Secrets of the Lower East Side Tour and Tasting in New York City

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Summary
Experience Details
What You’ll Experience
Where to Meet
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Duration
2 hours
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Number of Guests
1 - 8 guests
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Language
English
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Digital Ticket
Mobile or paper ticket accepted

Discover the rich history of New York City's Lower East Side on a captivating walking tour. Explore surviving landmarks and enjoy delicious tastings of traditional Jewish cuisine.

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For each guest that attends this experience, byFood will donate
10 meals

Experience Details

Once the most densely populated districts in the world, the lower east side of Manhattan has witnessed numerous changes during the past hundred years. This walking tour is a resourceful glimpse of the past. The tour will focus on a few of the remaining vestiges and surviving buildings and structures of an era of Jewish immigration. The streets were lined with numerous stores and pushcarts including Jewish delicatessens, bakeries, pickle stands, cafeterias to name a few.


You will be shown buildings and structures that still exist today as well as those that have been restored, re-purposed, demolished, and abandoned. I will speak about what transformed the neighborhood and conclude with a discussion of several food establishments that still exist today and a brief look at the Lower East Side today. Along the way, we’ll stop at a couple of these to nibble on traditional Jewish food.

What You Get

3 food Stops
Gratuities

Good To Know

  • Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Service animals allowed

What You’ll Experience

1

Lower East Side

Stroll through this historic NYC neighborhood and sample foods that are a staple of Jewish culture.
45 minutesAdmission Ticket Free
2

The Pickle Guys

It was estimated that during the heyday of Jewish immigration (1880-1924) over 60 pickle stores existed. This is one of the few that still remain.
15 minutesAdmission Ticket Free
3

Seward Park

Visit one of the oldest municipal parks in Manhattan. The park named after William Henry Seward, a U.S. Senator from New York, was opened in 1903. See one of the few statues in the U.S. dedicated to Togo, the sled dog who led the most treacherous route of the 1925 serum run to Nome, Alaska.
10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free
4

Hester Street Fair

Experience the street that was one full of peddlers and pushcarts. Learn what happened to all of the vendors.
15 minutesAdmission Ticket Free
5

Jarmulowsky Building

See the sign of a famous bank of the lower east side and see what this magnificent building was transformed into.
10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free
6

Essex Street Market

Learn the history of markets like this once were created and see a modern marketplace today. This is the ending point for the tour. The tour will end by the subway station (F, M, J) on the South East Corner.
15 minutesAdmission Ticket Free
7

Forward Building

See the site of the oldest Jewish newspaper in New York City and the current site and the find out what’s there now.
10 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Meeting & Pickup

Meeting Point

375 Grand St, Grand Street, New York County New York, United States, US, 10002

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Meet in front of The Pickle Guys on the corner of South East Corner of Grand and Essex Street. Your guide will be holding a sign.
End Point

Essex Market, Essex Street, New York County New York, United States, US, 10002

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Tour will end by the subway station (F, M, J) on the South East Corner.

Cancellation Policy

Cancel your booking at least 24 hours before the experience start time to receive a full refund minus a 3.2% transaction fee.

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from  $413.34 
Book Now
Please note that the time is in Eastern Time.
Free cancellation (24 hours notice)
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INSTANT CONFIRMATION
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Earliest available date: July 10, 2026
from  $413.34  per group
Book Now
Please note that the time is in Eastern Time.
Free cancellation (24 hours notice)
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For each guest that attends this experience, byFood will donate
10 meals
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