Brooklyn Pizza Walk

Few foods are as bound up with New York identity as the pizza slice: thin, wide, foldable, and eaten standing up on a sidewalk. Brooklyn is where the argument over which slice is best is fiercest, and a guided pizza walk is a delicious way to join it. The Brooklyn Pizza Walk takes small groups through neighborhood pizzerias to taste different styles, from the classic cheese slice to coal-oven pies and the newer artisan shops, while a guide explains the history of the New York slice: how Italian immigrants brought it from Naples, how the first licensed pizzeria opened in the early twentieth century, how deck ovens and local water became part of the legend, and why a good slice is judged by the crust and the char. It is a hands-on, appetite-friendly introduction to the borough's food culture and a good option for solo travelers, couples and groups.

The tastings are the main event and the commentary is the seasoning. Each stop contributes something different: the thin, crisp crust of a deck-oven slice, the blistered edges of a coal-oven pie, the tang of a well-made tomato sauce, the difference between fresh and low-moisture mozzarella. Guides cover topics such as how to fold a slice, why New Yorkers argue about sauce-to-cheese ratios and how to order like a local.

By the end you have a sense of how to read a pizzeria and what to order on your own. Come hungry, because the tastings add up to the equivalent of a meal, though you might want to skip a big breakfast.

Weekday afternoons and early evenings are good times, and weekends are busier. The tour suits adults and children who are comfortable with walking and standing and eating at counters, and it is a rewarding group activity for families with older kids who love pizza.

Brooklyn offers plenty to do before or after. A natural combination is the Brooklyn Bridge and DUMBO, where you can walk off the pizza, take skyline photographs and visit Jane's Carousel. For a seaside day, Coney Island has a long pizza heritage of its own and a boardwalk, rides and aquarium.

For a culture stop, the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden are on the same side of Prospect Park. If you want to extend the pizza theme, ask your guide for recommendations for return visits, because every walk produces a list of places worth coming back to.

To get the most from the tasting, resist the urge to finish every slice and keep a little appetite for the final stop, because the last pizza is often the one guests remember. Carry a bottle of water and napkins, take photos of the shop names for return visits and ask the guide about local etiquette such as ordering whole pies versus slices and whether to fold. A late-afternoon walk makes a good lead-in to a Brooklyn dinner reservation, if you still have room.