Tip: If you’ve already taken this tour (or it’s sold out for your dates) consider some of Foods of NY’s other excellent tours.
They have a great tour of Chelsea Market and the Meatpacking District, another of Chinatown, and are always adding new options and even updating old tours to make them worth re-experiencing.
Great Things About This Tour:
- Friendly, knowledgeable tour guide
- Generous tastings throughout the tour
- Great overview of the history, culture and restaurants of Greenwich Village
- Easy way for visitors who are intimidated by the neighborhood’s winding streets to get their bearings and relax while exploring the area.
- Well paced three hour tour features plenty of chances to have a seat with your snacks
- Neighborhood guide included with tours features many discounts & tips for further exploration
Downsides of This Tour:
- Might require too much walking for young children or folks with limited mobility.
- Most of the tour is outside which can be tough if it’s really hot or really cold when you visit.
- Big eaters might want to grab a slice of pizza afterward if they’re still hungry
Original Greenwich Village Food and Culture Walking Tour Review
We met our guide Kurt at Rocco’s about 10 minutes before the tour started — my only regret was having already eaten breakfast, because Rocco’s has a great cup of coffee with steamed milk for $1.75 and tasty sfogliatelle that would have been a great pre-tour bite to eat.
Once the group of 16 gathered, Kurt distributed bottles of water to all tour participants, as well as neighborhood guides, that featured maps, lists of our many stops, and even coupons for discounts to use after the tour.
We spent the next three hours wandering around the streets of Greenwich Village with Kurt, tasting delicious foods, and visiting many neighborhood restaurants and stores. Kurt knew all sorts of information about Greenwich Village’s history, and was clearly known around the neighborhood, as he greeted many neighbors throughout the tour.
We visited a diverse number of stores, restaurants, and buildings in the Village, giving us a great flavor for the character and charm of the neighborhood. Exploring mid-day on a weekday was especially pleasant, as many stores and restaurants were quiet, so we were able to head inside many without disrupting business.
Kurt had tons of tips about places we should return to after the tour for a good meal or a fun night out. This would be a great tour to include early on your NYC itinerary so that you can take advantage of the recommendations and advice you’ll get along the tour.
Anyone who likes food and New York City will enjoy this tour, making it a good choice for visitors, as well as native New Yorkers.
Samples on Tour
(The amount of food should be enough for lunch for most people.)
- 1/2 slice of pizza (two: one neopolitan, one sicilian)
- mini cannoli
- mini pastry
- fresh baked cookie
- fried portabella mushroom
- Italian rice ball
- bread, cheese, olives, sopressata
Tour Details:
- Featured Stops on the Tour:
- Rocco’s Pastry Shop and Espresso Cafe
- Chumley’s Speakeasy
- Joe’s Pizza
- Murray’s Cheese Shop
- Faicco’s
- Price: $52 (this popular tour frequently sells out — reserve online)
- The tour tours covers approximately 2 miles at a comfortable pace.
- There are bathroom breaks and seating available at many stops.
- Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. You’ll be walking from shop to shop and the tour takes place rain or shine.
- The Original Greenwich Village Food and Culture Walking Tour is offered daily, year round.
- Pictures from the Original Greenwich Village Food and Culture Walking Tour