New York City has a wealth of eating options and once you’ve explored several of them on your own, it’s fun to do some taste touring with a guide. NYC Discovery Walking Tours offers 80 walking tours, each around two hours in length and one of six types:
- Neighbourhood Tours
- Tasting Tours
- Tavern Tours
- American History
- Cultural Tours
- Indoor Tours
Review of Irish History & Little Italy Tasting Tour – NYC Discovery Walking Tour
Cost: $27 per person including food
Summary: This special walking tour for St. Patrick’s Day and St. Joseph’s Day offers an affordable, fun overview of Irish history and a tasting tour of Little Italy plus a unique opportunity to sample St. Joseph’s cake, a treat that's available just once a year on March 19th
Pros:
- Sampling of St. Joseph’s Cake, at Ferrara Italian café. Founded in 1892, it is America’s oldest pasticceria .
- No waiting in line during busy holiday periods
- Insider commentary about shop histories and anecdotes
- Proximity to subway stops
- Knowledgeable guides
- Tutored tastings make a great introduction to the city
- Walking distance is relatively short
- Reasonable cost (purchasing food independently would amount to at least $12.)
Cons:
- Tastings are done outdoors, standing up, so bring extra napkins!
- Inclement weather can make it uncomfortable (dress warmly)
- No website means booking is cumbersome. Meeting location is not disclosed until 2 days prior to the tour, Call, reserve your tour space and provide an email address on your voice message so you can be sure to connect with the organizers
- Tour guide doesn’t use headsets so if there is a large group it could be difficult to hear
Hiighlights: The tour begins at Brooklyn Bridge City Hall subway stop. Appetizers are served during orientation to the neighbourhood’s Irish roots. (Note: Watch for Frank Gehry’s signature apartment highrise which tours over the surrounding blocks) Tour continues by foot to 5 Points ( made famous by movie Gangs of New York) and then continues through Mulberry Street, a mix of Chinese and Italian shops, with guide commentary throughout. A stop is made at the national San Gennaro Shrine.
You’ll then stroll along Mulberry Street through Little Italy past Alleva, founded in 1892. it’s the oldest cheese shop in the US, the neighbourhood bar where the Sopranos was filmed, and stops for St. Jospeh’s Cake ( or cannoli during other times of the year). St. Joseph's cake or Zeppoli is a Sicilian pastry served on the feast of St. Joseph's Day (March 19). The deep fried pastry shell is filled with vanilla custard and topped with a marachino cherry. Final stop along the tour is at Sal’s Pizza, for traditional Naples-style pizza.
Reservations are required. Call 212-465-3331
Porter Airlines flies direct from Toronto to New York Newark Airport. Flying time is just 1.5 hours which means you can be dining in NYC's Little Italy in under 2.5 hours.
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