I was lucky enough to catch up with Ray Chin, a fellow blogger/marketing dude who works with Ahoy New York Food Tour, a company based in Manhattan. Here he shares some handy info about these goddamn delicious tours.

Who started your food tour and why?

Ahoy New York Tours & Tasting was founded by Alana Hoye Barnaba. Alana, originally from upstate New York, fell in love with New York City’s food, history, and culture.  She was especially drawn to Chinatown and Little Italy with is countless yummy goodies to try and its fascinating history.  She began showing some of her exciting finds to friends and family and soon enough she began leading food tours. Long story short, 2019 marks the 10^th anniversary for Ahoy New York Tours and Tasting! 

Who is it suitable for?

Our food tours are great for visitors and locals alike. We showcase some of the best cuisine that Chinatown, Little Italy and Nolita have to offer – which is wonderful for foodies. We also tell some interesting stories about the neighbourhoods and how their history shaped the areas in which we see today. Our food tours are also great for anyone visiting with a time constraint as the tours run for three hours and during this time you are exploring two to three (depending on the tour) historic NYC foodie neighbourhoods. Lastly, we offer a tonne of recommendations for more places to try and more places to visit after the tour. 

What are some of the highlights?

We offer two exciting food tours, Chinatown & Little Italy Food Fest and Taste of Mulberry Street. For the Chinatown and Little Italy Food Fest, some of the highlights include creamy mozzarella paired with prosciutto (pictured below) from the oldest Italian cheese shop in the United States, juicy dumplings from a tiny shop across the street from the storied Columbus Park and cannoli from a bakery that has been in business since 1892.  The Taste of Mulberry Street tours celebrate the diversity of cuisine that you can find along one NYC street. On this tour, you will try delicious Spanish churros, amazing French cheeses, pizza from one the best pizzerias in New York City, hearty Italian pasta and a scrumptious Chinese sundae. 

What are the best things about eating out in New York?

The best thing about eating in New York City is that you can find a great place for whatever you are craving at the moment! You can easily find Vietnamese pho noodles on the same block as a top notch pasta restaurant.  Also if you have a bit of sweet tooth, there are a tonne of great dessert shops.  

What are some traps to avoid?

Being uncomfortable as you explore NYC. We suggest that you wear comfortable shoes as you will probably do a lot of walking and make sure to dress for the weather. NYC can get very hot in the summer and is quite cold in the winter.  

Have you got any personal faves that are not included in the tour?

New York City has a lot of huge food halls. They are indoors so they are great during the winter and they offer a bunch of yummy options for food like pizza, noodles, tacos and ice cream. Some of our favorite food halls include Chelsea Market, Dekalb Market Hall and Essex Market.

Best place for coffee?

It is hard to narrow down just one good place for coffee.  New York City has a lot of great coffee shops and there seems to be a good one on nearly every block. One shop that we go to a lot in Chinatown is 12 Corners.  

Best place for an ultimate NYC experience?

We recommend checking out all the landmarks in New York City like Rockefeller Center, The Empire State Building, Times Square and Grand Central Terminal, especially if it is your first time visiting New York City.  But we also recommended checking out Bryant Park and the High Line, along with the new Hudson Yards and the Oculus. 

Best bar (and what should you order?)?

The Dead Rabbit Grocery and Grog has quite a unique vibe and they have won a bunch of awards as the best bar in the world. They also have some unique and fun cocktails. The bar is located in the historic Financial District so there is a lot to see in the area as well.

Anything else Aussies need to know when they come to NYC and they’re HUNGRY?

There are so many great restaurants in New York City so if you can’t get a seat at some of the most popular restaurants there are probably a couple of equally great restaurants nearby.  We have a ton of recommendations on our food blog!

Did you enjoy this story about Ahoy New York food tour? You might like this one about Taste Tours founder Lesley’s favourite food tours.