Checking the line for Veselka's turn-back-the-clock special this evening

Big crowd trying to get 1954 prices at #veselka pic.twitter.com/2mRp0xU4dM

— Kimberly Winston (@kimwinston) July 23, 2014

Officially long! Word is there are about 150 people waiting outside now to take advantage of Veselka rolling back prices to 1954 in honor of its 60th anniversary. The special runs from 6-6:54 p.m. There will be more of these 1954 specials, Veselka promises.

And here's a look at the line at 6:30 via William Klayer…

Time to wait in line like it's 1954 at Veselka

Wednesday from 6pm-6:54pm - rolling back the menu to 1954 prices in honor of our 60th year. http://t.co/UKgZbIUs0K

— Veselka Restaurant (@veselkanyc) July 22, 2014

As previously noted, Veselka is celebrating its 60th anniversary … in honor of this, the restaurant at 144 Second Ave. (at East Ninth Street) is turning prices on some items back to 1954.

And as the above Veselka tweet shows ... the first of these turn-back-time-to-1954 eatathons is tonight from 6-6:54.

Think there will be a line?

Your chance to eat like it's 1954 at Veselka

Veselka is celebrating its 60th anniversary … in doing do, the restaurant at 144 Second Ave. (at East Ninth Street) is turning prices on some items back to 1954.

This will be available for 54 minutes on a day and time that the restaurant will announce on the Veselka Twitter or Facebook accounts.

Here's the available menu for those 1954 prices…



H/T Eater

Closed for renovations: Veselka until tomorrow; Tofu House till who knows when

As you can see from the sign, Veselka is closed until tomorrow morning...

We wanted to give you all a heads-up that Veselka will be closed for a little maintenance from MIDNIGHT SUNDAY until TUESDAY MORNING.
— Veselka Restaurant (@veselkanyc) April 5, 2014

All the tables and chairs were moved from the dining room and workers were buffing/something the floors.

Meanwhile, at 6 St. Mark's Place, the Tofu House closed yesterday...



Signs point to a renovation.



There's no other information available. Phone calls get routed to a generic Verizon voice-mail box. The Tofu House Facebook page hasn't been updated since December 2011.

Chalkboard commentary outside Veselka

Second Avenue and East Ninth Street…



Photos yesterday by Bobby Williams…

This is how Veselka makes its borscht

For the past 30 years, Malgorcata Sibilski has been making the borscht at Veselka on Second Avenue and East Ninth Street.

The New Yorker has her story right here...



Veselka is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Signs of the upcoming holiday at the end of December, Part 19

At Veselka.

And here's one food blogger's description of the soup:

Impossibly clear, the deepest ruby red, redolent of spices and earthy mushrooms, Veselka’s Christmas Borscht appears for maybe 45 days a year sometime around Thanksgiving and disappears with the New Year. Born out of the meatless Christmas eve dinner customary in Eastern European countries, the broth is made of beets, laced with vinegar and savory spices and is served with a few tiny mushroom pierogis and a delicate dusting of dill. I could eat this soup every day for the rest of my life and when it’s around I do my best.

(And don't worry if you missed the first 18 parts of this series. They're available on demand.)

Love, Veselka Style

[Via Craigslist]

A Missed Connection posted yesterday on Craigslist:

Veselka Romance - w4m - 23 (East Village)

One week ago I was sitting outside of Veselka, reading "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath.
(My favorite book)
I saw you from the table nearest to 2nd ave, on the side of the restaurant.
You had the most beautiful brown eyes I have ever seen.
Tall, thin, with a beard. We made eye contact for about fifteen seconds, and then you walked away, down 9th street.
I would love to meet you.
You are exactly my type.
You probably live in Williamsburg, and shop at local farmer's markets.
I would love to buy some vegetables with you.
I like to make omelettes with fresh asparagus and swiss cheese,
I could make you one.
I hope you don't have a girlfriend.

Veselka launches pedicab service

Spotted this past weekend outside the Veselka Mothership on Second Avenue at East Ninth Street. Per Veselka's Facebook page:

Free Pedicab rides from Veselka to Veselka Bowery. If you don't want to wait for a table at the original Veselka, We will give you a free Pedicab ride to our new restaurant "Veselka Bowery" @ 9 East 1st street...... We don't want to see anyone hungry for to long ...... Come check out our new space and Enjoy your brunch!

[Via Veselka]

Are you there God? It's me, Veselka

A "Today" show correspondent filed a report early this morning from Veselka on Second Avenue... We look forward to seeing this online, perhaps. Meanwhile!

Per the TV, Veselka has "God amazing food."

Well, we love The Baczynski, but we're not quite ready to put it in God's stratosphere.

Photo via Shawn Chittle.

S'MAC planning on an early fall opening at the First Avenue/Houston kiosk

We first heard that S'MAC will be taking over for Veselka at the First Avenue/Houston kiosk back on June 4, as reported by Patrick Hedlund at DNAinfo.

Little Veselka cleared out as expected at the end of June.

So when will S'MAC take over the space? We asked Sarita Ekya, who runs the popular East 12th Street macaroniship with her husband Caesar.

"We just finalized our agreement and picked up keys for the space," she said. "There is work to be done before we open so it looks like early fall at this point."

So, will there be S'MAC samplers for breakfast? Or where there be more traditional items for sale at that hour?

"We plan on being open the morning hours for coffee, pastries and the like," she said.

Previously.

Just a few more hours left for Veselka at the First Avenue/Houston kiosk

Matt Duckor at The Feast reports this morning that Veselka closes today at noon at the First Avenue/Houston kiosk. They'll be vacating the space to make way for S'MAC. Meanwhile, Veselka Bowery is expected to open in the next year or two.

[Photo by Matt Duckor]

S'MAC taking over for Veselka at the First Avenue/Houston kiosk

An outpost of macaroni-and-cheesers S'MAC is replacing Veselka in the First Avenue/Houston kiosk, Patrick Hedlund reports this morning at DNAinfo.

Veselka, which will vacate at the end of June, has manned this space the last five years. The city’s Parks Department put out a request for proposals in January for a new food vendor, Crain's reported.

Previously.

Next stop of the 'Gossip Girl' tour — Veselka

Back in February, Veselka was closed for part of a day while crews filmed a scene for the television program "Gossip Girl" there...

And the Very Special Veselka episode aired last night...

To the Twittersphere for some reaction!

Previously.

[Updated] When will Veselka on the Bowery open?

After posting the coming-soon sign for Veselka Bowery on Saturday, we sent the folks there a note asking when they're expecting to open...

We didn't hear back from anyone at Veselka. We last heard that the location will open in mid-March, per the Feast.

[Updated 2:30]
From Fork in the Road:

"Our opening date will probably be in May. Maybe early June, but we're hoping to be faster than that," said Veselka owner Tom Birchard, who mentioned that this new location will be similar to the one on Second Avenue, but will have a full liquor license and be "a little less dinerish and a little more restauranty."

As for the menu, he notes that "Everything will still be inexpensive and casual but we'll have some really exciting items. We're looking for inexpensive caviar, and we're going to have lots of vodkas from Eastern Europe which will be great because the food goes great with it."

Here's your Veselka Bowery signage

Here we are at the coming-soon Bowery/First Street location of Veselka...

We last heard that the location will open in mid-March, per the Feast.

And here was a progress report from September.

Veselka closed today for "Gossip Girl" shoot

They'll reopen at 11 p.m. .... Can't wait to try their new menu item — the Chace Crawford beef stroganoff.

DNAinfo has some paparazzi shots.

Previously.

Report: Veselka may not renew lease for First Avenue kiosk

Crain's is reporting that the Veselka kiosk at First Street and First Avenue may close this summer. Per the article:

The city’s Parks Department put out a request for proposals Tuesday to operate the kiosk, which for the past five years has been run by Tom Birchard, who owns the nearby 56-year-old Eastern European eatery, Veselka.

Mr. Birchard says he is considering the RFP, but a new requirement to install a bathroom in the park for the restaurant’s workers is a major concern. There is no existing plumbing in the park, so the installation could be very costly, he said.

Regardless, there will be plenty of borscht nearby: A new Veselka outpost is opening on East First Street near the Bowery later this year.

[Image via]

Why you'll have to wait a while longer to get your borscht from Veselka on the Bowery

Construction may have started in February for the Bowery/First Street location of Veselka...



But I caught a look inside the space the other day... Workers were carrying in some supplies... there's still a ways to go here, as you can see...