Midtown Lunch

The nominees for best dessert vendor were just announced for the 2009 Vendy Awards. The Wafels and Dinges Truck and the Dessert Truck were both nominated for a second year in a row, although the Dessert Truck won’t be able to participate because of everything on their plate.  The Cupcake Stop Truck and the Big [...]

Well, considering all the negative comments the Rickshaw Dumpling Truck has gotten from Midtown Lunchers since opening last year I can’t say I’m completely surprised by the reaction to their Vendy Award nomination.  While some might be upset because Rickshaw is an offshoot of a restaurant, or not really the type of vendor that represents [...]

The finalists for the 2009 Vendy Awards have been announced, and Midtown Lunchers should recognize at least 3 out of 5 of the nominees!  (I can’t get too excited because I’m a judge this year, and have to be completely impartial.  But that doesn’t mean you can’t jump up and down, and do a dance…)  [...]

Speaking of vendors, you have two more days to nominate your favorite for inclusion in the 2009 Vendy Awards taking place September 26th at the Queens Museum of Art. (Tix still available here.) Normally this is where I’d casually suggest some of my favorite vendors… but I’m a judge this year so I have to [...]

From the Vendy Award website: “We just received the sad news that Mario Batali has an unexpected conflict and can’t be part of this year’s Vendys – but hopes to join us next year. We will keep you posted as we get more information.” The Street Meat Palooza 2 deal still stands, though.

Could this year’s Vendy Awards get any better?  Not only did I sucker them into letting me be a judge, now I get to do it alongside Mario Batali!  That of course is in addition to Jaques Torres, Pichet Ong, and citizen judge (and profiled Midtown Luncher) Mina Fasolo.  And you still have time to [...]

This morning the Vendy Awards announced the identity of their first ever “Citizen Judge”, drawn randomly from everybody who had purchased special early bird tickets to this year’s event. There’s going to be another exciting judge announcement later this week, so you might want to buy your tickets now before they all sell out (and [...]

Some people start blogs to get a real writing gig, or a book deal.  Some do it to get invited to events and openings and score free food.  My only dream in starting Midtown Lunch was that one day I would get to be a judge at the Vendy Awards (the Academy Awards for street [...]

Remember the pamphlet/fold-out-poster the Street Vendor Project handed out to street vendors back in March?  (If you missed it we posted the PDF here.) It had a ton of factoids that any fan of street food would find pretty interesting (for example, did you know the average NYC vendor salary is $14,000 year, and Jerry [...]

The Street Vendor Project, which organizes the annual Vendy Awards, has created a new pamphlet for street vendors and is looking for your help handing them out. This Saturday (March 28th) from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. they are organizing a city wide distribution extravaganza and are looking for volunteers to help hand out the newly [...]