Midtown Lunch

Got this in the old inbox re: this morning’s eulogy to Fashion Soup: “I know someone very close to the landlord of 1440 Bway (Fashion Soup building) – here’s their side of the story – it was typical lease renewal dispute. The Fashion Soup lease was up, she (the owner) wanted generous relocation terms (e.g. 6 months notice to break lease and move out), and the building wouldn’t give them to her. They say she also seemed tired of running the business due to razor thin margins and lack of summer customer flow and is unlikely to relocate (thus the fire sale of the equipment). Two sides to every story I suppose, and I hate to see an independent with a good product give up, but that’s business.”

At the beginning of the month we reported the sad news that Fashion Soup (on 41st btw. 6+B’way) had closed. Last week Lunch’er Kay sent in this email detailing the final days of the Midtown soup institution.

“I read your article in the NY Times just today and thought I’d tell you what little I know about Fashion Soup, which was my favorite lunchtime destination (I work at 7 Times Square, just down the block from the place). On a Tuesday at the end of May, I went there for lunch and found a sign outside, and a big truck parked on the street in front, saying they were auctioning off all the fixtures. I went inside and all the tureens, pots, etc., were lined up clean as a whistle and being sold. It was my thought that perhaps they were going out of business because of the economy, because not so many people wanted hot soup as it got to be summer.”

Read more »

It’s only fitting that with Fashion Week set to leave Bryant Park next year, Fashion Soup (on 41st btw. 6+B’way) would run into some problems of their own. Anybody know what’s going on with this place? They were closed last Friday (the 22nd), and then again yesterday. The last time specials were posted to their website was on Friday the 29th, and nobody is answering their phone. There doesn’t seem to be any problems with the DOH, so what’s the deal? Anybody eat at Fashion Soup recently? Or have some info? Post it in the comments…

Update in the Comments: “It appears they are selling all of there store supplies so… this place is history. On a side note if your in need of a really big pot or spoon you can stop by and probably get a good deal..”

It’s been awhile since I’ve been to Fashion Soup, a really good take out place on 41st btw. 6th & Broadway featuring tasty soups homemade by its Eastern European owner (who also works in the store during the day.) Seeing as it’s Fashion Week, I thought I’d drop by and see what was going on. In addition to being curious about changes, I was also secretly interested in seeing if business changed considering the influx of fashionable peoples under tents, half an avenue away in Bryant Park.

What I found was a big surprise…  Read more »

Continuing our Fashion Week theme, I decided to give the full +/- treatment to a place I discovered on Friday, and mentioned briefly in yesterday’s post.  Walking back to work from taking pictures of ‘wichcraft for my Fashion Week guide to Midtown Lunch, I randomly stumbled upon this weird little soup place- and based on the name alone, and what was going on half a block away in Bryant Park, I figured I had to check it out.  As big and strange as NYC is, it really is a small world.  Coincidentally enough, I ran into a friend of mine from college who I’ve maybe seen twice in the past 7 years, who was picking up lunch in the weird soup place.. so I asked him if it was any good, and on his recommendation I decided to check it out.

Whatever pre-conceived notion you might have about a place called “Fashion Soup Corp” it’s definitely wrong.  There’s nothing about this place that is fashionable (unless you count the fashion magazines strewn around the counter for patrons to read).  It’s actually so bare bones, you wouldn’t be surprised to hear that they opened up just for Fashion Week attendees once a year (like those Halloween stores in the mall)… but that is not the case.  Fashion Soup has been on 41st St. btw. 6th & Broadway for years- and the brother and sister duo who run it make a delicious array of homemade soups, sandwiches, quesadillas and empanadas for a menu that changes every single day.

What I got, and the +/- after the jump…

Read more »