Learn about the Lower East Side through food! This walking–and tasting–tour explores the neighborhood through the culinary traditions of communities that called the Lower East Side home. Taste flavors from the German, Jewish, Italian, Caribbean and Chinese communities who brought new cuisines to America. Discuss what food tells us about immigration history, the Lower East Side, and wider American culture. Sample foods like Bavarian-style pretzels, kosher pickles, Beijing-style dumplings, Dominican-style fried plantains and more!
Food is an expression of culture. For immigrants, it served as a connection to home. Exploring the tastes of this dynamic neighborhood can provide insight into life on the Lower East Side and the development of America’s diverse culinary culture. Sample culinary traditions and learn how these traditions have influenced American meals over time as well as the stories they tell about our neighborhood.
Food samplings include:
- Salted pretzels made in the Bavarian tradition of the German populations of the late 19th century
- Pickles favored by the Jewish immigrants of the Lower East Side in the early 20th century
- Dry salami or soppressata from Little Italy
- Beijing-style dumplings brought to the Lower East Side by Chinese immigrants in the 20th century
- Dominican-style fried plantains
Foods of the Lower East Side is available on Fridays and Saturdays at 1:00 pm.
We encourage visitors to reserve tickets in advance, as tickets regularly sell out. Space is limited to 15 visitors per time slot for Foods of the Lower East Side.
