New York Lower East Side Food Delight

Take a morning to uncover the rich layers underpinning the vibrant Lower East Side. You’ll sample everything from classic dishes to the international food that continues to be introduced to the neighborhood and keeps its food scene thriving. Start New York's oldest deli, Katz's for a mouthwatering pastrami sandwich. Pop by a Dominican breakfast counter for traditional breakfast bites, sample cheese and cured meats in the city's top cheese shop, then head to a modest Chinese restaurant for peanut noodles and pork skin dumplings. Make a few more stops to try classic dishes like bagels, pickles, and authentic Jewish deli meats, before finishing on a sweet note at a local bakery for an artisanal doughnut. Along the way, meet with the local shop owners and learn more about the family traditions passed down through generations which make this one of the most in-demand food destinations today.

Meeting Point

1st Avenue & East Houston Street

1st Ave & E Houston St, New York, NY 10002, USA

Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the start of your tour, your guide will be holding a red bag or Devour Tours sign. This tour meets at Peretz Square, on the corner of East Houston Street and 1st Avenue (across the road from the One and One restaurant located at 71 East 1st Street).

What's included:

• Local guide
• Small group of 12 people max
• Expertly guided walking tour
• 7+ tastes at 7 family-run businesses (enough for breakfast and lunch)

Not included:

• Pick up
• Gratitues

What to expect:

Duration: 3 hours

Katz's Delicatessen

205 E Houston St, New York, NY 10002, USA

Start your tour inside one of the Lower East Side’s cultural institutions run by the same family for over 100 years. Katz's Delicatessen serves up classic American breakfast foods and perfecting giant sandwiches since the 1888. Here you'll bite into their signature pastrami with mustard sandwich.

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

El Castillo De Jagua Restaurant

113 Rivington St, New York, NY 10002, USA

Breakfast foods are an art in New York, so you’ll stop by a Dominican breakfast counter next to get a variety of what’s on offer in the locality. Try their pastelitos or dos golpes while learning the fascinating story behind their delicious plates.

25 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Essex Street Market

88 Essex St, New York City, 10002-3809, New York

Visit a historic local market for a stop at a popular cheese shop, named the best in the US by Food and Wine magazine. You'll taste a selection of handmade cheeses and cured meats from around the world.

25 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Orchard Grocer

78 Orchard St, New York, NY 10002, USA

At this spot, you’ll experience a unique twist on the classic New York bodega. Catering to vegan diets, you’ll try a classic bagel with carrots and cashews in place of smoked salmon and cream cheese.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Shu Jiao Fu Zhou

295 Grand St, New York, NY 10002, USA

As two food meccas, it’s no surprise that the Lower East Side and Chinatown are practically intertwined. Try some Chinatown specialties from a more recent addition to the neighborhood. You might sample thin-skinned pork dumplings or their delicious Fujian peanut butter noodles.

25 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

The Pickle Guys

357 Grand St, New York, NY 10002, USA

This stop pays homage to another food brought over by Jewish immigrants that made the Lower East Side their home in late 19th century. Try the family recipe passed down for generations.

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Doughnut Plant

379 Grand St, New York, NY 10002, USA

For the final stop, you’ll get a taste of some of the Lower East Side’s delicious baked goods at a beloved artisanal doughnut shop. Prepare yourself for a doughnut unlike any other you’ve had before with their innovative flavors.

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Included