By Bill Parry
A new walking tour for foodies made its debut in Long Island City last week.
The two founders of the company hope it is the first of many locations around the borough known for its diversity.
“You hear that word all the time when people speak of Queens these days,” Richard Mumith said. “Well, with diversity comes the cuisine, and my partner and I were tired of seeing Manhattan and Brooklyn take the culinary lead in the city.”
Mumith, a public relations guru, and Sergey Kadinsky, a licensed tour guide and staffer for City Councilwoman Karen Koslowitz (D-Forest Hills), teamed up to start Local Finds: Queens Food Tours.
The two lifelong Queens natives offer a three-hour walking tour through Long Island City every Sunday morning.
Along with a $56 ticket, children under 12 can go for $44, tourists get to taste samples from six restaurants along the route.
“We chose six very different establishments that don’t compete against each other. On top of the samples, each visitor receives discount coupons so they return for a full meal,” Mumith said. “We’ve been welcomed with open arms by the restaurants and we don’t just highlight a popular restaurant but the story behind the establishment and its place in the community.”
Manducatis Rustica, Woodbines, Sweetleaf, Alobar, Rockaway Brewing Co. and the Sage General Store have all signed on with the tour agency.
“This current walking tour gives each participant the experience of LIC’s burgeoning food scene plus a feel of the neighborhood’s history, architecture and culture,” Mumith said. “And people will leave the tour full and satisfied from the food and drink.”
All customers receive an exclusive brochure that features a map of the neighborhood, a list of attractions, including museums and galleries and recommendations for other restaurants and things to do in Long Island City.
He said that the tour is getting positive feedback even before the marketing campaign has fully set in. They also have expansion in their plans.
“We’re going to add the wonderful Asian cuisine of Flushing and within a few months of that we’ll start a tour in the Rockaways because they’re still feeling the effects from Hurricane Sandy and the tour should help their business,” Mumith said.
The two partners spent a year preparing for Local Finds: Queens Food Tours’ roll-out.
“We covered every corner of the borough so we could figure out which tours would be the most popular,” Mumith said. “You can tell because I’m 80 pounds heavier now.”
Reach reporter Bill Parry by e-mail at bparry@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4538.
