This Page Was Most Recently Updated: Monday August 15th 2011
Fast Food Recommendations
Opinions about fast food are way more
subjective than theatre reviews. That said, if you're seeking quick nourishment
before racing to your next show, here are some personal favorite eateries
located in FringeNYC venue neighborhoods:
When in the lower
West Village for Venue 18, The
Studio at Cherry Lane, check
out Bleecker Street Pizza, which is at 69 7th Avenue
South (off Bleecker Street; 212/924-4466; typically open until 2:00 am).
Not only is this place better than both John's and Joe's (the two other
pizza giants in the neighborhood), I'd argue it's the best thin-crust
pizza in Manhattan.
Another notable pizza place in the area is Keste
Pizza and Vino at 271 Bleecker
Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues; 212/243-1500). Its fluffy bread base and
simple toppings are a return to traditional Neapolitan pizza...and delicious.
You have to buy an entire pie, not just a slice, but you can order it to go.
Also nearby is the West Village branch
of Amy's Bread at 250 Bleecker Street (between 6th
and 7th Avenues; 212/675-7802),
which offers a variety of crusty, chewy bread, plus such other treats
as richly creamy cupcakes and cakes. In addition, the store carries 20
different types of delicious healthy sandwiches, made fresh every day.
When catching productions at Venue
16, The
Players Theatre, check
out the slew of fun ethnic restaurants running along MacDougal between West
3rd Street and Bleecker. Among my favorites is The
Kati Roll Company (99 MacDougal Street), which provides spicy mixtures
of chicken, lamb, beef, cheese, or potatoes rolled
in Indian flatbread. The rolls are served within about five minutes of your
order, available for eat-in or
take-out, and are satisfying and delicious.
When in the Lower
East Side for Venue 5, Dixon Place, you'll find some of the best jelly
donuts in the city at the Donut Plant, 379 Grand
Street (between Essex and Norfolk Streets). The store is additionally
a Village Voice pick for its churros (elongated
Mexican donuts sprinkled with granular sugar). Donut Plant is open Tuesday
through Sunday, from 6:30 am until it sells out its hard-to-resist wares (typically
between 5:00 pm and 7:00 pm).
Another favorite—which
just happens to be on the same block—is Kossar's, a NYC institution for its
authentic Jewish bagels and wonderful giant bialys. It's mere seconds
away from Donut Plant at 367 Grand Street (phone: 877-4-BIALYS). Kossar's
is open Monday-Thursday, 6:00 am - 8:00 pm; and Friday, 6:00 am - 5:00
pm (at which point it closes for the Sabbath).
When in the East
Village for Venues 6-12 (clustered along 4th Street, and mostly off Second
Avenue), stroll along
6th Street between Second and First Avenues for a small town's worth
of Indian restaurants. Among my favorites is Mitali
East (334 East 6th
Street).
When down in the East
Village's Alphabet City to catch shows at Venue 7, the
Connelly Theater, visit Butter
Lane Cupcakes at 123 East 7th Street (between
1st Avenue and Avenue A). Offering such delicious flavors as chocolate, cherry,
and grapefruit/ginger cream on banana bread, chocolate, or vanilla foundations
(your choice), the store charges $3 per cupcake or $16 for a box of six. It's
open from Sunday-Thursday from 11:00 am to 10:00 pm, and Friday & Saturday
from 11:00 am to midnight.
And if you're coming from a late show, pop
into Gracefully at 28 Avenue A (between 2nd and 3rd Streets),
which is a savvy gourmet grocery store that's open 24/7. It offers such
treats as mini-mud cakes, mini-mousse cakes, packaged chocolate truffles,
packaged health food sandwiches, and a fine assortment of healthy breads.
In addition, be sure to check the bottom half of your FringeNYC
Venue Guide Map. You'll find over a dozen eateries providing discounts ranging
from 10% to 20%—with some exclusive to FringeNYC audiences.
None of these stores have any idea I'm
saying this, by the way. But if you're hunting for
the best shows, you might as well consume the best fast food while you're at
it.
