New York and only the New Yorker can show the best pizza spots in the city. Congratulations, our pizza tour is the best opportunity to feel like a real New Yorker whose favourite go-to meal
2h - 10
Greenwich Village History, Culture, and Food Tour with Local Expert
Learn more about the most historic areas of Manhattan-Greenwich Village where the best food spots located. This tour across Greenwich allows tasting the local food-including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free options. While
3h - 11
Italian Food and Culture Tour in New York City with Local Expert
Most visitors to Greenwich Village never get past its contemporary vibe. Visit local haunts and historic sites, follow the footsteps of the Village’s most famous beatniks and bohemians, and sample classic New York foods
2h - 12
Vintage Flea Market Tour in New York City with Local Expert Guide
The High Line, Chelsea Market, and Meatpacking District are New York’s best food spots; exploring them with a local guide who shares the tips and navigation is worth it. The small group program is offering you the chance
3h - 13
Breakfast at Tiffany's Movie Locations Private Tour in New York
Experience the enchanting world of Holly Golightly, portrayed by Audrey Hepburn, as you embark on a journey through the iconic Breakfast at Tiffany's filming locations in New York. Holly's whimsical brownstone on the ups
2h - 14
Private New York City Food Tour of East Village and Greenwich Village
Combine a great food experience and explore New York sights on this 2-hour private food tour. Discover charming East Village and Greenwich Village neighborhoods and see its main attractions and places of interest. Star
2h - 15
Ticket to Drunk Shakespeare NYC
"Drink sir, is a great provoker..." The stage is set in a hidden venue. Five professional actors meet as members of The Drunk Shakespeare Society. One of them has 5 shots of whiskey and then attempts to perform a major
1.5h - 16
Williamsburg Food Tasting & Walking Tour
New York City is known for being pricey, but if you know where to look, it doesn’t have to be. Many of the foods that make NYC famous – like pizza, bagels, fried chicken, dumplings & more– just some of the spots we visit
3h - 17
West Village History & Walking Food Tour
Come join us as we taste our way through the West Village and Greenwich Village neighborhoods of New York City. We will see Washington Square Park and walk the quiet tree lined streets of the West Village. Our (6) stops
3h - 18
SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown NYC Guided Walking Tour
Get ready to explore the best of SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown! From the charming streets of Chinatown to the trendy streets of SoHo, you’ll discover hidden gems, grab a famous cannoli, and even see where the world’s
2h - 19
New York City Skyline Dinner Cruise
NYC: Manhattan Skyline Dining Cruise Step aboard a spacious three‑deck yacht—complete with climate-controlled lounges and panoramic sky‑deck views across East and Hudson Rivers. Choose from: Buffet Dinner: a generous, m
3h - 20
NYC Bottomless Brunch Cruise with Iconic Views
Craving a memorable dining experience? Set sail on a bottomless brunch cruise and indulge in a lavish buffet with stunning NYC views. Glide under the Brooklyn Bridge, marvel at the iconic skyline, and savor gourmet delig
2h