Williamsburg Brooklyn Italian Food Tour: 3-Hour Tasting Walk

Six tastings, two sit-down meals, and the story of how Italian Americans built a neighborhood through food.

The Italian American Food Tour of Williamsburg is a 3-hour guided walking tour through Brooklyn's Italian neighborhood, with stops at restaurants, delis, bakeries and two culturally significant sites. You'll sample chicken parmesan, deli meats, white pizza, Roman pasta, an Italian hero and cannoli while your guide explains Italian immigration, how Italian American cuisine developed, and the role these specific businesses play in the community today. All tastings are included. The tour is led in English and children from age 7 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Italian American Food Tour in Williamsburg

• Meet at Carmine & Son Restaurant
• Eat chicken parmesan and learn history
• Walk to Familia/Famiglia mural
• Visit Savino's Quality Pasta and sample capocollo
• Eat Italian hero at Anthony & Son Panini Shoppe
• Walk by oldest Italian restaurant in Brooklyn
• Visit Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church
• Sample white pizza at Best Pizza
• Taste Roman pasta and flatbread at Montesacro
• Sample pastries and espresso at Fortunato Brother's Bakery

The experience

You meet at Carmine & Son Restaurant, where the tour opens with chicken parmesan and the story of Italian immigration to the US: what triggered the first wave, how it shaped the food that followed, and what actually makes something "Italian American" instead of Italian. From there, the guide walks you through Williamsburg's streets to six more stops: Savino's Quality Pasta for imported meats, Anthony & Son Panini Shoppe for a shared Italian hero, a walk past the oldest Italian restaurant in Brooklyn (with mob and film history attached), Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church to learn about Italian feast traditions, Best Pizza for a white slice and the unlikely story of how pizza went from peasant food to American staple, and Montesacro for Roman pasta and flatbread that show the difference between Italian and Italian American cooking.

The tour closes at Fortunato Brother's Bakery with pastries, cookies and espresso while the guide walks you through what makes an Italian American dessert done right. Two of the tastings are sit-down meals. The other four are takeout samples you move through as you walk. The whole thing runs three hours, which means you can fit it into a free afternoon without eating up your whole day. Your guide is live and speaks English, and the route stays manageable for all fitness levels. The walking is neighborhood-scale, not a hike.

All six tastings come included in the ticket price. The menu is pre-selected and fixed. Substitutions aren't available unless you book a private tour. The tour is not recommended for anyone following a gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, or pork-free diet, since those restrictions can't be accommodated on the group version.

What’s included

• All six food tastings (chicken parmesan, deli meats, Italian hero, white pizza, Roman pasta and flatbread, and pastries with espresso).
• two sit-down meals and four takeout samples.
• stops at two culturally significant sites (Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and the Familia/Famiglia mural).
• live English-language guide throughout the three-hour walk.

Before you book

Days and timesThursday to SundayDeparts at 13:00

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (7 to 17 years) · Under 7: can't be booked

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Zesty NYC

Is this one for you?Three hours is long enough to move through six tastings and two sit-down meals without rushing, but short enough to leave the rest of your afternoon free: ideal if you're new to Williamsburg and want to understand the neighborhood's food and history without committing a full day to it.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (7 to 17 years). Children under 7 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly do I eat on the Italian American Food Tour of Williamsburg?

The tour includes chicken parmesan at Carmine & Son, capocollo at Savino's, an Italian hero at Anthony & Son, a white pizza slice at Best Pizza, Roman pasta and flatbread at Montesacro, and mini cannoli, rainbow cookies and espresso at Fortunato Brother's Bakery. Two of these are sit-down tastings. Four are takeout samples you have while walking.

What is the Familia/Famiglia mural, and why does the guide stop there?

The mural is a stop where the guide teaches about the shared history of Italian Americans and Puerto Ricans in Williamsburg. Two communities whose stories are intertwined in the neighborhood's past.

Is the menu fixed, or can I request different foods?

The tasting menu is pre-selected and the same for all guests on group tours. Substitutions cannot be made unless you book a private tour. The tour is not recommended for those following gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, or pork-free diets.