Vendy Plaza

Lapin and I came here on Sunday as we heard many good things about the many vendors. We tried a couple of things but most of the stalls were either closing up or gone since we came pretty later (around 5pm). We got Puerto Rican food which Lapin enjoyed. He ate every piece of the pork and wanted to get more. We got the 2 chicken empanadas ($ 3 a piece) and the vendor was super nice. There was one stand selling spicy chicken empanadas for around $ 5-​$ 6 for one, which were good but they weren’t friendly. We shared a platter of fried fish and potato salad ($ 6) which was okay. The vendors were really nice but the fish was on the smaller end. Lapin got two beers but he wasn’t thrilled over it, they also have bottled water and canned soda for $ 1. The market has live band playing, a seating area and two portable bathrooms. The only downside is that there weren’t enough seats for everyone and some patrons bought food and beverages from home while taking up multiple seats just to listen to the live band.

Great selection of Puerto Rican, Mexican, Jamaican, Brazilian food and so much more. It reminded me of home and everything was affordable as well, especially compared to other food vendors in NY. One warning – music is VERY loud but definitely adds to the experience. Try a little bit of everything!

Dropped by July 2015 at 12:30 and learned the demos and beer garden were not ramped up yet (though the Plaza itself conveniently opens at 8 so you can sit&chat before food service begins). The parasols were a nice addition, and here’s what we sampled:
–The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen, LLC 2 small s’mores cookies were fine, but way overpriced at $ 5 (plus an awkward Square selfie rather than a logo)
–The Jugo! watermelon juice was OK
–The $ 5 picadita from Carnitas El Atoradero was mostly bones.
–Skipped both beignet shops — the cheaper one (3 for $ 4 was not yet frying at 12:45) and the other was insanely priced (3 tiny ones for $ 6).
«Vendy Plaza is an outdoor public market that runs every Sunday from 12−6pm!
Come join us for a curation of award winning finalists and freshly discovered local vendors serving food weekly at East Harlem’s open-​air market space at La Marqueta. Vendy Plaza will also feature a NY Craft Beer Garden featuring a weekly rotation of local breweries, and live music bringing to life the culture of El Barrio.»

This place, or event, was great. Once the live band started around 2−3pm things were really fun. The food is amazing and the beer is cold. i’d definitely go back.

Friends and I decided to forgo our usual boozy brunch and meet at Vendy Plaza and we were not disappointed. I was not sure what to expect as it is literally underneath the Metro North tracks which did make it very loud but otherwise it was a very New York experience. There was a package for 3 food tickets and a drink for $ 20 and you could get larger portions if you rather. We ate and drank for most of the afternoon, fun music was playing and topped it off with homemade toasted marshmallows for $ 1. The only downside is there is limited seating and it is very loud due to the trains directly overhead.

An amazing way to spend a Sunday. Vendy plaza is chalk full of authentic dishes from a range of cuisines. Where else can you get hand pressed tacos, bacon wrapped pork loin, fresh pressed juices and Korean skewers. $ 20 bucks will get you 3 – 4 large portions of food and beers are $ 5. The space is very lively as there is always live music and at times dancing. When I recently went there was an art installation on exhibit of hand decorated parasols hanging from the ceiling –beautiful. Will definitely be going back.

Authentic. The people making the Brazilian food are all from Brazil. The people making the Puerto Rican food are all from Puerto Rico. A machete will fly up in the air and slam down into roasted pork shoulder spattering little bits everywhere. Plus a few nouveau entrants like cupcakes and fresh squeezed cold pressed juice blends.
Assortment. About 15 – 20 different vendors. Including hand rolled cigars.
Affordable. $ 20 will get you one beer and three small-​medium plates of food.
Alcohol. The beer, cider, and wine are surprisingly good quality selections ($ 5) that you can carry around the entire space while tasting or sitting at some tables. This alone could be half the reason for going.
Atrium. The space is tall and open, an unusual tiered arrangement, painted and decorated with a lively feel. It’s sheltered from sun and rain, yet open air on the sides.
Acoustics. They have a live band. Latin tunes. One enthusiastic neighborhood guy standing off to the side brought his güiro and played along.

A friend from out of town asked for a place that served great local food and I was looking for a place that offered good vibes, and luckily Vendy Plaza had no shortage of either.
It’s located in East Harlem underneath the MetroNorth tracks, a no doubt unique location for a food market (and where you hope that some pesky pigeon isn’t secretly waiting in the wings ready to crap on your just purchased papusa), and despite being an almost hour-​long train ride from Brooklyn it was definitely worth the commute.
Upon entering, you’ll notice the difference between other NYC food markets almost immediately in that you’re not instantly pushed to the side by armies of strollers, almost run over by rude bikers, tripping over an insane number of dog leashes, or standing in a never-​ending line for french fries only to be told that they’ve run out once you’ve reached the front, and the prices are also pretty great. You could purchase something called the Taste Pass for $ 20 which allows you to get one beer and a sample of food from three different vendors, which is really convenient for those who just want to try a little of everything.
There’s fun salsa music blaring from the speakers, little old men and women getting up from their walkers to get down with their bad selves, and a stage set up for live music later on in the day, although I sadly didn’t stay long enough to witness it.
My only gripe is that despite being able to snag a table, my friend and I still had to stand to eat because there weren’t enough chairs for everyone, but it was just a minor inconvenience.
I’d definitely return to get the pernil and rice and peas ($ 8) from Lechonera La Piraña. It was delicious and flavorful, with an amazing crust provided by the spices, and was just no frills, down-​home Puerto Rican food that you can dig right in to. The owners are also so nice and gracious and really don’t skimp on the portion sizes. There are also fresh coconuts, pies in jars, samosas, lobster rolls, and so much more, so there’s something for everyone.
Vendy Plaza is the perfect place to dance, eat, drink, and be merry the next you find yourself up in East Harlem.

Very happy to have the Street Vendor Project putting together a regular market in the city. This project is going to bring more of the people’s food to the people, and help small businesses exist in NYC. An important organization, and to have more stuff happening in this area is great
I spent an afternoon here on the first weekend. It was cool with all the different levels, the music, and the food. When I got cold, I took a stroll in the building for a bit. Their contacts are going to continue to bring great vendors to the area.

what a way to end my sunday. great ride uptown on the train, delicious food, fascinating vendors (e.g., marie rose, who makes crepes that I’m going to return for before this ends in a couple weeks), festive atmosphere. who needs williamsburg when you have this event. thanks for organizing!

I go to the Vendy Awards every year, so I was very excited when the Vendy Plaza opened at La Marqueta.
La Marqueta is a very cool, tiered market under the Metro North Tracks in East Harlem. On Sundays, it becomes Vendy Plaza — with each tier filled with a mix of Vendy award winning food (think: Snow Day, Ice and Vice, Zha Pan arancini, Khao Man Ghai) and local East Harlem vendors (tamales, quesadillas and gorditas, crepes). All this with a great bar serving Brooklyn Brewery beer, wine, fancy sodas, and even mulled wine (the perfect thing to warm you up on a crisp but comfortable fall Sunday) — and live music.
The result: a unique opportunity to hang out in an amazing space and enjoy some of the best food vendors in New York City. I definitely recommend stopping by on a Sunday!

We missed the Vendy Awards this year, so we were excited to find out about Vendy Plaza! It was a super easy ride uptown on the express train and worth the trip!
They had some great award-​winning food trucks (it sounds like the vendors will be different every week) and some local Harlem favorites. Between 4 people we were able to try something from every vendor and two beers each for about $ 20 each. And everything was delicious! Oh, and there was live jazz, which was fun.
Also on the north side of La Marqueta there’s a plant market that had pumpkins and potted herbs and some really well priced ($ 2-​$ 6) air plants. A great way to check out a neighborhood I don’t get to that much and a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!