OUR STORY
A CULINARY EXPERIENCE COMPANY
The story behind Sidewalks of NY Tours began a decade ago when its founder, Joshua Hirsch, started taking friends and family on walking tours of the city he loves. His biggest motivation was to make sure his guests experienced the true New York. Through years of exploration, he had discovered the secret hideaways and hidden gems that make New York unlike any other city in the world. He combed the streets, tasting authentic ethnic cuisines and culinary delights not found in any guide books. His lengthy walking adventures took him to dinky mom-and-pop specialty food shops and ethnic eateries that have stood the test of time. He began compiling a “best of” list in search of the best delicatessens, bagel and knish shops, coffee houses, bakeries, candy stores, hamburger joints, pizzerias, and so much more.
A friend who was visiting from out of town noticed Joshua’s passion and enthusiasm for showing people his discoveries and suggested he start a walking tour business. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Our mission at Sidewalks of NY Tours is to give exceptional walking tours of New York so our customers will revisit these neighborhoods with confidence and enjoy the various cultural options they provide. Our creative and fun itineraries and friendly and knowledgeable tour guides are committed to making your tour the highlight of your stay in the Big Apple. Let us guide you on a journey to discover the true New York!
Bon voyage!
SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK
OUR TOURS
EXPLORE NEIGHBORHOOD DELIGHTS
Discover the history, architecture, food, culture of the greatest city in the world on an unforgettable New York walking tour with Sidewalks of NY Tours. Our enthusiastic guides lead private and group tours along the streets of Manhattan that cover a variety of themes and experiences, from savory food tours of New York’s Financial District to our New York food truck walking tour.
It’s amazing where your feet can take you. New York walking tours give you close-up views of the treasures and hidden gems in this city of secret hideaways. Be it that little mom-and-pop restaurant, hard-to-find delectable food truck, or an off-the-beaten-path spot for a photograph with your friends and family, Sidewalks of NY guides you to the places the locals want to keep for themselves.
MEET THE TEAM
On a six-hour historical tour of Lower Manhattan, Joshua’s stomach began to grumble as the guide pointed out some delicious food spots. It was then that he had an “aha moment.” He decided to include his favorite food places on a history and culture walking tour, so folks wouldn’t be hungry while discovering the city!
He wanted his tours to tell the story of the neighborhood through its food and the people who prepare it. The rest, as they say, is history. Sidewalk Food Tours, a culinary experience company, was born. He has since expanded into six delectable cities. His goal is to expand to every major U.S. city you travel to, so you can experience its food and culture on a Sidewalk Food Tour.
CHIEU PHAM
PARTNER
We are honored to have Chieu Pham on our team. She plays an integral part in the company’s overall success. Her family bravely refuged to the U.S. from Vietnam in the 1980s. She brings years of business experience, previously working for Sprint, Principal Financial, Morgan Stanley, and Hartford. In addition to her business acumen, she is extremely passionate about feng shui, astrology, food, and culture. She loves meditation, traveling, and hiking to beautiful mountaintops. Spending quality time with her eight nieces and nephews is what brings her the most joy.
Tory is a former math teacher and Philadelphia native with a passion for travel. Having lived overseas in Scotland, New Zealand, and the United Arab Emirates, he is always on the lookout for his next adventure- and those adventures will always involve trying new foods. His goal is to travel to and eat at the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Outside of work, you can usually find him coaching baseball, endlessly scrolling through Netflix, or in pursuit of high-quality BBQ food.
Favorite Cocktail: Bourbon on the rocks
Robert is a theatre director, actor, podcaster, sound designer, voiceover artist, musician, and tour-guide residing in Queens. He is the producer of Go See a Show!, New York City’s independent theatre podcast goseeashowpodcast.com, as well as the producer of Apparitions, a podcast of new radio horror plays.
Favorite cocktail: mojito! or really, anything with rum
Favorite restaurant: CUBA on Thompson Street!
Justin is an actor, writer, filmmaker, but above all, storyteller! He loves giving tours because he gets to educate, inform, and hopefully entertain!
Favorite Drink: White Russian
Favorite Restaurant: Queens Comfort (Astoria, Queens)
Cherie has been a tour guide since 2016. Her love of the city shows in her tours. Her favorite neighborhoods are The Village (river to river) and the Lower East Side in Manhattan, but she also is quite fond of many areas of Brooklyn. And food, she loves food, yep, all the foods.
Favorite Restaurant: Cannibal Restaurant
Sarah Pencheff is a performer, costume designer, and general getter-done-of-things who has called NYC home for 15 (mostly) glorious years. She’s a sucker for bizarre historical stories, macabre monuments, amazing food, and Oxford commas.
Favorite restaurant: 9 Roses
Fave cocktail: hot chocolate baileys
Adam Lawrence is a third generation New Yorker who loves food just as much as he loves his city. An avid sports fan of course loving certain NY teams…take a tour to find out which ones 🙂 in particular. My goal is to show first-time tourists, repeat visitors and locals alike this wonderful city that I call home NYC!!!
Favorite Drink: Pina Colada
Favorite restaurant: Emmett’s
Matt Kinsey is a NY-based actor and director. He loves to binge watch Chef’s Table, pretend he can cook like a Michelin star chef, and enjoy the strangest bits of NYC’s history.
He studied acting at NYU and has since been focused on writing and directing theater. In addition to being a manager at Sidewalk Food Tours, he is also a wonderful food tour guide in New York City.
Favorite Cocktail: Old Fashioned
Favorite Bite: Pierogi at Veselka’s