FOUNDER · LICENSED NYC SIGHTSEEING GUIDE

Dante Mercadante

Chief Eating Officer at Nice Guy Tours

Dante has been a licensed New York City sightseeing guide since 2012. In the fall of 2014 he founded Nice Guy Tours to prove that New Yorkers really are nice, and that the best way to meet the city is one bite at a time. A Yonkers native with a background in stand-up comedy and acting, he has led thousands of guests through the Village, the Lower East Side, Astoria and beyond.

“You will leave full, learn something, and have fun.”

DANTE'S THREE GUARANTEES

2012

Licensed NYC guide

2014

Founded Nice Guy Tours

150+

NYC pizza shops tasted

3

Game shows as a contestant

MEET THE NICE GUY

The guy behind the tours

Dante became a guide by chance and stayed for the joy of sharing great food with people from around the globe. He folded what he learned on stage into a sightseeing license, and in 2014 Nice Guy Tours was born: a company built to celebrate the city, its people, its culture and its food.

“Prior to having this job, when people would say ‘I really love my job’, I didn’t believe them or think it was possible. Now, I look forward to work every day.”

His favorite route is the Greenwich Village tour, winding through the West Village with stops for the food and the stories behind it. Off the clock you will find him with his kids, or cheering on the Yankees, Knicks and Bills.

“There are no strangers here; only friends you haven’t met yet.”

Fun facts about Dante

AS FEATURED IN

CNBC

Tasting Table

lohud

TravelAge West

Travel Off Path

Channel 13

FROM THE BLOG

Articles by Dante

1 Jun 2026

The Oldest Wooden House in Greenwich Village: The Real Story Behind 17 Grove Street

20 May 2026

MacDougal Street in Greenwich Village: Music History, Food, Nightlife, and What to See Today

15 May 2026

Cafe Wha? NYC: The Greenwich Village Stage Where Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix Got Their Start

5 May 2026

Orchard Street in NYC: What Makes It the Heart of the Lower East Side

1 May 2026

Taco Mahal NYC: The Indian-Mexican Fusion Story Behind a Greenwich Village Food Tour Stop

24 Apr 2026

The Tenement Museum in NYC: History, Stories, and Life on the Lower East Side

23 Mar 2026

The Friends Apartment Building in NYC: Location, History, and What to Expect

18 Mar 2026

The Best Restaurants in the Lower East Side

14 Mar 2026

The Narrowest House in NYC: Where It Is, Why It Exists, and What to Know Before You Visit

5 Mar 2026

Lower East Side Landmarks: 9 Historic Sites Worth Visiting in NYC

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