Midtown Lunch

If you’ve tried to get your fix from Sam’s Falafel or one of the halal or breakfast carts on Cedar St. at Zuccotti Park you may have said “Screw it,” once you encountered the crowds and police barricades. The vendors are still there although their customers have been whittled away since the protestors have their own (free) food source and they are all camped out where people such as myself used to eat lunch. The Street Vendor Project is trying to help the vendors in the park, and across the street lining Broadway and Liberty streets, who have seen their revenue take a dive. Find out how to help after the jump.

Read more »

As is customary here on Midtown Lunch, every Tuesday we’ll profile a different lunch’er and get their recommendations for places to eat in Downtown NYC. This week, we have Dave who was a late bloomer in the falafel cart department.

Name: Dave L.

At the beginning of June, Lane Cafe & Deli on Maiden Lane (nr. William) was closed by a fire and it looks like they’re back open for business. I know a lot of people are fans of this place, or at least the hot food counter in the back, so hopefully everything is as it was.

When the Frying Dutchmen truck first launched they only sold one item: Belgian fries in either regular or sweet potato varieties. The hook was they had a bunch of dipping sauces, but as I discovered, although their fries are delicious it’s hard to shell out more than $5 for fried potatoes. A while later they added chicken wings to the mix, then some chicken sandwiches and the latest innovation is burgers which naturally go very well with fries. They used to park in the Financial District a lot but either due to parking issues or lack of interest they’re largely found elsewhere these days although they do stop in Soho at least once a week (they’re at Varick & King today). That’s where I caught up with them to see if their other food offerings were any good.

Read more »

This is what lunch at OWS looks like. Courtesy of FitR.

• A new bakery with some lunch items opened on Spring St. [Eater NY]
• Looks like Nam is closed and there’s already something opening there. [Tribeca Citizen]
• Even a bad Alidoro sandwich is good. [Lunch Studio]
• Lunch at OWS is free, but not gourmet. [Fork in the Road]
• Five Guys has a cheap grilled cheese sandwich. [Serious Eats NY]
• Torrisi’s Parm offshoot will have a calamari alert light. [Grub St.]