Strolling down the so called “artists haven” in lower Manhattan is the ever so vibrant Greenwich village in New York City. The beautiful streets are lined with fields of green which make the village so inviting and appealing to tourists. The village is filled with eclectic culture and mouthwatering cuisine making it so attractive to the senses. Whether it is the smell of hot, fresh pizza coming out of a fire grilled oven, or the alluring aroma of fluffy cinnamon donuts, a trip down Greenwich village is sure to be appetizing. The only problem is picking which treat to indulge in. The Greenwich food tour satisfied my sweet, spicy, and savory craving all in one trip.
The Foods of New York tour in Greenwich village gave me a taste of all of the delicious “hot spot” restaurants in New York by taking me to well-known restaurants and even meeting celebrity chefs! I also gained exposure to New York city culture along the way. The purpose of the food tour was to taste your way through the streets of Greenwich village one dish at a time. We visited various restaurants and cafes, tasting a bite of each of their signature dishes. Greenwich village is full of classic New York dishes so it is the perfect spot for a food tour with your family.
I did not have any expectations for this tour, I just hoped my stomach would be full and happy. Little did I know I would have the most animated tour guide and unforgettable experience. Our tour guide was named RJ and he was actually from New York City so he seemed very knowledgeable about the culture and the right spots to hit on the tour. He had a positive and enthusiastic spirit from the moment we began the tour all the way until the end. It was so refreshing to see someone so engaged in our tour group and so passionate about food, culture, and people. He made the experience very light and humorous by telling jokes the whole time. RJ made my family as well as everyone in the group feel so special and even encouraged us to try some unique food we shied away from initially. He was a great confidence booster and his lively attitude made the tour that much more enjoyable.
The Greenwich Village Food and Culture Tour was a walking tour which was perfect for a restaurant tour. Although we were on a schedule, we were able to take our time and enjoy the scenery and ambiance of the city. We didn’t feel rushed or anxious during the duration of the tour, RJ timed everything perfectly and kept us on track time wise so we stayed on schedule.
The service that was provided was incredible. Because we were on a scheduled tour group, each restaurant we went to expected our company so we were greeted with smiles entering the doors of each restaurant. Each restaurant we visited had our meal planned out for us so we could just walk in, eat and be on our way. Each restaurant had a table reserved for us when we walked in and served us the dishes immediately. We were in each restaurant for approximately 15 minutes. With this said, the tour was very organized and efficient. We started off with a slice of New York pizza, and made our way to try different Italian specialties like meatballs and eggplant parmesan. We then cleansed our savory pallets with chocolate confections like cookies and cannoli’s. My taste buds were dancing the whole day because of these delicious foods we had. Not only did the tour provide us with amazing New York cuisine, we also gained a brief history lesson about each dish and restaurant and how it became popular. One of the Italian restaurants we went to was owned by the champion contestant on the food network show “Chopped.” My sisters and I are a big fan of the show so it was so cool to be able to meet the guy I watched on tv! He deserved to win because the eggplant parmesan and cheesecake he made was to die for. All in all, the service and hospitality provided by our tour guide RJ and the staff in each restaurant was excellent and exceeded great service requirements which are things like: focusing on the guest, understanding their role, properly trained, and improving the experience. The hospitality spirit was evident as everyone involved in the tour went above and beyond to make sure we were getting the most out of our experience.
The Greenwich Food and Culture tour had a lasting effect on me. Not only was it a fun and delicious activity to do with my family, it was also gave me insight on New York culture and exposed me to so many different restaurants in such a short time span. I would not have been able to go to those places and wait in line for a quick taste if I had not gone on the food tour. We got to visit celebrity sites including Leonardo DiCaprio’s house and the theatre where he got his first acting gig. We also got to see the house where the tv show “Friends” was filmed at which was very exciting for me. I did not expect to have such a fun time and learn so much on a food tour. Regarding the local area, this tour is great for anyone, whether you are a resident of New York or are pleasure traveling. Leisure travel makes up about 81% of domestic travel so food tours are a great thing to promote. It is also interesting to immerse yourself in a new culture because you can learn something new every day. It exposes consumers to not only local restaurants, but also the culture. The will return to spend money in the shops/ restaurants as well as invest in real estate if they are impressed with the experience. Therefore, the more business these food tours receive, the more jobs will be produced. In fact, according to Philip McKean who studied tourism said that tourism increases your knowledge of the culture and environment you are in and can actually sustain the livelihood of locals.
To conclude, the Greenwich Food Tour was a great experience for me. This tour exceeded all of my expectations and I would recommend it to anyone that visits New York! It benefits not only travelers, but locals as well. It is a fun experience and only good things come out of it.