I've only lived in New York for about a year now, but I've been in love with the city for as long as I can remember. And like any normal relationship, my infatuation with NYC has had its peaks and valleys. Sometimes it's hard to look past the stale smell of the subway or the $14 price tag on every decent-looking salad, but when I was invited by Marriott Moments to go on a tour of "the true Little Italy of New York City," I knew I had to seize the opportunity. In my opinion, food tours are worth it — not just for the sake of enjoying the mouth-watering eats, but also for the chance to experience a city from an entirely different perspective — even in a city you call home.

If you've never been on a food tour, or you're not totally sure what it even means to go on one, it's a pretty simple concept: A professional tour guide leads you through a neighborhood, but instead of just telling you about the city's history, they invite you to experience everything yourself hands-on as you walk in and out of restaurants, cafes, and delis, learning all about how the food influences the city's culture, and vice versa. And yes, there is a lot of eating involved.