This Fast Food Page Was Most Recently Updated: Monday
August 27th 2012
FringeNYC-Area 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 Venues 12 & 13, The Cherry Lane Theatre & 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 Venues
10 & 11, The
Players Theatre and The Steve & Marie Sgouros Theatre, enjoy what's
arguably the best pizza in NYC from Artichoke
Pizza at 111 MacDougal Street (between West 3rd Street and Bleecker). You
won't go wrong with any choice, but I especially like the Sicilian squares;
and the signature artichoke slices are like nothing you've experienced
before...
Also check
out the slew of other 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 East
Village for Venues 2-9 (all within a few blocks of East 4th Street),
stroll along 6th Street between Second and First Avenues for a small town's
worth of Indian and other ethnic restaurants. Among my favorites are Indian
palace Mitali
East (334 East 6th
Street) and Ethiopian eatery Awash (338
6th Street).
When down in the East
Village's Alphabet City to catch shows at Venue 2, 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.
When seeing shows
at Venue 15, The New
School for Drama, visit The Magnolia Bakery at 401 Bleecker Street (corner
West 11th Street; 212/462-2572; open Sunday-Thursday 9:00 am - 11:30 pm and
Friday-Saturday 9:00 am -12:30 am). This house
of treats is world-famous for its irresistible cupcakes. It also makes deliciously creamy cakes, sold
by the slice.
When in the Lower
East Side for Venue 1, The Living Theatre, 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).
In addition, be sure to check the bottom half of your FringeNYC
Venue Guide Map. You'll find 19 restaurants providing extras and/or
discounts ranging from 10% to 15%. Among the most notable are Cucina Di
Pesce (at 87 East 4th Street, right next door to Venue 7 and across the
street from Venue 8), which is offering 15% off its Italian dishes that are
relatively inexpensive to begin with (I especially like both the meat and vegetarian
lasagnes, which are very filling and satisfying); and Jimmy's No. 43, which
is the only bar restaurant that's
also a FringeNYC theatre! (Venue 4, at 43 East 7th Street).
Please also note that the HERE theatres (Venues 18 & 19) include
a cafe offering drinks and food; and the Soho Playhouse theatres (Venues 16
& 17) will happily serve you drinks downstairs both before and after shows.
The latter is especially nice because the performers and other creators often
hang out at the bar post-show, giving you an opportunity to interact with them
in a casual setting.
None of these vendors 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.
