2012 Vendy Awards finalists - Queens represents!

Image source: Vendy Awards

The Vendy Awards, now in their eighth year, has some Queens vendors in their Vendy Cup Contenders, not surpringly. We know Queens has some of the best street food out there, and we’re pleased that the Vendy Awards has chosen to recognize them.

The Queens finalists are Kasam, Zahir & Salem Mashriqi of Hamza and Madina Halal Foods, who make chicken and lamb gyros (which, in their minds, stand out because of the Afghan spices), and believe their white sauce is the best out there; they operate at the Queens/Nassau border. Then there’s Galdino Molinero of Tortas Nezas, whose sandwiches are legendary in the Queens street food scene, and each one of the tortas is named after a different Mexican football team; he operates on 111th Street and Roosevelt Ave. Additionally, Nicholas Karagiorgos of the Uncle Gussy’s truck is from Astoria but sets up shop in Manhattan (Park and 51st). He thinks his tzatziki is awesome (his secret is the addition of sour cream, a non-traditional ingredient in tzatziki but he love the way it works).

The Vendy Awards will crown the winner – the best street food vendor in NYC – on Saturday, September 15, from 12:30-5pm on Governor’s Island. The public can attend, but get your tickets soon – the events tends to sell out (early bird tickets are already gone). While you’re there, you get to try all the food from the different carts that are finalists, and help determine the People’s Taste Award.