Archive for 'Vendy Awards'

The Vendy Awards Kept the Threatening Weather At Bay

All those attending the 11th annual Vendy Awards this past weekend were praying for good weather. The forecasters told us our prayers would be ignored and threatened thunderstorms all day. Miraculously, street food won out and the day ended up being full of food, celebration, and pleasant weather.

Read more »

Video Break: Vendy Award Nominee Old Traditional Polish Cuisine

If you didn’t get your tickets for the Vendy Awards tomorrow, you’re out of luck. As we told you, tickets would sell out and they did earlier this week.

No fear, you can still sample the food from all the Rookie of the Year nominees since they all have at least one regular rotation day in Midtown. We’ve been posting videos on all the nominees, so check out the droolworthy souvlaki from Lil Zeus Lunch Box, pork belly buns and popcorn chicken from Kaya NYC, southeast Asian tacos from Coney Shack, and tomato poached egg sandwiches and platters from The Shuka Truck. And if you want to see videos on the other categories, click here.

Today, we’re showcasing the final nominee. Old Traditional Polish Cuisine serves just what it’s name says. Giant grilled kielbasa are incredibly smoky and crisp and make a filling, hearty meal when paired with pierogies stuffed with meat, cheese, or potato. Follow them on Twitter to find out when they’ll be in Midtown next.

Click the link below to check out the video. If you’ll be at the Vendys, get ready for some serious eating and if not, don’t forget to buy your Vendy tickets early next year!

Old Traditional Polish Cuisine

Video Break: Vendy Award Nominee The Shuka Truck

The Vendy Awards get closer every week. Do you have your tickets to the big event on September 12? It will definitely sell out (as it always does), but you can still purchase them by clicking here. It’s an amazing afternoon with food from over 25 different vendors.

We’ve been showcasing videos on all the Rookie of the Year nominees. Regardless of who wins, it will be a coup for Midtown since all five nominees find their way to this neighborhood. The other videos already posted include Taiwanese buns from Kaya NYC, overstuffed tacos from Coney Shack, and Greek street food from Lil Zeus Lunch Box.

The next nominee is The Shuka Truck, who serves large sandwiches and platters of shakshuka. This Israeli dish is basically eggs poached in tomato sauce and spices. Shuka Truck also offers varieties like a vegetable-forward green and an earthy creamy white shakshuka. They usually park in Midtown three times a week, but check their Twitter feed for exact locations.

Click the link below to check out the video and stay tuned for one more video next week on the final Rookie of the Year nominee as we count down to the 11th annual Vendy Awards.

The Shuka Truck

More Vendy Nominees Announced (Plus Lil Zeus Lunch Box Video)

All the Vendy Award nominees are now in. Yesterday, the Street Vendor Project announced the nominees for Vendy Cup (FiDi’s Biryani House, the burger truck Hard Times Sundaes, Cantonese steamed rice noodle cart Guandong Cheong Fun, Astoria’s Souvlaki Lady, and last year’s Rookie of the Year winner Snowday).

They also announced an exciting new category which is Best Street Drink. You’ll be able to try drinks as diverse as coconut smoothies, unqiue lemonades, morir soñando, and champurrado (a hot Mexican chocolate drink).

As for the previous announced categories, we are fortunate to have many Midtown vendors represented, so over the next few weeks we’ll be showcasing them in video form. And no doubt, the videos will make you eager to attend the big event on September 12. Tickets are still on sale here.

To start with, check out this mouthwatering video on Rookie of the Year nominee Lil Zeus Lunch Box, who parks on 50th and 6th Avenue every day and grills up some mighty tasty gyros and souvlaki.

Lil Zeus Lunch Box Video>>

Vendy Awards Release Some Major Nominees

Do you have your tickets yet for the Vendy Awards on September 12? Yesterday the Street Vendor Project released the nominees in three of the categories to give you an idea of just how delicious this event will be.

The Rookie of the Year nominees are almost completely comprised of vendors that hang out in Midtown. Coney Shack is the new Korean-taco truck making the rounds, Lil Zeus Lunch Box has been a popular Midtown West lunch option since they opened in March, Old Traditional Polish represents an under-represented cuisine in these parts, Shuka Truck serves fresh, filling Middle Eastern egg sandwiches and platters, and Kaya NYC has made a quick appearance in Midtown with their gua bao but mostly hang out downtown and in Dumbo.

The Dessert finalists however have mostly not visited Midtown yet. Doughnuttery does have a kiosk at Broadway Bites, but Squish Marshmallows (with unqiue flavors), Butter & Scotch (boozy desserts), Booqoo Beignets (with New Orleans-inspired dipping sauces), and Play J Ice Cream (serving ice cream in a J shaped cone) all sound like they’d be an incredible addition to the dessert scene here.

And finally the Market vendors are the most diverse category yet. The nominees are Burmese Bites, Gumbo Bros, Home Frites, Karl’s Balls (takoyaki), and the recently revived Carnitas El Atorodera.

There are more nominees to still be revealed, but this is shaping up to be an exciting Vendy season. If you haven’t purchased your tickets yet, you can still get them here or try your luck at entering the contest to be a Citizen Judge. Either way, you’ll want to bring your appetite to Governor’s Island on September 12.

Become A Citizen Judge at This Year’s Vendy Awards

We know all of you have opinions (we read them in the comments), especially when it comes to food. Now’s your chance to really let your voice be heard.

The nominees for the 11th Annual Vendy Awards will be announced in the coming weeks, but before then, Gothamist is giving you a chance win a seat at the judge’s table at the event on September 12. To enter, you need to take a photo of your favorite plate of street food and post it with the hashtag: #VendyCitizenJudge. You can enter as many times as you’d like, but you get points for doing it at Vendy Plaza (which is like a mini-Vendy Awards every Sunday in Harlem) or including iconic NYC backdrops.

Even if you don’t win the grand prize, they are picking runner-ups every week which will earn you a pair of free tickets to the big day. All the details for the contest are on their website. If you don’t trust your photo skills, tickets are now on sale here.

A Little Rain Can’t Keep the 10th Annual Vendy Awards Down

Vendy Awards

The annual Vendy Awards commenced this past weekend with typical fanfare – the live bands played with gusto, the crowd happily munched on food and sipped beer & wine, a mob of volunteers ushered in order and cleanliness, and an eclectic gathering of vendors busted their ass and served some seriously amazing food. This could have been any Vendy award, other than the fact that this festival marked its 10 year anniversary, and that for the first time in this writer’s memory, Mother Nature paid a visit.
Read more »

Prepare For the Vendy Awards By Joining Our Final Week of Lunch Rush Tours

The Vendy Awards are less than a week away. If you have not purchased your tickets, now is the time because they will sell out. Too late!  They’re gone…

After three weeks of street meat, sandwich, and spicy tours, we are dedicating our last offical week of the Lunch Rush Tours to current Vendy nominees and previous winners. Each day you will get to sample three tastings from honored carts and trucks, hear their stories, and learn all about the Vendy Awards and the Street Vendor Project (who get a proceeds of the ticket purchases).

Today’s tour is around 6th Avenue in the 40’s, Tuesday is on Park Avenue in the 40’s and 50’s, and Wednesday is in the Financial District. All tours start at 1pm and run just under an hour, so there’s plenty time to get back to the office.

This is a great way to whet your appetite for the Vendy’s 10th anniversary celebration on Saturday and a fun way to spend your lunch hour. While this week is the last official week of tours, we will be offering them in the future for private office groups. It’s an awesome team building event or just a fun way to get out of your usual lunch routine. Tickets for this week and more information on future customizable tours can be found at the Turnstile Tours website.

Final Vendy Award Nominees Announced!


The Vendy Awards are almost upon us and yesterday the final nominees were announced. Competing for the Vendy Cup, are five very different vendors. An old time Vendy and ML favorite who has never won the big award is Cinnamon Snail, along with last year’s Rookie of the Year Nuchas; a previous regular in Midtown who now mostly vends in Soho and Brooklyn, Desi Food Truck; El Rey del Taco a family run business out in Astoria; and the legendary Lechonera La Pirana, a machete yielding meat man who specializes in Puerto Rican lechon. The competition just got real. Tickets are still available for the September 13 event and can be purchased here or you can enter to be a Citizen judge by sharing your food photos.

Want to Be A Vendy Awards Judge? Here’s How…

Our favorite event of the year is only two weeks away, and to celebrate their 10th Anniversary the Vendy Awards are choosing their “Citizen Judge” a little differently this year. Want it to be you? All you have to do is submit a photo of your favorite street food tagged with #VendyCitizenJudge and @VendyAwards on Twitter or Instagram, and you’re entered to win. Entries will be collected between now and September 4th and the winner will be chosen by our founder Zach Brooks, in collaboration with the Vendys, on September 8th. The winner will receive a ticket to the Vendy Awards and a seat on the judging panel. (Transport is not included.)

Make sure you follow @VendyAwards on either Twitter or Instagram so they can direct message you if you are a winner. And we’ll see you at the Vendys on September 13th!