New York City’s South Village is home to some of the best and most traditional Italian food that can be found in New York. Sampling pasta, pizza, arancini, Italian meats, and of course pastries will transport you to Italy within the first bite. Along the way, we’ll pass by some historical churches and Italian clubs that pay tribute to the early settlers of the neighborhood. Together we’ll walk away with a better understanding of the history of Italian foods, the flavors, and ingredients used to make what some consider one of the best and most popular cuisines around the world.

Our tour begins from Garibaldi Plaza, honoring the contributions made by Giuseppe Garibaldi – a leader of the Italian Unification. From here we enjoy a stroll down Bleeker street, venturing into several world-renowned shops and cafés as we go. We may decide to pause at Pane Pasta, a family-owned Sicilian restaurant with an endless array of regional specialties to sample. Or we may choose to begin with a slice of fresh pizza at Coppola, which brings several delicious cuisines of Palermo into the heart of South Villiage. 

From here, we stroll towards the neighborhood's premiere church, Our Lady of Pompeii – founded in 1892 as a national parish to serve Italian-American immigrants who settled in Greenwich Village. Over time it became the American equal to Italy's own Our Lady of Pompeii. Next, we stroll down MacDougal Street, lingering in front of several famous bars and pubs – often frequented by celebrities Bob Dylan in their hey-days. 
 
During our time together we'll encounter The Church of St Anthony of Padua, America’s earliest extant Catholic church, and several key monuments dedicated to the Italian American immigrants who built up the neighborhood together. As our tour concludes, we'll visit several other key restaurants and cafes which have each played a critical role in adapting and preserving classic cuisines which are foundational to the Italian-American heritage. 

The expert has selected these locations and the foods because of their significance to Italian culture and history. The tasting fee includes these selections. If you have food allergies, the tastings can be adapted in advance but please let us know in your order notes.

In New York, we experience all climates. This tour will run in the rain, snow, and unfavorable weather. Dress appropriately as most of the tour and tastings are spent outside.

This is a walking-only tour. Please expect to cover 1 mile more or less, have comfortable shoes on.

Can I learn more about Italian Food before my tour?
Yes! Context is proud to offer several Italian-themed cooking classes. For additional details, click here.