This Greenwich Village Food Tour Has A Musical Twist

This Greenwich Village food tour made me feel at home in New York City - and it's filled with celebrity homes, haunts, and musical legends too!

I was given complimentary media tickets to participate in Secret Food Tours Greenwich Village food tour and I thank them for their support. All research, writing, and opinions are my own. This post also contains advertising and affiliate links through which I may be paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

One of the highlights of my Greenwich Village food tour: A classic New York favourite sandwich, with all the sides.

I've been playing catch up on my relationship with New York City for a while now. Unbelievably, my first visit was only a few years ago in the form of a short layover at the beginning of our round the world trip (short, mind you, but impressive - we combined a library visit, a meal at a singing diner, and a movie-themed sightseeing bus tour all in a few hours!) My second visit - which coincided with our second round-the-world trip - brought another short layover, another lovely but brief bus tour, and (of course!) another meal at my favourite singing diner. With two layovers and two bus tours under my belt, I felt like I had seen a lot of classic New York but I hadn't actually experienced the city. I hadn't walked through a single neighbourhood. I didn't have a good sense of where things were in relationship to each other.

Bottom line, I hadn't really hit the streets for the proverbial pounding of the pavement to get my bearings.  But was a Greenwich Village food tour what I needed in order to feel more settled in the city? 

Why Greenwich Village is the heart of New York

Greenwich Village seemed like the perfect place to start re-discovering New York City. First of all, how can you argue with a neighbourhood that has "village" right in its name? If I wanted a quest to get to know the city better, surely the word "village" was the cozy cue I was looking for! Greenwich is also one of the oldest neighborhoods of New York. There's history there, and plenty of it, along with the stories of a multitude of social, cultural, ethnic, and linguistic groups which each played a role in the neighborhood's growth and development. Plus, on a practical level, the neighbourhood is flat, compact, easy to explore on foot, and closely connected with several subway lines, making it an easy destination to reach in a busy day.

Oh, and it also happens to be one of the top New York foodie destinations but I assure you that epicurean temptations were but secondary to my goal of getting to know the city better. I'm hardly one to be swayed by culinary fancies.

Wait a minute. Who am I kidding? I am EXACTLY the kind of person to be swayed by culinary fancies! And Greenwich Village was more than happy to entice me. 

Reassessing bagels and reputations

Over the years, I've come to recognize the signs of a great food tour. If you embark upon your first food stop without delay and the samples within are robust and generous, you're in for an amazing tour. But if there's a long lag of chatter and organization and walking and the initial samples are paltry, you're in for a rough ride. As you can imagine, my heart SOARED when, after short and friendly introductions, myself and my fellow participants in Secret Food Tours New York City tour were whisked around the block for our first stop.

I'm hesitant to give too much away on the kind of food we tried and the places we visited - I want you to go on your own tour, not just eat vicariously through my experiences - but I think it's safe to share that we tried a really fun, cool riff on a classic New York City bagel, with two different flavor combinations to enjoy. As someone who is fiercely loyal to Montreal-style bagels, I have to say I was a bit hesitant. What do these New Yorkers know about bagels anyway? But I was thrilled with our stop! The variations we tried were perfect when it came to getting a real taste for the style, flavor, and texture of a New York bagel. And, most importantly, we had a substantial snack in our bellies right away!

Perhaps bagels are one of life's great unifiers but our first food Secret Food Tours stop was a great reminder of just how amazingly friendly New Yorkers really are. The city is so often portrayed as being inhabited by tough, gruff folks who mind their own business and never smile. I'm not sure I've ever encountered such an inaccurate stereotype. While I'm sure New Yorkers suffer no fools, I can't remember a trip when I met so many friendly and helpful people. The young women working at the bagel shop were fantastic and I loved joking with them about how good the shop smelled and exactly how many bites I would steal for myself if I worked there.  At every stop along the way, everyone took a moment to say hello to our tour guide Margaret, even if they're were just calling across a crowded room. Of course, I know that restaurants involved in a food tour are generally going to put their best food forward but nothing felt over the top or phony. If you'll pardon me being sentimental, Greenwich Village felt every bit like a village - friendly, down to earth, and focused on food. 

Hunting down New York celebrity homes and musical hangouts

I started the food tour hoping for some good food and friendly conversation (put a big gold star down for both!) But I wasn't expecting much more. And I hadn't really anticipated getting a thorough history of the streets of Greenwich Village. Sure, some food tours toss out some fun facts and point out some key attractions, but our guide Margaret absolutely went the distance. Every step was packed with stories, folklore, history, legends, a few ghosts and graveyards - and rock stars. A LOT of rock stars.

Case in point? We passed a rather innocuous looking building that was revealed to be the former residence of one VERY influential music superstar - and Margaret even had some photos to show us of the interior from when it went on the market. An under-renovation cafe was exposed as the former student stomping grounds of one ULTRA famous Oscar winner. Later on, we had robust cocktails, a classic New York sandwich, pickles and (bonus!) french fries at a rather unremarkable building which was once one of the most influential jazz clubs in the world (oh, and the stage that Miles Davis himself once played on is still downstairs).  There are so many celebrities that live in New York and it felt like we got to "meet" at least half of them on the tour.

The list of New York celebrities and musical superstars went on and on. We got behind the scenes gossip at a legendary speak-easy, saw a townhouse courtyard which impoverished laborers once called home for their ale-drinking leisure time and now is a MOST swanky spot for super posh people. A famous cafe and apartment building, recognizable to any television comedy fan, was nearby. And then there was Bob Dylan! Okay, Bob was not literally there (though, if he was, I'm confident he would enjoy the mix of classic and funky donuts we sampled....) But his spirit was everywhere. While his name is synonymous with the bohemian spirit of Greenwich Village, the true stories behind Dylan's time here are complex. There were feuds and fights aplenty interwoven between the tales of his musical inspiration - and we got to hear them all!

From the famous tenets of the elegant apartment buildings which line Washington Square Park to the blink-and-you'll-miss-it carriage homes now converted into trendy condos, Greenwich Village tells the story of New York through people, music, real estate, monuments and - of course! - food. This is *the* spot to check out super-chic New York celebrity homes, musical haunts, and historic hangouts.

Inside my Greenwich Village food tour: What to expect and practicalities 

In addition to our bagel stop, we visited two shops for desserts and three for savory bites (including the tour's 'secret spot' which I will not reveal under any circumstance or at the very least for a most generous bribe). The servings were generous and, in some cases, unexpectedly so. Case in point - we stopped to try a slice of classic Greenwich Village pizza. You know the kind I mean. Huge slice, thin crust, oozing with melted mozzarella, bubbling red sauce, ribbons of fresh basil dotting the surface. We each had our own full size slice, so big we had to fold them (yep, like a real New Yorker - see how quickly I catch on!) in order to eat them. Over the course of the three hour tour, we walked plenty but we ate more. This wasn't one of those tours where you have several bites and, in theory, it adds up to the equivalent of a modest lunch by the time you're done. We had full, generous, samples and servings and there was absolutely nothing skimpy about it.

From a practical point of view, vegetarian diets can easily be accommodated on the Greenwich Village Secret Food Tours program (though it would be courteous to alert the team in advance). They can also provide options for vegan participants with advanced notice and, while the tour is heavy on carbohydrates, those with gluten free diets can also be accommodated with advanced notice and planning.

There is water available at several stops (bring your own refillable bottle with you - I love this one by Platypus) and several opportunities to use the bathroom. In terms of wheelchair accessibility, I would describe this Greenwich village walking tour as limited. Many of the places we visited were small shops where maneuvering between tables was challenging. Chat with the staff before booking to clarify.

Tickets for this Secret Food Tours program at $72 for adults (with the option of adding on a drinks package) and children's tickets start at $62. Two of the participants on my tour were children and, judging from their reactions, they loved the stops and the food choices.

I absolutely loved being a part of Secret Food Tours Greenwich Village foodie tour. I feel like after just a few hours I have an entirely new appreciation for the city. And the food, the tour, and our guide were nothing less than phenomenal. It was easily one of the best food tours I've ever experienced and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them wholeheartedly. 

When you go, let me know what you think about the secret dish - and definitely report back if you see any celebrities!

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Where to stay: Greenwich Village hotels

You certainly don't need to stay in Greenwich Village to take part in the food tour. You can easily get to this neighbourhood via several different subway and bus routes. However, Greenwich Village is a great base for exploring the city at large and there are several great Greenwich Village hotels to choose from. 

The Washington Square Hotel: Dylan himself once lived in room 305. Chuck Berry and the Rolling Stones have also dropped by. Clean, simple yet dressy, family run, and an amazing location.

The Marlton Hotel: This stylish hotel is rich in literary history and its tiny rooms offer lush detailing at a reasonable price point. Good cocktails and espresso.