5 Reasons To Take a New York Food Tour with Like A Local
New York City is one of the most diverse cities in the United States. One way for travelers to experience different countries and cultures is through their cuisine. What better place to experience it than NYC? Here’s our personal experience of taking a New York food tour with Like A Local Tours.
Contents
- Different cuisines to try and share On A New York Food Tour
- Here is a sampling of the restaurants that we tried on our New York Food Tour:
- Allergies and food sensitivity are considered on your food tour
- Locals tell the history and show you local spots that not many people know of
- You get a chance to sightsee, eat, and walk around: multi-tasking at its finest
- Small businesses and restaurants with no nationwide chains
- Traveling Solo? You’ll never feel alone
- Looking for more New York experiences and ideas? Here are a few:
- Great half-day tour for an all-inclusive price
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Before you go on the tour, make sure to come hungry. I am serious, since there are so many food samples you’ll get to taste. From appetizers like a Japanese-Mexican Taco to an authentic wood-fired pizza for an entree, and snacks like dumplings, it’s a multi-course meal in bite-sized proportions. Not to mention multiple desserts and non-alcoholic beverages being served.
Here is a sampling of the restaurants that we tried on our New York Food Tour:
- Takumi Taco
- Doughnuttery Mini Donuts
- Nom Wah
- Bird and Branch
Allergies and food sensitivity are considered on your food tour
When you book a tour, you will get an email thanking you for your purchase, but they also ask for allergies and food sensitivities.
This ensures you have the best possible experience you can have, avoiding things that you may be allergic to, all while trying food you may have never tried before.
Locals tell the history and show you local spots that not many people know of
With our tour, we had a chance to see a lesser-known rooftop that not many locals, much less tourists, know of. This rooftop has amazing views of Little Island, also known as Pier 55, and the pier district of New York, which is being revitalized.
We were also told about this restaurant, Nom Wah, that started in Chinatown and now has a booth in the food hall called Market 57. This food court is conveniently located in Pier 57. Nom Wah started as a teahouse, and now others can get the same dumplings from Chinatown in Midtown without queuing up or waiting to eat in the original restaurant.
On a different note, we were also told about the ever-changing Manhattan skyline. Some of the original walk-up apartments are being bought by developers, demolished, and in their place will rise a luxury building. It may be controversial, as there are people who may not afford the luxurious New York lifestyle, but it is the reality of the city, as lower and middle-class people are slowly being pushed out in favor of the upper class.
You get a chance to sightsee, eat, and walk around: multi-tasking at its finest
The New York Food tour I booked was the Chelsea Market and High Line tour. This is LikeALocal’s most famous food tour, with tours leaving daily. After having sumptuous bites, you will get a chance to walk through the High Line. This old railroad is now repurposed into an elevated park and pathway that locals and tourists like.
It goes from Chelsea Market to the Hudson Yards. The walk is entirely optional. You can choose to skip this part, but it is part of the food tour you paid for. The walk takes around an hour and is the last part of the tour.
While at Chelsea Market, you will have a few minutes to browse around some shops or go to the toilets, since there are not a lot of public toilets available in Manhattan.
Small businesses and restaurants with no nationwide chains
Having been to New York more than 20 times, one thing that stands out is that you’ll never be able to do everything you want in the city. If you’re a tourist, you can’t see, do, and try all the food you may want.
Going on a food tour is like going on a cruise. You’ll get a sampling of what a city (or restaurant) has to offer without committing to a full meal. You get a chance to walk from one restaurant to another, trying out their greatest hits.
In some cases, the restaurant may only serve one type of dish with multiple ways to customize the food, like a donut or an egg tart place.
Traveling Solo? You’ll never feel alone
I did my tour solo, but had a chance to chat and mingle with folks from my tour. Some of them were from abroad, with visitors from Poland, and a few Americans from various states. Getting to know folks from my group is a fun plus, and made the hours pass by faster.
Looking for more New York experiences and ideas? Here are a few:
- Planning A Family Winter Trip To New York City
- A budget trip to New York City
- Sights and Sounds of Upstate New York
- 3-Day New York City Itinerary
- 5 Best Road Trips from New York City
Great half-day tour for an all-inclusive price
Overall, my experience with Like a Local’s New York tours has been pleasant. Our guide has been working and living in the city for a few years, and it shows. Are you planning to take a food tour with Like A Local?
While I was gifted this experience, all opinions remain my own. Thank you to Like A Local New York for hosting me on this experience.
Ruby Escalona
Ruby is originally from the Philippines, and now lives in Jacksonville, FL with her boy, Alex, and her husband, Peter. She shares her tips and adventures on family travel on this site, as well as traveling solo as a mom. Her focus areas are USA, Europe, and Asia.
