A Sunday afternoon at Sushi-Con

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Sushi-Con brought a large crowd to Pier 36 on the Lower East Side this past Sunday (Oct. 11). 

True World Foods and Noble Fresh Cart hosted the event, which featured seafood tastings, sushi vendors, and restaurant partners.

The main attraction was a live bluefin tuna-cutting demonstration, with chefs breaking down an entire fish before the crowd...

And there was quite a crowd. 

By 11:45 a.m., just 45 minutes after the event opened, the space was already packed, with long lines forming for food samples.

Here are a few photos from the rainy afternoon...

Parks to present 3 options for Tompkins Square recreation area

Photos from this summer by Stacie Joy 

The Parks Department will present three options for the reconstruction of the Tompkins Square Park mini-pool, basketball courts and fitness area at a Community Board 3 committee meeting tom orrow evening (Oct. 15). 

The presentation marks the next step in a project that has prompted concerns among some park users, particularly those who want the existing fitness equipment preserved. 

As previously reported, a petition asking the Parks Department to remove the fitness area from the reconstruction plans had collected more than 2,600 signatures. 

Supporters say the outdoor workout area, near 10th Street and Avenue B, serves a diverse community of regulars who use the equipment year-round. Several told EVG's Stacie Joy this past summer that they worry replacement equipment won't meet their needs.

The larger reconstruction project calls for replacing the existing above-ground mini-pool with a new in-ground pool that would double its capacity, along with improvements to the basketball courts and fitness area.

Thursday's presentation should offer a clearer picture of what Parks has in mind for the three spaces. The options have not been made public yet.

The Parks, Recreation, Waterfront & Resiliency Committee meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at the BRC Senior Services Center, 30 Delancey St. between Chrystie and Forsyth streets. The meeting is open to the public, with a Zoom option. 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Petition to preserve Tompkins Square Park fitness area tops 2,000 signatures 

• Plans unveiled for reconstruction project at the Tompkins Square Park mini-pool, basketball courts and fitness area

FYI: Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade returns Saturday

Photo by Stacie Joy

The 36th annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade takes place this Saturday (Oct. 17), with costumed dogs and their humans making their way along Avenue B. 

The parade starts at 11 a.m. at 13th Street and heads south on Avenue B to Seventh Street. Organizers recommend spectators arrive between 10 and 10:30 a.m. 

The accompanying festival area on Sixth Street between Avenues B and C will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with photo opportunities, giveaways and activities highlighting rescue dogs and adoption. 

The nonprofit New York Dog Parade, founded by Fern Watt, is organizing this year's parade, with support from Kismet, the pet food company started by Chrissy Teigen and John Legend. 

The event also includes an annual costume competition, limited to selected registered marchers. Marching registration is full, but spectators are welcome, and no registration is required to watch the parade or visit the festival area. 

For more information, including the route and spectator details, visit the organizers' FAQ page.

Tuesday's parting shot

Photo by Derek Berg 

What can Citi Bike carry for you?

Noted

Photo by Stacie Joy 

An ad for Wet Ones seen near the Dead End of 13th Street and Avenue B...

Development team for 324 E. 5th St. affordable housing project to appear before CB3

Photos by Stacie Joy

The team behind the proposed affordable housing development at 324 E. Fifth St. will introduce itself at Community Board 3's Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee meeting tomorrow evening (Oct. 14). 

The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at Middle Collegiate Church, 50 E. Seventh St. between First and Second Avenues. The hybrid meeting will also be accessible via Zoom. (Link here.)

As previously reported, the city-owned site between First and Second Avenues is currently used as an NYPD parking lot. The Cooper Square Committee has been working with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development on a proposal dubbed Aurea, which calls for affordable housing on the property. The project was officially introduced on July 13. (A rendering of the project as seen in July.)

The original proposal envisioned a development devoted entirely to affordable housing for seniors. However, Cooper Square Committee Executive Director Steve Herrick told EVG in August that the final mix may look different because of the availability of operating subsidies.

"While we proposed 100% senior housing, there currently aren't enough operating subsidies to guarantee 100% seniors given how low their incomes are, which are typically less than 30% of AMI," Herrick said. 

Herrick said the building would still be primarily for seniors, potentially around 70%, with some low-income family housing included. He stressed that the details remain unsettled and that 100% senior housing remains the goal if sufficient subsidies become available.

In a statement to EVG's Stacie Joy, HPD Deputy Press Secretary Kim Moscaritolo said the project "will serve low- and very low-income New Yorkers, including seniors."

She added that plans include community space for seniors that may also serve the broader community.

The final height of The Aurea has not yet been determined and will depend, in part, on a future rezoning of the site. If approved, construction is expected to take about two years.

Meanwhile, some nearby residents who support affordable housing at the site continue to raise concerns about the proposed development's size and design and the amount of public open space.

The 5th Street Park Coalition has pushed back against a proposed rezoning of the property from R8B to R7X, which would allow a denser, taller development. 

"We remain strongly supportive of affordable housing on the site but feel the scale and design — if left without any pushback — will masticate this tiny EV street," Coalition co-founder John White told EVG. 

White said the group wants the project to include "open public community green space" and a mix of community uses. The coalition has been discussing its concerns with HPD, CB3, City Council member Harvey Epstein's office and Village Preservation, he said. 

Below: 5SPC visualization based on an HPD rendering

Ahead of tomorrow's meeting, flyers have appeared on the block urging residents to "say no to the plan." It's unclear who is behind them — or whether the objection is to affordable housing on the site or to the proposed size of the development.

Wednesday's committee appearance is listed as an "Introduction to Development team for 324 E. 5th St. affordable housing," so this isn't yet a presentation of a finalized project.

It should, however, offer the public its first look at where the plans stand since the proposal surfaced this summer.

Meeting details:

The Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee meeting is tomorrow (Oct. 14) at 6:30 p.m. on the third floor of Middle Collegiate Church, 50 E. Seventh St. between First and Second Avenues. The meeting is open to the public and will also be accessible via Zoom. Link here.

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• The Aurea: Affordable housing planned for longtime NYPD parking lot on 5th Street 

9-story hotel proposed for Allen Street

A proposal for a new nine-story hotel on Allen Street will go before Community Board 3's Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee tomorrow evening (Oct. 14). 

The project at 23-27 Allen St. between Canal and Hester streets calls for a roughly 40-room hotel with ground-floor retail. The building would stand about 120 feet tall and span nearly 40,000 square feet. 

As Crain's reported in September 2025, Harlem-based developer Artifact is behind the proposal, which requires a special permit from the city. New hotels have required special permits in New York City since 2021. 

If approved, the development would join a crowded hospitality landscape in the neighborhood. Across the wider Lower East Side and the immediate Allen Street corridor, the broader picture includes roughly 12 to 14 notable hotels—from luxury and boutique destinations like Nine Orchard, SIXTY LES, The Allen Hotel, and Moxy NYC Lower East Side to budget options like the Canal Loft Hotel. 

The three properties on Allen Street are currently occupied by two-story commercial buildings, which would be demolished to make way for the hotel. 

Tomorrow's committee meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. at Middle Collegiate Church, 50 E. Seventh St. between First and Second Avenues, with a Zoom option.

Openings: Table Mercato on 10th Street

Table Mercato, a Boston sandwich shop known for its oversized chicken cutlet sandwiches and long lines, has opened its first location outside Massachusetts at 214 E. 10th St. 

The small, counter-service shop between First and Second Avenues specializes in chicken cutlet sandwiches, including a spicy vodka chicken parm and versions served on focaccia with prosciutto, mozzarella, arugula and other toppings. Sandwiches run into the mid-to-upper $20 range. 

Owner Jen Royle opened the original Table Mercato in Boston's North End in 2020, where the shop has developed a following for its generously portioned sandwiches. 

The East Village outpost debuted on Sept. 26.

The early reviews have been enthusiastic. In an Oct. 7 write-up, The Infatuation called Table Mercato "Boston's best export to New York since Babe Ruth."

Reviewer Will Hartman praised the juicy chicken cutlets, spicy vodka sauce and rosemary-flecked focaccia. He acknowledged the steep prices but noted that the sandwiches are large enough to make two meals out of one. 

One thing to keep in mind: There's no seating, so you'll have to take your sandwich elsewhere. 

Table Mercato opens at 11 a.m. Tuesday through Sunday, with closing times varying by day.

Monday's parting shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

A Halloween scene at the First Houses on Third Street, between Avenue A and First Avenue...

At the East Village Meat Market for Pierogi Day

Photos by Stacie Joy 

We stopped by the East Village Meat Market on Saturday for its annual Pierogi Day. 

The longtime Ukrainian market at 139 Second Ave., between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street, offered five varieties of pierogi for $1 each as part of its annual thank-you to customers. 

The shop has been a neighborhood fixture at this address since 1972. 

Here are the owners, Olha and Andrew Ilnicki...

... and their son Roman...

Todos Contentos y Yo También bringing Spanish-language books to 3rd Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

A new independent bookstore and publisher is coming to 138 E. Third St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Todos Contentos y Yo También is expected to open later this fall, with a selection of new and used Spanish-language books and English translations. 

The name translates roughly to "Everyone's happy, and so am I."

The shop is also home to Todos Contentos & Yo También Press, an independent publisher focused on unconventional and transgressive works. Its catalog includes fiction and nonfiction. 

The bookstore has been teasing its arrival on Instagram: "Things are coming 👀," promising "the best selection of Spanish books in town." 

No opening date has been announced yet as the buildout continues...

High Vibe closed here in 2023 after nearly 30 years in business.

Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tart closes on 2nd Avenue

Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tart has closed at 166 Second Ave. between 10th and 11th Streets. 

The shop, which opened in late 2023, had kept increasingly irregular hours over the past month, including stretches when it was open only on weekends. 

The East Village outpost was the chain's second Manhattan location, specializing in baked cheese tarts made with Hokkaido dairy. 

As previously reported, this address has seen considerable turnover since Dunkin' Donuts closed in early 2010. Previous tenants have included Meyhane, Medina's Turkish Kitchen, Entrez Bar & Grill, Farfasha, Dinah, Pomodora and Luna Cafe Lounge. 

The latest closure adds another name to that lengthy list.

H/T Steven

Fat Boys Burgers closes after a little more than a year on 1st Avenue

Fat Boys Burgers has closed at 231 First Ave. between 13th and 14th Streets. 

The burger shop, which opened in June 2025, went dark toward the end of the summer, several EVG readers noted. 

A for-rent sign now hangs on the storefront. 

As previously reported, this was the second location for Fat Boys, which started in Hell's Kitchen. The menu featured burgers, fries, loaded chicken fries and shakes. 

Before Fat Boys, Chick-N-Smash occupied the space and opened in December 2023. 

Readers may remember Vinny Vincenz, the pizzeria that occupied the address for 18 years before closing in spring 2021. 

The closure comes amid no shortage of burger options in the East Village, with several new arrivals in recent months (Herbie's Burgers and Skinny Louie, etc.)

Sunday's parting shot

Getting soaked to the bone waiting out the rain today on Avenue A and Sixth Street...

Saturday at the Lower East Side Hispanic Heritage Festival

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The fifth annual Lower East Side Hispanic Heritage Festival took place yesterday at Dry Dock Park on 10th Street and Avenue D. 

The afternoon featured live music, food, arts and crafts, dominoes and activities for kids. The free community event also included the Loisaida Youth Basketball Tournament, with neighborhood boys' and girls' teams taking part.

A few scenes from the afternoon...