New York City, New York
Harlem Soul Food and Jazz Evening Tour
Location: New York City, New York
Duration: 5 hours
Take a tour of Harlem — a center of jazz and bebop music — then dine on soul food and see a jazz show at a famous venue like the Cotton Club. After exploring the historical neighborhood with a professional guide, feast on mouthwatering cuisine such as crispy fried chicken, spicy ribs and cornbread at Sylvia’s restaurant. You’ll relive the high-stepping nights of the 1920s with a jam session at one of Harlem’s hottest clubs. There’s no better way to explore the full range of Harlem’s diverse history, music and food!
Explore Harlem’s musical legacy, including its churches, spiritual centers and swinging nightlife during this 5-hour tour, which departs near Times Square in the evening. You’ll learn from a knowledgeable guide about Harlem’s role in the history of jazz, and hear about its most noted musicians who gave New York its musical edge.
Drive past the site of the original Cotton Club, where Duke Ellington and Lena Horne spent hours wowing crowds from around the world. See the Savoy Ballroom where Benny Goodman and Chick Webb fought it out during their ‘battle of the bands,’ and where the Charleston, lindy hop and the Big Apple dances were firmly cemented into American culture.
Snap a photo of Harlem’s world-famous Apollo Theater, where numerous artists such as James Brown performed, and imagine the era when Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald won the popular ‘amateur night.’ Pass by Minton’s Playhouse, where bebop was born, and where Charlie Parker, Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk started the tradition of jam sessions.
After your tour of Harlem, you’re treated to a traditional, family-style dinner at Sylvia’s ‘Queen of Soul Food’ restaurant. Enjoy traditional African-American cuisine inspired by dishes that originated in the southern US, such as spicy ribs, collard greens, fried fish and fried chicken, cornbread, and a few side dishes like black-eyed peas, okra, or macaroni and cheese.
Following dinner, your guide accompanies you to a local Harlem jazz club, where two complimentary drinks are included and the music is red hot. On Mondays, head to Harlem’s renovated Cotton Club, where you can sway to the beat of a local, twelve-piece swing band (dance lesson included). Soak up the lively atmosphere at an alternate venue while enjoying the sounds of a jazz or rhythm & blues band.
Your nightlife experience ends with drop-off near Times Square at midnight.
