The list of reasons New York should be on your bucket list is practically endless. From visiting Times Square to the ferry voyages on the Hudson River, this city has many famous activities for you to enjoy.
But the Big Apple also has a few hidden gems, one of which is the dozens of food tours that are available all year long. This article will tell you what makes NYC the best destination for foodie travelers.
Reason 1 – NYC Food Tours Feature Palatable Dishes
If you’re a gourmand, several countries for your food tour may come to mind. Italy, Greece, and Spain might be three of your top contenders. Each nation has a delectable cuisine, but what if there was a way to taste them all at once?
That’s exactly what you get with NYC’s food tour. The City That Never Sleeps is home to more than 23,500 establishments. With so many restaurants, it’s no wonder this is the melting pot of countless cuisines.
Want to get a better taste of Italy? You got it. NYC has countless traditional Italian restaurants that serve classic dishes, such as pasta carbonara, pizza margherita, lasagna, and ravioli.
If you wish to enjoy a U.S. twist on those meals, New York-style pizza might be your best option. The thin crust and a pile of cheese will only leave you wanting more.
Although Italy dominates many areas of New York, this isn’t the only cuisine you can try here. Your food tour can also incorporate dishes from China, Turkey, Italy, Germany, and the UK. Whatever comes to mind, you won’t have trouble tasting it in the City of Dreams.
Each meal you try will tickle your tastebuds and make you wish your tour doesn’t end.
Reason 2 – NYC Food Tours Allow You to Bond with People from All Over the World
Besides featuring dishes from innumerable cousins, NYC food tours also attract people from different cultures. As immigrants make up nearly 40% of the population, meeting fascinating folks from all over the world is practically inevitable.
Think about it. You’re sipping your first Chinese egg drop soup, and you want to learn more about the dish. Sure, the chef may have given you the basic ingredients, but a detailed story would take the experience to a whole new level.
Given the diversity of NYC, you’re likely to break bread with Chinese people on your food tour. They can walk you through the history of the meal and what made it so popular. Eating the dish while listening to the backstory is a must for any food connoisseur.
That’s precisely what you get with NYC’s food tours.
Reason 3 – NYC Food Tours Are Affordable
You might think you need to break the bank for a New York food tour, but that’s not the case. Although inflation is still on the rise, the price of this experience remains reasonable.
For example, you won’t need to pay more than $70-$80 for an average tour. It lasts for approximately three hours, allowing you to taste a wide variety of dishes from different cuisines.
Think about how much cash you can save by going on a food tour. If you were to take an alternative route and visit individual restaurants on your own, you’d burn a hole in your pocket. Some dishes easily cost more than $15-$20, meaning you can only pack three or four of those for the same money spent on a food tour.
Another reason food tours are superior is that they’re a group experience. You eat and learn about the history of cuisines while interacting with like-minded folks. A standard restaurant doesn’t come close to this.
Reason 4 – NYC Food Tours Give You Access to Exclusive Restaurants
You’ve prepared for your visit to the Capital of the World, and you’ve made most of the arrangements. Your hotel room, transportation, and bike rental services are ready. Plus, you’ve even scheduled luggage storage to keep unnecessary suitcases from bogging you down.
However, you forgot a crucial thing – making a reservation in the restaurant of your dreams. And it might be too late to change this because many establishments in NYC are booked months in advance.
Don’t throw in the towel just yet. A food tour may be all it takes to visit the place you’ve been dying to see. That’s because organizers of these adventures usually book several seats in advance. They then distribute tickets to their customers as they book their food tour.
Hence, don’t despair if you forget to make a reservation. Simply schedule a food tour, and who knows, the desired restaurant may very well be on the itinerary.
Reason 5 – NYC Food Tours Are Also a Form of Sightseeing
Nothing compares to a full-blown sightseeing tour. The person who sets it up is familiar with every corner of this majestic city, so they know what will impress you the most. For instance, they may focus on one of the 800+ monuments in NYC if you want to take an unforgettable trip through history. They’ll tell a memorable story and show the best spot to take a selfie to make your friends jealous.
However, all sightseeing events must come to an end. If your journey is over, but you feel like you haven’t seen enough, a food tour can fill the gap.
Enjoying dishes and mingling with strangers is just one part of the process. Getting to the restaurants is the cherry on top. On your way to the establishments, you’ll likely witness some of the most fascinating sights in the city.
For instance, if you’re going to Joe’s Pizza, you can stop by Central Park Zoo and admire the spellbinding wildlife. Coupled with the food, it’ll leave an indelible mark in your memory.
Don’t Miss Out on an Enchanting Adventure
A food tour should be one of the first things you do on your next trip to NYC. Or, you can save the best for last. The timing is irrelevant. All that matters is that you indulge yourself in mouth-watering dishes and meet folks from diverse backgrounds.