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How to Plan Your Own DIY Food Tour: Expert Routes in San Francisco, Paris, and NYC

I'll never forget my first guided food tour two years ago in Miami's sweltering summer heat. Our office group splurged on a golf cart excursion instead of walking—the height of indulgence. That day, I discovered hidden culinary gems, but I realized I could have found them myself with some research.

Testing this on a Paris trip, my husband and I mapped the city's top eats, navigating by foot, taxi, or metro. It became our perfect adventure: exploring neighborhoods, tasting freely, lingering as desired, and saving significantly over guided tours.

DIY food tours are now essential to our vacations everywhere. I highly recommend them—here are our proven routes.

San Francisco's Chinatown

How to Plan Your Own DIY Food Tour: Expert Routes in San Francisco, Paris, and NYC Andrey Bayda / Shutterstock.com
  • Stop 1: Green onion bread at New Hollywood Bakery
  • Stop 2: Pork and chicken buns at Good Mong Kok Bakery
  • Stop 3: Dumplings at Delicious Dim Sum
  • Stop 4: Chicken wings at New Golden Daisy
  • Stop 5: Egg tarts at Golden Gate Bakery
  • Stop 6: Cookies at Golden Gate Fortune Cookies
How: These Chinatown favorites are within four blocks. Start at iconic Dragon’s Gate on Grant Avenue, head half a mile to Pacific Avenue, turn right—first stop is immediately on the left.

Paris

How to Plan Your Own DIY Food Tour: Expert Routes in San Francisco, Paris, and NYC
  • Stop 1: French onion soup at Au Pied du Cochon – Les Halles
  • Stop 2: Savory crepe at Chez Nicos – Latin Quarter
  • Stop 3: Macarons at Carette – Trocadero
How: Use the metro (get a day or multi-day pass for unlimited rides). Google Maps guides you from your hotel.

New York City

How to Plan Your Own DIY Food Tour: Expert Routes in San Francisco, Paris, and NYC Photo from Flickr by Olivier Bruchez
  • Stop 1: Best tacos at Los Tacos No. 1 – Chelsea
  • Stop 2: Chicken banh mi at Num Pang Sandwich Shop – Chelsea
  • Stop 3: NY slice at Joe’s Pizza – West Village
  • Stop 4: Macarons and espresso at Bisous Ciao – West Village
  • Stop 5: Cookies at Milk & Cookies Bakery – West Village
How: Start at Chelsea Market (Los Tacos and Num Pang are adjacent). Cab or Uber to West Village for Joe's massive slices, then walk to Bisous Ciao (free macaron with drinks) and Milk & Cookies.
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