Queens Corona’s Culinary Essentials Tour
Description
Corona is the culinary epicenter of New York’s Latin American community, a place where you can find regional specialties ranging all the way from the Tierra del Fuego up to Mexico’s northern border with the United States. On this tour of Corona’s culinary essentials, we hit the streets on a Saturday, when the griddles and grills in this already lively neighborhood are working overtime and the street vendors come out in full force. Starting at Corona Plaza, we will drop by a family-run Mexican bakery for sweet breakfast pastries. From there, we’ll continue to an out-of-the-way spot where we’ll sit down with neighborhood families to enjoy a hearty Mexican-style brunch of pit-roasted goat. We will continue along Roosevelt Avenue, stopping by street vendors, an Argentinean bakery and make a stop for a “cholado". We’ll end our day at a small bodega. This last stop leaves us at the edge of Jackson Heights and Elmhurst, having tried what makes Queens such a culinary Promised Land.
Tour Options
Itinerary
We’ll start our day in pedestrian-only Corona Plaza, the neighborhood’s bustling meeting place, and drop by a family-run Mexican bakery where we’ll join the weekend ritual of picking out sweet breakfast pastries and rolls from large trays set out for the customers. From there, we’ll continue to an out-of-the-way spot where we’ll sit down with neighborhood families to enjoy a hearty Mexican-style brunch of pit-roasted goat.
Our food tour in Queens continues along Roosevelt Avenue, which on the weekends is lined with street vendors from throughout Latin America. To satisfy our sweet tooth, we’ll drop into an Argentinean corner bakery for some traditional treats and make a stop for a “cholado,” a hybrid frozen dessert and fruit salad also known as the Colombian Snow Cone. We’ll end our day at a small bodega opened by a man from Veracruz, Mexico, going inside for a celebratory (shrimp) cocktail. This last stop leaves us at the edge of Jackson Heights and Elmhurst, two immigrant neighborhoods that hold their own culinary riches (and which are further explored as part of our longer Queens walk), a tantalizing reminder that during this half-day we’ve only scratched the surface of what makes Queens such a culinary Promised Land.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(54)
We had a great time, Sergio was very nice and knowledgeable and we tried a lot of yummy food. Totally recommend
Thank you for the wonderful review. We are so glad to hear that you had a great time discovering the neighborhood and tasting such delicious dishes. Your recommendation means the world to us, as every walk helps us support the unsung heroes of the kitchen and preserve beautiful culinary traditions.
Sergio did a wonderful job and was very knowledgeable about the food, history and area. He made the tour fun and would book with him again!
Thank you for the wonderful review. We are thrilled to hear you had such a great time exploring the culinary history and daily life of the neighborhood. Your participation helps us continue to support these local culinary heroes and preserve their deep-rooted traditions. We look forward to sharing more stories and meals with you in the future.
Sergio was an excellent guide! Tour and food was awesome
Hello! Thank you for sharing your positive experience with us. We are so glad you enjoyed exploring the neighborhood and tasting its incredible food. By walking with us, you directly support these family-run spots and the unsung heroes who preserve our culinary traditions.
Very interesting exploration of neighborhoods in Queens. Our guide Sergio was great. Fav bites were tacos & fuchka!
Thank you for sharing your experience and for joining us to explore the vibrant, diverse neighborhoods of Queens. We are thrilled that you enjoyed diving into the daily life of the city and tasting those fantastic tacos and fuchka. Your visit directly supports these family-run spots and helps preserve the culinary traditions of our unsung kitchen heroes.
Great experience with additional history beyond food.
Thank you for the review and for taking the time to share your experience. We are thrilled that you enjoyed diving into the history and daily life of the neighborhood alongside the food. Your participation directly helps us support the local heroes of the kitchen and preserve these vital cultural traditions.
Fabulous day, wonderful guide. Sierra is so informed and informative about the food and local culture! Great to learn more about another part of NYC. Like visiting Latin American and South Asia without the long flight!
Thank you so much for your kind review and for exploring the vibrant neighborhoods of Queens with us. We are thrilled that Sierra could introduce you to the daily life and rich flavors of the area's diverse communities. By walking with us, you are directly supporting the unsung heroes of the kitchen and helping to preserve these vital culinary traditions.
Sierra was an amazing Tour Guide. So knowledgeable and informed and so in touch with the neighborhoods we visited. An international extravaganza of food and culture. I have taken food tours all over the world and this was among the best I’ve enjoyed.
Thank you for the wonderful review! We’re so glad you had such a great experience exploring Queens with Sierra. Her deep connection to the neighborhoods and knowledge of the many cuisines found there really help bring the tour to life. It’s especially meaningful to hear that, after taking food tours around the world, this one stood out among the best. Thanks again for joining us!
Sierra was wonderful and very knowledgeable of the area. She curated everything so well! Her understanding of the specific cuisines we encountered, the area that we walked, and the people that served us made the whole experience a treat and we would be honored to do it again.
Thank you so much for this lovely feedback! We’re thrilled to hear how much you enjoyed the experience and that Sierra’s knowledge, care, and connections made it so special. It means a lot to know everything felt so thoughtfully curated — we’d be delighted to welcome you again anytime.
Sierra turned a rainy day into a memorable adventure that was one of the main highlights of our trip to New York. We were impressed with Sierra’s depth of knowledge, personal connections with business owners and by the variety of foods we got to sample. We can’t wait to take another tour with this company.
Thank you so much for this lovely review! We’re thrilled to hear that Sierra turned a rainy day into such a memorable highlight of your New York trip. Her knowledge, local connections, and the variety of tastings really do make a difference. We truly appreciate your kind words and look forward to welcoming you on another tour soon.
Sierra did an amazing job guiding our class through the food and culture of Queens. The cuisine was very diverse and it was a super fun experience!
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re delighted to hear that your Queens tour with Sierra was both fun and informative. Sierra will be thrilled to know that her knowledge and enthusiasm made exploring the food and culture of Queens so enjoyable. We take pride in working with guides who can connect flavors to the city’s history and traditions — and it’s wonderful that you appreciated that approach. When you have a moment, check your Culinary Backstreets Passport online — your Queens stamp should be waiting to mark this flavorful adventure!
