I’ve been living in the NYC metro area for a long time now, but I’ve never fully experienced the sweeter side of the city. So when my kids and I were invited to join Sugartooth Tours on their newest tour, Bright Lights & Broadway Bites, I was intrigued. Broadway + desserts + a guide who’s an actual Broadway performer = right up my alley. If you read my blog regularly, you probably know I’m theater obessessed and I love taking my kids all over NYC, so this tour was an excuse to indulge my Broadway fixation and their sweets obsession.
When I told my kids about the tour, their level of interest was higher than usual. Sweets! Chocoalte! Broadway! Boom, it was a hit already before we even got there. Me? I thought I’d watch them indulge and I’d write about their reactions. Little did I know that the desserts would be so overwhelmingly yummy!
Allyson, a performer and co-owner of the company took us on the tour, providing quips about Broadway history along the way. We learned about Olive Thomas, a Ziegfeld showgirl and former winner of “The Most Beautiful Girl in New York City,” who reportedly began haunting The New Amsterdam Theater in 1920 shortly after her ‘accidental’ death, which occurred after she swallowed the better part of a bottle of pills. After she died, stagehands at the theater began telling friends that they ran into Olive backstage. Having just been in the New Amsterdam Theater a few days prior on another tour, we were thrilled to be hearing her story again as we ate our way through quintessential New York desserts under the bright lights of Broadway.
Junior’s
We met in Times Square at Junior’s at 1515 Broadway. Allyson provided menus, which outlined our 4 stops for the day (our tour was abbreviated, usually there are 6). We started with a slice of NY’s most famous cheesecake – yes, without crust. And it’s secret ingredient? Sour cream. My first indulgence.
Little Pie Company
Next we wandered through Shubert Alley to the Little Pie Company at 424 West 43rd Street for a slice of traditional sour cream apple walnut pie. The pie was out of this world, and I couldn’t believe I had not yet been there before. It’s owned by a Broadway veteran, Arnold Wilkerson, who was in the original cast of Hair. I felt so complete, knowing every place we were visiting had a musical influence!
Schmackary’s
Next stop was Schmackary’s at 362 West 45th Street. The owner, Zachary Schmahl, began on Broadway, of course! Allyson picked up a Kitchen Sink Bar, made of “everything but” including brown sugar, coconut, chocolate chips and more. It was scrumptious, to say the least.
Amy’s Bread
Last, we stopped into Amy’s Bread at 672 9th Avenue for New York’s famous black and white cookie. This was hands down my kids; favorite stop on the tour. How could I have walked by dozens of times and never indulged in one of their treats? They also offer a full selection of morning pastries, sandwiches and salads, cookies, bars, cupcakes, layer cakes, coffee and espresso beverages.
Find out more about Sugartooth Tours here. The tour was fun, educational and absolutely mouth-watering. I really felt like an insider than a tourist getting to know a part of NYC I adore.
Disclosure: I was provided with a complimentary, abbreviated tour to facilitate this review but all opinions are my own.
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My 12 year old son and i both adore theatre and took this tour as well. It was fun and informative….and decadent desserts were icing on the cake. Glad you all enjoyed!