Midtown Lunch

Still worth it for $10? I say yes.
A few weeks ago I did a post detailing how, despite all the hype and PR, none of the new school vendors are really making any money. Need proof? Well, here it is. After an insane week that included winning the Rookie of the Year Vendy Award, [...]

Just got this email from Ali Issa, one of the organizers from the Street Vendor Project: “I thought I would inform you that Ms. Jaramillo, the hot dog vendor at 43rd and 6th, has gotten her cart back and will be returning to her spot today at noon (accompanied by one of our intern Josh, [...]

The New York Daily News is the latest media outlet to write about street vending as a legitimate money making opportunity, in an article in their money section yesterday.  They’re following in the footsteps of countless other publications who have written trend pieces about the explosion in street vending here in New York City (including [...]

Remember when the Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Truck came to Midtown for one day last October? That didn’t last long. It took them almost a year to try again… but the result ended up being the same. I guess the Mister Softee trucks haven’t completely left for the season yet. *Sigh*  Just [...]

Speaking of vendor issues, if you are a street food lover (or vendor) you should show your support by coming to the Astor Center this Sunday night at 6pm. Sean Basinski (from the Street Vendor Project) will be hosting a street vending panel featuring me, Ed Levine (from Serious Eats), and Kim Ima (from the [...]

If you’ve ever wondered exactly what it is the Street Vendor Project does (besides throw the Vendy Awards every year) here’s a prime example of them in action. With one week to go before their biggest fund-raising event of the year, they are going to court this morning to fight for the hot dog lady [...]

Such a sad sad sight on 43rd street yesterday afternoon, after two carts were carted off by the cops and the El Rey Del Sabor fled the scene. We haven’t been able to find out exactly why the carts were taken away, but if it was because of the “No Standing” sign on that block, [...]

Photo of 43rd btw. 6+B’way Taken on Monday
Whoa… this just in courtesy of EJVallejo: “Looks like cops are confiscating one or both of carts involved in Vendor Fight on 43rd & 6th.” “All carts removed including hot dog lady. Cops said they were breaking zoning & ordinance laws.” Just spoke to Olivia from the [...]

I wanted to play down the Portland carts vs. New York City carts part of this morning’s post about Mayor Bloomberg, but in typical underdog fashion dieselboi from Food Carts Portland is looking to turn it into a fight “discussion”. The truth is, some arguments aren’t even worth having- and I think this might be [...]

The Mayor & Contessa Brewer Eating Street Meat. Photo Courtesy of Eater.
Who would have guessed it but the mayor likes spicy street food! Eater reported on Friday that Mayor Bloomberg visited the Calexico Cart down in SoHo and enjoyed a steak burrito extra spicy while being interviewed by NBC.  According to this article in [...]