Saturday's parting shot

Photo by Lola Sáenz 

Happy holidays from Pompeyo at the great Zaragoza Mexican Deli & Grocery, 215 Avenue A between 13th Street and 14th Street...

Happy Three Kings Day from Zaragoza

EVG regular Lola Sáenz shares this photo from the indispensable Zaragoza Mexican Deli & Grocery, 215 Avenue A between 13th Street and 14th Street ... on this Three Kings Day, Pompeyo is selling his traditional rosca de reyes at the shop...

Celebrate Mexican Independence Day at Zaragoza tonight

[Image via Facebook]

Thanks to EVG reader Charles Hutchinson for this info on Zaragoza Mexican Deli & Grocery, the small food shop at 215 Avenue A between 13th Street and 14th Street.

Five years ago, Zaragoza Mexican Deli & Grocery, run by the ever-hospitable Martinez Family (Pompeyo, Maria and son Ruben), lost their license to sell beer.

This week, against all odds, they got it back. Please join them tonight when they celebrate Mexican Independence Day from 6 to 9 PM, with music by Mariachi Infante and singer Selene Muñoz, plus refreshments galore.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Making the case for Zaragoza Mexican Deli & Grocery to serve beer

Sunday's parting shot

A moment with El Gatito on Avenue A ... photo today by Lola Sáenz

Zaragoza Mexican Deli & Grocery turned 13 yesterday

[via Facebook]

Several readers told us last night that one of our favorite places around, Zaragoza Mexican Deli & Grocery on Avenue A near East 14th Street, celebrated its 13th anniversary ...

Here's their message on Facebook yesterday:

It was 13 years ago today, when we first opened our doors in the East Village and shared our cooking with everybody. We want to say Thank You very much for all the support you have given use throughout all these years and look forward to many more.

CB3 OKs beer license for Zaragoza on Avenue A

[Photo via Serious Eats]

That's the word from Alison Herman, who covered Monday night's CB3/SLA meeting for Eater. You can read more about Zaragoza's plight here.

In other action... the CB3/SLA committee OK'd a sidewalk cafe with liquor license extension for Nicoletta, foodie boner guy Michael White's new pizzeria coming to 10th Street and Second Avenue.

Eater also has more details on the Standard East Village's approved alterations here.

The Lo-Down has coverage of the meeting here ... and here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Making the case for Zaragoza Mexican Deli & Grocery to serve beer

Making the case for Zaragoza Mexican Deli & Grocery to serve beer

[Photo via Serious Eats]

EV Grieve favorite Zaragoza Mexican Deli & Grocery on Avenue A between 13th Street and 14th Street is on this month's CB3/SLA docket for a beer license... Here, EV Grieve reader Charles Hutchinson makes his case for Zaragoza...

One of the few truly unspoiled eateries on my stretch of Avenue A, Zaragoza Mexican Deli & Grocery, has been hurting since they lost their beer license in September.

Zaragoza is a 10 year-old family-run business (husband, wife and grown son — Pompeyo, Maria and Ruben Martinez, respectively, all of whom live in the neighborhood). Zaragoza makes authentic, good, affordable fare — tortas, tamales, burritos — with fresh ingredients every day. For years it has been a convivial and crowded take-out with a few tables that were always filled.

Unfortunately, much of that has changed since the Fall when Ruben filed papers to change the establishment from a limited partnership into a corporation. What he didn't know, and now regrets, is that the change in legal status would complicate and possibly jeopardize his liquor license.

Since then, Zaragoza hasn't been permitted to sell a single can of Tecate or any other of the Mexican Beers that it used to stock. And that has put a serious crimp in their business.

So how dead is it now? When I went over there [last Friday night], weaving past the throng of revelers in front of one or more neighboring bars, the place was empty save for an occasional take-out like myself. Ironically, part of what is complicating the license renewal is the proliferation of bars that for most part didn't exist when Zaragosa started selling beer there many years ago.

Zaragoza is now seeking neighborhood support as it gathers signatures prior to pleading its case before the Community Board. Can you alert your readers of the need to sign the petition and help revive this venerable establishment?

Yes. There aren't many places like this left. [Added] They are collecting signatures of support for the CB3/SLA meeting at Zaragoza. You can stop by and sign. Ask Ruben or anyone behind the counter.

You can read a recent review of Zaragoza here at Serious Eats.

Zaragoza on Ave A is jamming

Per Shawn Chittle.