Everything You Need To Know About Smorgasburg 2019
If there is one thing I’m an expert on - it’s Smorgasburg.
In case you’ve never heard about it before, Smorgasburg is a weekly food market that hosts 100 vendors in different locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan (also in Washington DC and L.A but those locations are pretty out of reach for me). This isn’t your average food market, because every vendor here offers food that is out of the ordinary, delicious and extremely instagrammable. Where else do you think you’d be able to find a hot dog covered in glitter?
I promise that you won’t be able to try everything in one visit- your stomachs and wallets would cry. Nothing is too expensive and you are certainly getting your money’s worth at every vendor, but in order to truly enjoy as much as possible I highly suggest going with a friend and splitting an item per vendor.
Knowing this, there are certain vendors that first timers MUST try. Those are…
(pictured in order below)
The lines for these locations are usually the longest! So pro tip: have one friend stand on line while you go grab something else!
When you make your second visit, it’s time to take some more risks! If you’re searching for something savory, these are my favorites:
TRAMEZZINI
THE BLUE CHICKEN
PETISCO BRAZUCA
YAKISOBA NYC
J&E SMALL GOODS
BONCHOVIE
CHOFI BIRRIA
(pictured in order below)
TRAMEZZINI: My favorite thing at Tramezzini is their fried mozzarella. While they tend to switch up their selection, I promise anything you try will put a smile on your face. Most recently I tried the Truffle Mac and Cheese fried mozzarella and I can not WAIT to visit their actual store to have it again. While sometimes anything with truffle can intimidate me in fear that it’s too strong, this had the perfect hint of it and was not over stuffed to the point that I couldn’t finish it.
THE BLUE CHICKEN: The Blue Chicken is my FAVORITE place to get buffalo chicken, they know it and so does Smorgasburg. They are a new addition to Smorgasburg and have grown super popular for their chicken sandwiches and chicken served in waffle cones! Their sweet thai chili chicken is also amazing, but who doesn’t love buffalo chicken?! For the brave souls out there they also have chicken sandwiches that are SO HOT they make you sign a waver.
PETISCO BRAZUCA: Petisco Brazuca is known for their coxinhas (pronounced cosheenas), empanadas, and brigadeiro. Coxinhas are stuffed with various fillings. They have cheese, chicken, spinach, ducle de leche and nutella… yes… NUTELLA. My personal favorite is the one stuffed with cheese. Brigadeiro’s are little chocolate truffles and the best chocolate truffle I’ve ever had!! When I first tried them, I had the pleasure of meeting YouTuber Tim Explica who was making a video of customers reactions trying them! Go to 4:38 to watch my 15 minutes of fame ;)
YAKISOBA: Not only is Yakisoba’s squid super photogenic, but it’s also delicious! This plate is a hefty size so I definitely suggest sharing if you want room for more.
J&E SMALL GOODS: It’s impossible to walk past this stand without being mesmerized by their hot dogs, especially the one covered in a mysterious purple sauce and GLITTER…. which is extremely glamorous. It turns out that purple sauce is a form of mayonnaise and tastes SO GOOD. Coming from someone who’s a little picky when it comes to what I put mayo on, this was the perfect amount of flavor.
BONCHOVIE: What better way to enjoy calamari than in a cone?! This calamari is cooked to perfection and their sauces are amazing! This is also something I suggest sharing with someone.
CHOFI BIRRIA: Once I’ve had these tacos… no other tacos compared! As they explain on their Instagram, it’s a beef stew made of adobo consisting mainly of chile guajillo. The beef is braised and the corn tortilla is fried in the fat and broth from the stew filling it with cheese meat and garnishes. On the side they serve a cup of consome (broth) to dip and sip! Are you hungry yet?!
MOVING ON… if you’re craving something sweet, here are the spots to hit:
DOMI
BOANANAS
DULCINEA
WOWFULLS
RING DING BAR
THE GOOD BATCH
BONSAI KAKIGORI
(pictured in order below)
DOMI: Domi is one of the newest and cutest additions to Smorgasburg. They’re known for their perfectly decorated profiteroles (basically cream puffs) that come in various flavors! These little guys are packed with flavor and so pretty that you can’t help but take a picture.
BOANANAS: If you love banana pudding, this is the vendor for you! With one spoonful you can’t help but smile. There are a bunch of different flavors (even S’More!) and the one pictured above had strawberry chunks and the cutest macaroon. I even took two tubs home when I was done!
DULCINEA: You’ll see everyone walking around Smorgasburg with these unique churros! You can either get them in a cone with your choice of sauce, or with ice cream in between. No matter which one you choose you’ll be extremely satisfied. I suggest getting the ice cream sandwich.
WOWFULLS: Wowfulls always attracts a huge crowd. They’re egg waffle cone and ice cream combos are extremely photogenic, sweet and delicious. If you’ve never had it before you should definitely try it at Smogasburg, they also make just as sweet and elaborate milkshakes!
RING DING BAR: Ring Ding Bars are a classic dessert, but their taste is far from the usual. One crack into the outer shell and you’re in for a soft cake with a creamy filling. There are so many flavors to try and they have one to satisfy everyones sweet tooth, but the rainbow one is super photogenic. I suggest getting a bunch of flavors, cutting them in half and sharing with a friend so you have room to try more flavors!
THE GOOD BATCH: You can’t find ice cream sandwiches like these anywhere else! They also offer numerous flavors and switch some of them up weekly. I can’t help but go for the classic Goodwich: Oat Chocolate Chunk, Sea Salt, Drizzle Fudge, Vanilla Ice…. does that entice you enough? Well in case it didn’t they also have The Crispy: Caramel Rice Crispy Cookie, Vanilla Ice Cream.
BONSAI KAKIGORI: Just watching this shaved ice be prepared is mesmerizing enough, but the final product will really leave you speechless. They shave a block of ice and fill it with flavors and toppings, and it’s super refreshing! Perfect way to cool down on a hot Smorgasburg day.
While there are so many other vendors at Smorgasburg that are must tries, these are the ones that come to mind first when people ask me where to go. Hopefully this list can serve as a guide for your next visit! At this point I think I’ve tried almost every vendor, and I promise you won’t be disappointed at any of them! This is a chance to step out of your comfort zone and try foods from so many different cultures, so take a risk and try whatever catches your eye!
Feel free to message me if you have any questions, and let me know if you think something belongs on this list!
