
Sarah Simmons
Based in Columbia, SC // Denver, CO // NYC // Hokkaido, Japan
English, Japanese
Sarah Simmons
Ask me about
My Story
Named as a finalist for the 2023 James Beard Foundation award for “Outstanding Restaurateur,” Sarah Simmons is the CEO of CITY GRIT Hospitality Group, the founder of the CITY GRIT brand and the Director of Magic at CITY GRIT Travel.
Travel Style
CITY GRIT, a lifestyle brand for culinary enthusiasts, started with a mission to find and share under-the-radar chefs and spots from all around America with the food fanatics in NYC. As the brand evolved, it grew from featuring new chefs in a dining room in Nolita to introducing eager eaters to these chefs in their own dining rooms around the world. Team CITY GRIT loves craft cocktails, grower champagnes, small-batch wines, strong bourbon and even stronger coffee, speakeasy scenes and dive bars, noodle joints, omakase & tasting menus that are not stale and boring. We love adventures, especially ones with snacks or opportunities to connect with their inner chef. We love farmers markets and farmers {the unsung heroes of eating adventures}, winemakers {hey, they’re farmers, too!} and all of the people who make magic happen so CITY GRIT can make your travel dreams come true.
Reviews (25)
Jasmine M.
a month ago
This was our first time in Nara and our visit exceeded our expectations. Sarah suggested an itinerary full of her favorite places and we loved having a variety of places we knew we could enjoy depending on where we were and what mood we were in at the time. Sarah also recommended an early stroll through Nara Park and it was a joy to walk through the park in the quiet hours before the other tourists started streaming in. We finished our walk at the Todaiji Temple at 8am, just in time for the temple to open and have the entire space to ourselves (note: if you want to go into all the temples, several of them won't open until 8:30 or 9 so you may want to check hours if going inside certain temples is a priority for you). Sarah also had an extensive primer on the Nara temples so it was easy to prepare ourselves for our self-guided journeying. Sarah knows all the good places to go so having her favorites at hand was key to our enjoyment of our trip! Cannot recommend her services enough!
Hunter C.
a month ago
Sarah is one of the most amazing people I know, and I am so grateful for her help in my travels.
Mei L.
a month ago
I’d rate the booking experience with Sarah Simmons as 10/10 — seamless, professional, and genuinely thoughtful from start to finish. Communication was clear and prompt, every detail was handled proactively, and the entire process felt easy and well-organized, which made the experience feel elevated and stress-free. It’s the kind of hospitality that builds real trust and makes you want to book again.
Mei L.
a month ago
I’d rate the booking experience with Sarah Simmons as 10/10 — seamless, professional, and genuinely thoughtful from start to finish. Communication was clear and prompt, every detail was handled proactively, and the entire process felt easy and well-organized, which made the experience feel elevated and stress-free. It’s the kind of hospitality that builds real trust and makes you want to book again.
James J.
4 months ago
My booking experience with Sarah Simmons was absolutely phenomenal. From start to finish, she handled every detail with precision, care, and genuine thoughtfulness. Sarah anticipated my needs before I even mentioned them she made the process effortless and elevated what could’ve been a standard stay into something exceptional. Every recommendation she made, from the hotel to the small touches throughout my trip, hit the mark perfectly.
She has a remarkable talent for blending professionalism with personal flair you can tell she truly loves what she does. If there were six stars to give, she’d earn them. I can’t recommend working with Sarah enough she’s the definition of first class service.
Jasmine M.
a month ago
This was our first time in Nara and our visit exceeded our expectations. Sarah suggested an itinerary full of her favorite places and we loved having a variety of places we knew we could enjoy depending on where we were and what mood we were in at the time. Sarah also recommended an early stroll through Nara Park and it was a joy to walk through the park in the quiet hours before the other tourists started streaming in. We finished our walk at the Todaiji Temple at 8am, just in time for the temple to open and have the entire space to ourselves (note: if you want to go into all the temples, several of them won't open until 8:30 or 9 so you may want to check hours if going inside certain temples is a priority for you). Sarah also had an extensive primer on the Nara temples so it was easy to prepare ourselves for our self-guided journeying. Sarah knows all the good places to go so having her favorites at hand was key to our enjoyment of our trip! Cannot recommend her services enough!
Hunter C.
a month ago
Sarah is one of the most amazing people I know, and I am so grateful for her help in my travels.
Mei L.
a month ago
I’d rate the booking experience with Sarah Simmons as 10/10 — seamless, professional, and genuinely thoughtful from start to finish. Communication was clear and prompt, every detail was handled proactively, and the entire process felt easy and well-organized, which made the experience feel elevated and stress-free. It’s the kind of hospitality that builds real trust and makes you want to book again.
Mei L.
a month ago
I’d rate the booking experience with Sarah Simmons as 10/10 — seamless, professional, and genuinely thoughtful from start to finish. Communication was clear and prompt, every detail was handled proactively, and the entire process felt easy and well-organized, which made the experience feel elevated and stress-free. It’s the kind of hospitality that builds real trust and makes you want to book again.
Travel photos



