A Lower East Side Lunch From Katz's to Doughnut Plant
Three hours on foot from Katz's Delicatessen to Doughnut Plant on Grand Street, with pastrami, rugelach, dumplings, pickles and bagels in between. The food is the lunch.
This is lunch, spread over three hours and eight tasting stops. The walk starts inside Katz's Delicatessen at 10:30 AM and ends at Doughnut Plant on Grand Street. Asked how much food you get, the operator answers "More than enough for lunch," and says you will be full by the end.
All the food is included in the ticket, along with bottled water. You can buy extra along the way, though the operator suggests saving the room.
Booking runs through the listing below. There is one departure a day, at 10:30 AM, and the walk takes about three hours.
Lower East Side Food Tour in NYC: 6 Tastings + Famous LandmarksFood and bottled water included · About three hours · Gratuity not includedwww.viator.comPastrami at Katz's, Then Rugelach at Russ & Daughters
The first 25 minutes are at Katz's, the deli When Harry Met Sally... made even more famous, and the tasting is pastrami. The operator dates Katz's to 1888 and says its meat is cured for 30 days. Next come ten minutes at Russ & Daughters for rugelach; the operator dates that shop to 1914.
Because Katz's is the meeting point, the tour begins inside a working deli, not on a street corner. From there the group heads onto Orchard Street, the old pushcart strip the listing says Time Out New York named one of the coolest streets in the world.
Candy, Dumplings and a Market Stop
Economy Candy, which the listing says has been open since 1937, gets 15 minutes for browsing. Vanessa's Dumpling House is the pork dumpling stop, and the listing says veggie dumplings can be swapped in for anyone who does not eat pork. At Essex Market the group tastes balsamic vinegars and olive oils at Essex Olive & Spice, and there is time to shop if you want.
The listing says a vegetarian option is available, and the operator asks that allergies be flagged when you book so it can check with the shops. It also says it cannot promise every stop can handle every allergy.
Pickles, Bialys and a Doughnut to Finish
The Pickle Guys pour three of their top sellers, sweet and sour. Kossar's, which the operator dates to 1936, is the bagel and bialy stop, with cream cheese. The last tasting is a cake doughnut at Doughnut Plant, which the listing says beat Bobby Flay in a throwdown.
The tour ends at Doughnut Plant on Grand Street, not back at Katz's, so plan the rest of your day from there. Between stops the guide points out 97 Orchard Street, now part of the Tenement Museum, the Kehila Kedosha Janina synagogue on Broome Street and views of the Williamsburg Bridge, all from the outside.
Ages, Pace and What You Pay on the Day
Children are welcome, but each one needs an adult along, and the listing charges ages 3 to 17 the same as adults. Children 2 and under go free on the listing's infant band.
Gratuities are not included, and the operator says 15 to 20 percent is customary. One recent traveler called the walk not strenuous. The listing marks the tour as wheelchair accessible and suitable for all fitness levels, but the operator's own tour page and FAQ say nothing about access, so ask about step-free entrances before you book if that matters to you.
📍 Meet at Katz's Delicatessen, 205 East Houston Street, for the 10:30 AM departure, and the operator asks you to be there 10 to 15 minutes early. It says the walk goes ahead rain, snow or shine, so bring an umbrella if the forecast calls for one. One booking takes up to 12 people. Come hungry: the last bite of the day is a doughnut.