Our Mission

Manhattan Food Tours: Our Feelings on New York

At Manhattan Food Tours we aim for the best overall experience, and it all starts with a small and intimate group of only 8 people or less. We don’t need microphones: we’re standing right next to you.

With more than 26,000 restaurants in New York City, we are here to help you to get the best foodie experiences NYC has to offer. With the four culinary tours we have curated, you’ll get amazing food knowledge as well as the history and stories of each neighborhood.

Your guide at Manhattan Food Tours will make sure to provide you and your guests the most delicious food experience available at restaurants selected by our foodie team. So come hungry⁠ — there is more than enough great food for a filling lunch. Experience some of the best hidden gems of the Big Apple’s most popular neighborhoods. Go where we go and experience New York like a New Yorker.

We’ll take you to:

  • Chinatown: famous for its amazing Asian food and lifestyle
  • Hell’s Kitchen: one of the world’s best culinary experiences for the true food lover
  • Greenwich Village: or as we say “the Village,” a famous neighborhood known for its tranquil parks and world-renowned food shops
  • Grand Central: an NYC landmark bustling with history and a vast array of dining options all under one roof
  • We can even create a custom tour for you! We do group, school and corporate team building events and can tailor tours to fit almost any event.

If you’re contacting us before your trip, we can also suggest accommodations in New York City’s most beautiful neighborhoods both on and off the beaten path. Even if you don’t tour with us and look at other New York food tours, feel free to call and ask our advice for ideas and suggestions to help you plan a great trip. You can also ask us for attraction recommendations or combine your food tour with a historic walking tour with our division Manhattan Walking Tour(opens in a new tab).

You will see the Big Apple like never before, combining both history and plenty of great food. We here at Manhattan Food Tours are waiting to meet you and show you the New York City we love.

Our Foodie Team

Garry standing on the train tracks
Garry Zafrani, Founder

Garry is a New Yorker, born and raised. His father owned a small film and photo store in Times Square in the ’60s, and he began helping tourists make the most of their visit at age 9. During his teenage years growing up in Brooklyn, his first jobs were on the Lower East Side where he learned about New York’s wide array of ethnic food. That love of diverse cooking styles and tastes continues today. As an adult, he worked in a number of New York City hotels helping guests plan their sightseeing adventures. Now he accompanies them as both a guide and a new friend, sharing the joy of discovering the best NYC restaurants and hidden gems that the city has to offer.

Alex leaning againt a railing on a ship
Alex Drywa, Vice President

Being a third generation New Yorker, you would think Alex knew enough about NYC. WRONG! After traveling and living abroad in Europe and Australia for four years, he came back to New York City on a mission to learn everything about the history and culture he always took for granted. He had so much fun showing visiting friends from across the globe around the city that he decided to become a licensed guide and share his knowledge with a broader audience on the best walking tour of New York. ​Within minutes of meeting Alex, you will feel like you have known him forever — that’s how comfortable he makes people who take walking food tours with him. He also loves finding the best craft beer bars and whiskey flights in New York, then passing that knowledge along to his guests. So whether you need a great NYC bar or fabulous Manhattan restaurant, this is the guy to ask.

Nancy holding two ice cream sandwiches at Holey Cream
Nancy Paris, Tour Guide

Nancy had been happily acting as a city ambassador to friends and family visiting New York — particularly Broadway — for years before following her sister’s advice to actually “go pro” and become a licensed NYC tour guide. She enjoys the personal interaction of a walking tour with a small group and especially loves sharing the stories behind New York’s famous landmarks and attractions. Nancy is also a professional dancer and choreographer and will pirouette down the sidewalk for you if you ask nicely. If your focus is dance and/or theatre, be sure to request Nancy by name as your tour guide.

Annabel holding three massive sandwich halves at Faiccos
Annabel Alafriz, Tour Guide

Don’t let her demure stature fool you. Annabel is a giant ball of energy with an even bigger wealth of knowledge. She often thinks of what Alice might observe, had Lewis Carroll brought her adventures into NYC’s engineered Wonderland. Engaging fellow travelers in a joyful exploration of the city’s surprises, her conversations touch on myriad discoveries, overlooked milestones, and unsung pioneers, all the while pointing out NYC’s best, often hidden, culinary delights. She is still pursuing her lifelong interest in mapping information and visualizing data and remains involved in creative projects on educational game design.

Jenn handing a massive sandwich to a guest at Faiccos
Jennifer Andres, Tour Guide

Jenn has been living in NYC for 11 years and is also a singer/dancer/actor. She first got interested in becoming a tour guide after working in the new One World Observatory. Armed with the knowledge learned from working there and her further explorations of NYC, she decided to take the test to become a tour guide and then became a walking tour guide. It is her favorite job outside of the theater. Her love of history and NYC is what drives her to continue learning new information. Her favorite parts of the city are Greenwich Village and Historic Downtown, both of which are steeped in history and fascinating stories.

HUNGRY FOR MORE INFO?