Why Foods of NY Tours Is the Best Food Tour Company in NYC
There are 6 parts in this blog series so far. If you haven’t read Parts 1–5, please start there before reading Part 6.
Part 6:
How good can it possibly get?
A True NYC Food Adventure:
If you want to know what makes Foods of NY Tours the best food tour company in New York City, you need to experience the certain neighborhoods like a true local. Here’s a story from the owners adventures in NYC. It started in 1977 when Todd was 15 years old living in NJ. These amazing visits shaped his love for the city’s neighborhoods, food, history, and culture.
Pizza, Ices, Chocolates, and Visiting SoHo by mistake:
Lunch at John’s Pizza with my friends
When we arrived in Greenwich Village, I took my friends straight to John’s Pizza so they could experience coal-oven pizza for the first time. Since there were four of us, we ordered two pies: one plain cheese and one sausage.
The sausage pie arrived first, and we immediately noticed it was different from the pizzas we knew in New Jersey. Instead of sausage slices, the pie was topped with small mounds of crumbled sausage. It was something new for all of us, and extremely delicious!
The smell of the pizza was completely different from the sausage pizza we were used to from Roma Pizza in New Jersey. This pizza had a savory aroma that instantly made our mouths water. I asked the waiter what gave it such a distinctive smell, and he told us it was the fennel seeds.
Our waiter also told us that John’s bought its sausage from Fiacco’s Pork Store just down the street. The second pie arrived, along with a pitcher of Coke, and we all smiled. There’s nothing better than pizza and fountain Coke poured over ice!
After we ate, I asked the waiter a few more questions. Before answering, he pointed across the room and said the boss loves talking to customers. A moment later, the owner came over. I never got his name, but he was a real character, loud, a big personality, with a classic New York accent, and happy to chat with us. He immediately said, “Let me show you our oven,” and took all four of us behind the counter. He showed us the coal on the floor, the fire burning inside the oven, and explained how the pizza makers had to clean the oven with a broom after making several pies so the coal ash wouldn’t end up on the pizza.
Then he surprised us again by leading us downstairs to the basement (another basement experience!) where huge piles of coal were stored. The smell down there was intense. He explained that this wasn’t the same type of coal used in a when you have a BBQ at home, it was much harder and burned hotter and longer. At the time, he told us exactly what it was called, but I didn’t write it down.
The coal they used: Anthracite
High Carbon: Contains the highest carbon content of all coal types.
Appearance: Black to steel-gray with a brilliant, submetallic sheen.
Clean Burn: Produces the most heat per unit burned with minimal smoke.
A stop at Rocco’s Pastry Shop
Our next stop was Rocco’s Pastry Shop. Since it was a warm day, we decided to get Italian ice. In New Jersey, Italian ice wasn’t especially popular in 1977, but at Rocco’s it seemed like a real highlight. They offered lemon, raspberry, orange, chocolate, and something called cremalata.
I asked what cremalata was, and the man behind the counter explained that it was an ice made with cream, vanilla, and nuts. Since lemon ice was the only flavor we really knew about, all four of us decided to try the cremalata.
Wow—it was delicious. The first thing I noticed was that it wasn’t overly sweet. It was almost like ice cream, but lighter and less creamy. We all loved it!
Taking notes for future visits
I wrote down what I had learned about John’s and Rocco’s because I knew I wanted to bring my parents to both places. By that point, I also realized I needed to start bringing more people to these spots. I just had to figure out how to explain how I found them, that was a problem for another day.
Wandering in the wrong direction
After leaving Rocco’s, we decided to walk around a little more. Instead of turning left on MacDougal Street toward the park, we turned right. As we crossed a busy street, the area immediately felt different. There was less activity, less cool shops, a more worn-down look.
We turned off MacDougal and walked several blocks, but at first we weren’t especially impressed. It felt like a quiet neighborhood with a few shops and cafés, but not much going on considering how busy it was on Bleecker Street.
Eventually, we sat down at a very cool café. A lot of customers were speaking what sounded to us like Spanish, though it was actually Italian. The crowd was also dressed much more stylishly than the people we had seen on Bleecker St, and we immediately felt out of place.
We ordered four Cokes and stayed for about half an hour, mostly people-watching. We also noticed how polished and confident everyone seemed. Most people were smoking cigarettes and sipping coffee or wine, which added to the café’s atmosphere and us feeling out of place.
Realizing we were in SoHo
We tried to listen in on the conversations, but there were too many voices to make out anything clearly. When we finally left, we all agreed that we felt much more comfortable in the Village. As we were heading out, I asked the waiter what neighborhood we were in. He said, “SoHo.” We were amazed by how much everything had changed just by crossing one main street.
As we made our way back toward the park, we talked about the people at the café and agreed that the Village suited us better. Still, I couldn’t stop thinking about SoHo. I told myself I needed to come back alone, take my time, look around, and take notes. From what I had seen, I knew there had to be a lot more to discover there.
One more stop: Lilac Chocolates
Before heading to the park, I wanted to take my friends to Lilac Chocolates. We still had enough money and knew they would love it. The only chocolate shops we really knew back then were the kind you found on boardwalks or in tourist areas. Lilac felt completely different, it seemed like a neighborhood shop for locals.
There was nothing flashy about it, just two glass counters filled with about 20 kinds of chocolates. Still, the moment we walked in, the strong aroma of chocolate made us excited to be there.
As we looked over the selection, a woman came out from the back with a tray of something chocolate-covered. She said they were Jordan Crackers. We never heard of that, so I asked her about them. She said they were a classic in the store. She gave each of us a dark chocolate one to try. It was good, but not amazing.
I also asked if they made the chocolates in the back, and she said they did, and they were actually dipping the Jordan Crackers at that very moment. That explained why the chocolate smell was so strong. I was secretly hoping she might invite us to see the process, but that never happened. We bought some chocolates and continued on our way.
A final discovery before heading home
Before reaching the park, we stopped at a print shop to look at the framed posters in the window. They had large photographs of rock bands, much nicer than the posters we hung on our walls. Some were black and white, some were in color, and all of them amazing! The only problem was the price.
The framed photos started at $25, which was a lot of money in 1977, especially considering we had each come into the city with $10. I took a business card and made a few notes, knowing it was a place I’d want to return to once I had enough money to actually buy something.
Calling it a day
After we left the print shop we were tired and it was getting late, so we decided to skip the park and head back to the train. We needed to be home by 5:30 p.m. at the latest, so leaving then made sense. It was another successful day in New York City!
I knew I would be back in a few weeks, again on my own. I wanted to explore the streets of SoHo properly. Then I’d return and show my friends everything I found.
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Why Choose Foods of NY Tours?
At Foods of NY Tours, we believe in showing you the real New York, its history, culture, flavors, and our favorite spots. Our guides are passionate locals who know the city’s stories and the best places to eat, just like the ones I discovered on my adventure.
Ready to experience the best food tours in NYC?
Check out our tours and book your spot today!
Thank you for reading Part 6, stay tuned for Part 7!
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Todd Lefkovic
Foods of NY Tours