New York City鈥檚 Street-Food Scene Is Vibrant, Pandemic or Not
When fair weather draws folks outdoors, the food vendors of Brooklyn cater to every taste. Here鈥檚 what New Yorkers were munching on this spring.
New York City had a vibrant street-food scene long before the coronavirus outbreak put indoor dining on the back burner. In the late 19th century, working-class families patronized pushcarts selling oysters and sweet corn. The city鈥檚 famous hot dog stands have been a sidewalk staple since the Progressive Era. More recently, immigrant food-truck operators like the and the have become beloved figures. Yet the city鈥檚 outdoor dining scene had never experienced anything like the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted thousands of restaurants to go alfresco. Yet 鈥減eople were adamant about showing up for their favorite locales,鈥 says Brooklyn photographer . 鈥淭hey were going out in winter and pretending not to be cold in sidewalk seating arrangements.鈥 Even though indoor dining is an option again, New Yorkers still love a meal outside. As the weather warmed, Ogbonna, 34, drove to some of his preferred Brooklyn spots to capture the joy of eating under the sun. He tucked into Tijuana-style tacos from the truck in Williamsburg, scarfed a breakfast sandwich on the patio of in Bedford-Stuyvesant, and slurped oysters in Coney Island that, he says, 鈥渁re not for the faint of heart.鈥 Ogbonna, who has lived in the borough for 13 years, hit one spot more than any other: in Bed-Stuy. 鈥淒uring the pandemic, the owner, Joey Lugo, has done a lot of sweet things for the neighborhood. Often he鈥檒l give free meals to people who need them,鈥 he says. 鈥淚t makes you feel part of the community when you鈥檙e able to spend money and see it given back.鈥 As he photographed New Yorkers sharing meals on park benches and picnic blankets, Ogbonna enjoyed the sight of others just happy to be outside鈥攁nd together again.

The Birria-Landia taco truck in Williamsburg

Ogbonna with dumplings from Kai Feng Fu in Sunset Park

Birria tacos

Gathering in Ogbonna鈥檚 backyard for a barbecue

Merguez sausages on Ogbonna鈥檚 grill

A dosa at Brooklyn Curry Project in Fort Greene Park

Tacos from Birria-Landia

Soaking it up at Fort Greene Park

Birria-Landia nosh

Coney Island spread

Swetha Raju of Brooklyn Curry Project

Avocado, egg, and cheese from Greenberg鈥檚 Bagels

Ogbonna at Midwood institution Di Fara

Coconut dosa with dal from Brooklyn Curry Project

Soft-shell crab sandwich from Shipwreck, Bed-Stuy