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Lower East Side Tour: Immigrant History and Food Tasting
4.7
65 Ratings
New York
Discover the rich immigrant history of New York’s Lower East Side on a guided tour. Sample delicious food from famous eateries and explore landmarks that tell the story of this unique neighborhood.
Discover the rich immigrant history of New York’s Lower East Side on a guided tour. Sample delicious food from famous eateries and explore landmarks that tell the story of this unique neighborhood.
Duration:
2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Lower East Side - 2 hour walking tour of the Lower East Side
- Museum at Eldridge Street - Eldridge Steet Synagogue
- The Pickle Guys - Pickles
- Kossar’s Bagels & Bialys (LES) - Bialys and bagels
- University Settlement House - A settlement house that helped shape the neighborhood
- Economy Candy - The most famous candy shop…
- Lower East Side - 2 hour walking tour of the Lower East Side
- Museum at Eldridge Street - Eldridge Steet Synagogue
- The Pickle Guys - Pickles
- Kossar’s Bagels & Bialys (LES) - Bialys and bagels
- University Settlement House - A settlement house that helped shape the neighborhood
- Economy Candy - The most famous candy shop in Lower Manhattan
- The Angel Orensanz Foundation - A former Synagogue and current art space
- Katz’s Delicatessen - New York’s most famous deli
- Yonah Schimmel’s Knish Bakery - A Lower East Side staple
- Essex Street Market - New York’s Most Historic Market
What's Included
- Local guide
- Local guide
What's Not Included
- Entrance to the Eldridge Street Synagogue Museum
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Transportation to/from attractions
- Audio Guide ( that translates the tour)
- Gratuities
- Entrance to the Tenement Museum
- Snacks
- Entrance to the Eldridge Street Synagogue Museum
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Transportation to/from attractions
- Audio Guide ( that translates the tour)
- Gratuities
- Entrance to the Tenement Museum
- Snacks
Additional Information
The Lower East Side epitomizes the essence of immigrant communities. As a favorite settling point for immigrants arriving in New York since the 1840’s, it has been home to substantial immigrant populations from Germany, Italy, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, and Asia. Join us on a historic exploration to identify the reasons immigrants flocked to this…
The Lower East Side epitomizes the essence of immigrant communities. As a favorite settling point for immigrants arriving in New York since the 1840’s, it has been home to substantial immigrant populations from Germany, Italy, Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, and Asia. Join us on a historic exploration to identify the reasons immigrants flocked to this region and why they moved on. Experience the taste of renowned local food joints and visit places of significance that narrate the distinctive narrative of this neighborhood. This tour is a perfect fit for gastronomes and history buffs of all age groups!
- Operates rain and shine; please dress accordingly
- Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the tour’s designated start time. The tour departs promptly and no refunds will be given for guests who miss the tour due to being late
- If canceled because of dangerous weather, you will be given the option of an alternative tour date or full refund
- Involves a good amount of walking
- Food vendors are not guaranteed
- Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough guests to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
- We reserve the right to deviate from the route of the tour in the event of marches, parades, and circumstances beyond our control.
- Once the tour begins, if you make the decision to not follow the guide or their instructions, we cannot guarantee we can reunite you with the group.
- Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult at least 21 years of age.
- Food is not included. We suggest bringing $20-$30 cash per person.
Location
Museum at Eldridge Street
Eldridge Street
The tour meets in front of the Eldridge Street Synagogue at 12 Eldridge Street. The guide will be outside, so do not enter the building. Our guide will be there to greet you 15 minutes before the tour, which begins promptly at 1:00pm.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.7
(65 Ratings)
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Sandra_p
Aug 10, 2025
I highly recommend the... - I highly recommend the Lower East Side food and neighborhood tour. Our guide, Connor, was fantastic—incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the area's rich history. They kept us engaged with fascinating stories as we explored a part of NYC we’d never seen before. It’s an easy walk, too!
This tour is unique because it doesn't include the cost of food in the ticket price. This was a big plus for us, as it gave us the freedom to pick and choose the tastings that appealed to us most. Just be sure to bring cash, as one spot we visited was cash-only. Connor did a great job of curating a diverse selection of stops, from savory classics to delicious sweets.
Our favorites: banana pudding at Sugar Sweet Sunshine and The Pickle Guys. We finished our afternoon with lunch at Katz’s Deli (also cash only) this is a MUST if you like pastrami.
If you're looking for a great way to discover the Lower East Side, learn about its history, and try some amazing food, this is the tour for you. Ask for Connor—you won't be disappointed!
Review provided by Viator
Blackallover
Jul 17, 2025
tasty & delicious !!! - an incredible place with epicly delicious pickles 🥒 and super friendly staff. highly recommended! ❤️ and a must when you're visiting the lower east side in new york city 🗽
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Buytics
Jul 1, 2025
Jewish history, diverse food, Joel is a good guide - Great tour to learn more about the history of the neighborhood and sample some treats! Joel was a great tour guide and passionate about the neighborhood.
I enjoyed the Pickle Guy, the bialy place, and Essex Market. Would love for this tour to cover more of the Jewish food places that seem to be a defining part of the neighborhood (though we did go on a holiday, so maybe some of them were closed).
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tourist02722229732
Jun 19, 2025
A must-have for visiting New York! - Getting to know the Lower East Side through this special tour was so great! A perfect mix of history & food spots.
Thanks to our guide Cameron. You told us exciting facts and gave us the best tips for local delicacies.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
E8487dustefank
Jun 17, 2025
Very delicious and informative - We got a lot of very interesting information about the area and the history. Thank you very much again, Francesca. And yes, we wouldn't have found the delicious food sales that way.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
751philipz
Jun 10, 2025
Great tour - Liz was our very friendly and informative guide. She took us to some of the local eateries and showed us some of the old architecture with some very interesting facts of days gone by. Would definitely recommend this tour
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dan
May 31, 2025
Family Food Tour - Small group of 8 of us were on the tour which was a perfect amount for everyone to be able to hear the interesting facts and history from Conner. Each stop was a nice distance apart. Do not eat before this tour, there were so many options! But you are also not obliged to purchase at each stop. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lmpacker
Mar 9, 2025
Great tour! - Conner was great! They were really knowledgeable and took us to lots of tasty food places in the area, with lots of history and local knowledge shared. We didn't feel rushed at all, but at the same time, there was a good pace and no dead time. Would recommend. I do prefer to have food pre paid for, but paying for it individually does allow one to only buy things that one really wants.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
335yingh
Aug 25, 2025
Early immigration neighbourhoods - Michael knows neighbourhood very well, and great choices of food. Enjoy the history of East European Jewish immigration culture and the changes of the area.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jsand8217
Feb 8, 2025
Fun taste of the lower east side - Our guide Cameron was very nice and informative about the area. We learned a fair amount about the history of the area as well as the history of several great food spots. My family and I liked that we had the opportunity to pick our own food on the tour as we could pick and choose what we wanted and were given plenty of time to do so. My only recommendation would be to try to pre-arrange a table at Katz's and include the opportunity to get food there, since it was included in the list we assumed we would get to eat there and were disappointed that we just stopped by outside because of the line. We ended nearby and could have gone back but felt done by that point. Another option would be to have that as the last stop and give the tour members the opportunity to wait to go in if they wanted. Overall a fun experience though.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
