Best New York City Food Tours

If you've visited New York City more than once, you might be looking for something to do beyond the classic attractions. One way to explore the city that never sleeps is with a culinary approach. Whether you choose to join one of the best New York City food tours or explore neighborhoods with a great culinary reputation, you will be amazed by all the flavors that the Big Apple has to offer. This city is packed with dishes from around the globe, so no matter what you're craving, you're sure to find it.

Neighborhoods and Culinary Attractions

Not all of the best NYC food tours are led by a guide. With a little research, it is possible for travelers to plan out their own food tour. These days there are many blogs and online publications dedicated to helping visitors maneuver the New York City food scene. Whether you're searching for the best dumplings in Chinatown or the best pizza in Little Italy, you will find some suggestions for crafting your own tour. Another option is to visit a culinary attraction such as Chelsea Market where you can sample a variety of food.

Walking Tours

Some of the best New York City food tours are walking tours. They are usually centered around a central theme such as cheese, bakeries, or historic restaurants. Tour guides will illuminate a great deal about the neighborhood and food during your tour. Some of the most popular options for the best NYC food tours include Foods of New York tours , the Food Cart Tours of Midtown and Downtown, Eat! Food Tours NYC , and New York Food tours . Each of these tour operators offers tours that will appeal to different interests. Tours can be broken down by neighborhood, type of cuisine, or offer a more general approach.

Restaurant Tours and Cooking Classes

The best New York City food tours will also provide access to some of the city's best restaurants. Almost every celebrity chef you can think of has a restaurant in New York, and they all offer the chance to taste the cuisine that inspired their careers. Some food tours will allow you to visit markets, pick up ingredients, go back to a restaurant and learn a recipe, and dine afterwards. This is the type of experience that while it might be pricey, will be worth every penny. New York City Restaurant Tours is a good bet.

Back Stage Access

Some visitors to New York wonder why they should pay a tour guide to show them around when with a little research, they could discover the best places to eat. The answer is that many of the best NYC food tours also offer access to places regular tourists can't go. Tours have established relationships with restaurants, and during a tour you might get to go behind the scenes and watch chefs prepare their cuisine. Besides learning a great deal about food and having the chance to explore New York, these tours also offer access to things most local residents haven't even seen.

NYC Vacation Rentals and Food Tours

If you chose vacation rentals over hotels, chances are you wanted to stay in a local neighborhood and not a tourist district. When you choose to include food tours in your trip, you will take one more step towards achieving that local feel. Many tour guides bring visitors around the neighborhood in which they live, offering inside information on the best restaurants, wine bars, markets, and more. Undoubtedly you will leave these tours with plenty of goodies to bring back home. Good thing you have all that extra room in your Manhattan vacation rental for shopping bags!

For an insider's perspective on the Big Apple, let a local resident show you his or her favorite restaurants and more with a food tour.