NEW YORK CITY — Foodies on the move rejoice: the finalists for the eigth annual Vendy Awards have been chosen.
Six finalists were chosen this week for the awards, an annual competition between the best street vendors in the city. The competition pits food trucks and carts against each other to determine who serves up the best city street eats.
This year, Queens notched three finalists, the most of any borough, with Hamza and Madina's MIddle Eastern Halal Food by the Mashriqi family from Glen Oaks, Uncle Gussy's Greek truck run by Nicholas Karagiorgos from Astoria and Galdino Molinero's Mexican Tortas Nezas truck in Corona nabbing spots.
Manhattan had two finalists, the Asian-fusion Xin Jiang Prosperity Kebabs run by Pang Gil Hwa in Chinatown and Adam Sobel's Cinnamon Snail, a vegan food and pastry truck which runs all over Manhattan and in Jersey City.
The Piaztlan Authentic Mexican food truck from the Red Hook ballfields, run by Eleazar Perez, was the lone Brooklyn finalist.
Last year's champion, Solber Pupusas, was from Brooklyn.
This year, a special "Most Heroic Vendor" award was given to Bay Ridge vendor Sammy Kassem, who stood his ground in the neighborhood despite pressure from brick and mortar restaurants to push him out, according to the event's website.
The Vendys will be awarded on Sep. 15 on Governors Island, from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. A complete list of finalists and cuisines can be found on the event's offical website.
