New York City History & Culture Walking Tour – Best Pizza Slices & Fun Things to Do in NYC (NY)
Crosstown Pizza Walk
The best way to enjoy New York is by walking its streets, but the only way to taste New York is by eating its pizza. You can do both with a NYC Pizza Walk!
By 1900, several "Little Italies" spotted New York's five boroughs but the most famous remains in Manhattan's Lower East Side. It was here that new citizens would settle, as it was the first bit of land many would touch after a long immigration process at Ellis Island. The streets once overflowed with peddlers and fruit carts as the tenement buildings teemed with the disillusioned, transplanted from home and in search of a better life. It was here that a peasants' meal called "pizza" made its debut in America.
The NYC Pizza Walk focuses on pizza from a historical perspective. We'll start at America's oldest pizzeria and continue to follow pizza's rise to ubiquity block by block. Talking about pizza makes me hungry, so we'll have slices at three of New York's most significant pizzerias in Little Italy and Greenwich Village.
After a Pizza Walk, you'll have a renewed appreciation for this modest dish and the people who introduced it to the masses. Just remember to wear comfortable shoes!
Includes:
- A 3-hour walk through pizza history
- Slices at three of the most significant pizzerias in New York
- Sights of Little Italy and Historic Greenwich Village
- Your very own Pizza Journal and goody bag
- Guidance by a certified Pizza Enthusiast and licensed tour guide
Does Not Include:
- Beverages
- Toppings (we keep it simple)
- Walking sticks
Duration: 3 hours
Cost: $35 general admission
Walking Distance: 1.5 miles
Greenwich Village Pizza Walk
Contrary to what some New Yorkers may believe, pizza was not created West of the Atlantic Ocean. On this tasty tour, we'll explore the evolution of pizza from its humble origins in Southern Italy to its cheesy transformation in America's industrial cities.
The Greenwich Village Pizza Walk focuses on the most pizza-diverse neighborhood in NYC, possibly on Earth. This area was once a thriving Little Italy and is currently in the midst of a reawakening, complete with new shops operated by recent Italian immigrants. Stops include three pizzerias, each of which specializes in a different stage of pizza's development from a lowly Neapolitan street food to a celebrated American staple. We spend time with the owners and pizzaioli (pizza makers) at our stops and there are always surprises along the way.
If you love pizza but always wanted to know more about its background, this is the tour for you. Beyond learning about ancient pizza toppings and dough stretching techniques, we'll also compare the baking patterns of three different pizza ovens. After this tour, you'll have a deep understanding of pizza's origin as well as its evolution into a worldwide phenomenon. Just remember to wear comfortable shoes!
Includes:
- A lovely walk through Greenwich Village and Soho
- Slices at three incredible pizzerias
- Sights of Historic Greenwich Village
- Your very own Pizza Tour Survival Kit
- More information about pizza than you ever thought possible or necessary
- Guidance by a certified Pizza Enthusiast and licensed tour guide
Does Not Include:
- Beverages
- Toppings (we keep it simple)
- Walking sticks
Duration: 2.5 - 3 hours
Cost: $35 general admission (ages 4 and under are FREE)
Walking Distance: less than 1 mile
*All guides are personally trained by owner/founder Scott Wiener.
