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These six places serve the best of the region’s surf and turf:
1. Massachusetts – Discover Boston’s Little Italy
Michele Topor was one of America’s first foodie guides. A resident of Boston’s North End for more than 40 years, she designed her North End Market Tour to help visitors appreciate the traditions of the city’s de facto Little Italy district.
On the tour visitors learn more about America’s oldest Italian community and how its classic dishes have been adapted to a new country, visit an authentic salumeria in search of the best olive oils, balsamic vinegars and fresh cheeses, and discover the pasticcerias offering the best biscotti, amaretti, cannoli and other specialities.
Tours are priced at $54 plus tax (from £33).
2. Connecticut – A New Haven for foodies
The state of Connecticut has a burgeoning food scene and nowhere illustrates this better than New Haven.
New England’s sixth-largest city is located on the shore of Long Island Sound and has become a gourmet getaway for many New Yorkers.
Here, historian Colin M. Caplan leads a range of culinary walking tours such as the On 9 Tour. Based around the city’s Ninth Square, participants get an introduction to local produce at the co-operative Elm City Market before heading to a number of different local eateries to experience amazing Italian, Indian and Malaysia food tastings paired with wine, beer and cocktails.
The On 9 tour is priced at $55 plus tax (from £33).
3. Maine – lobster and more in Bar Harbor
The town of Bar Harbor is perhaps best known as the gateway to beautiful Acadia National Park, but it’s also among Maine’s top foodie hotspots.
On a Savor Bar Harbor walking tour participants visit seven different local establishments renowned for their unique offerings such as mini-lobster rolls and lobster bisque, as well as artisan cheeses, home-made blueberry muffins and farm ice cream.
Savor Bar Harbor (priced at $46 – £28) is operated by Maine Foodie Tours, who also run dedicated food tours in Kennebunkport and Portland.
4. New Hampshire – restaurant heaven in a historic seaport
The historic seaport of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, has one of the highest concentrations of restaurants per capita in the US.
Portsmouth Eats offers a Best of Portsmouth walking and tasting tour that visits five top local establishments, where participants meet with the owner (or chef) to learn more about the history and inspiration behind their success.
And of course, they get to sample dishes including award-winning pizza and chowder voted the best in New England. Best of Portsmouth is priced at $40 (£24).
5. Rhode Island – an immigrant experience
The biggest city in America’s smallest state, Providence boasts a number of top culinary schools and long-established Italian foodie influences.
Rhody Food Tours’ new Immigrant Cuisines of Providence tour takes visitors to four immigrant-owned restaurants, where they will meet the owners and learn more about the ingredients and cooking methods unique to each culinary tradition – eating authentic Japanese, Bolivian, Mexican and Indian dishes as they go.
A fifth stop at award-winning CAV restaurant includes the chance to meet some of the USA’s finest young culinary talent. “Immigrant Cuisines of Providence” is priced at $50 (£30).
6. Vermont – the connection between taste and place
In Vermont, where a thriving field-to-fork ethos exists, cuisine is all about the farm. In Burlington, local food and wine expert Chris Howell hosts a range of driving tours including a Vermont Farm Tour which explores the connection between taste and place.
Over the course of a day, participants visit three different farms, enjoying tastings of local bread, cheese, vegetables and wine.
Also included is a cheese-making lesson and a three-course picnic lunch with yet more local delicacies to be sampled. The full day tour is priced from $125 (£76).
(Featured image: yurilong)
