Acknowledgements This field guide results from a collaborative effort in the Eugene Lang College seminar Urban Food Systems: Planning, Design, and Policy. Participating students were: Peter Bauman; Emilie Branch; Lili Dagan; Emma Donnelly; Cordelia Eddy; Caleb Ferguson; Abbie Gross; Melissa Harrison; Karen Isaacs; Drew Johnson; Lauren Markowitz; Elinor Mos- sop; Molly Osberg; Katherine Priebe; Erica Schapiro-Sakashita; Lauren Silverman; and Caroline Wilson. Professor Nevin Cohen taught the class and Emily Sandusky was the teaching assistant. Alec Appelbaum, A Field Guide to a freelance writer, edited the manuscript. Maya Sariahmed, a student Sustainable Food: from Parsons The New School for Design, designed the publication. The guide would not have been possible without the cooperation of the THE LOWER EAST SIDE businesses and organizations on the Lower East Side who shared their time and expertise. It also would not have happened without the Chris- tian A. Johnson Endeavor Foundation’s generous support to the Envi- ronmental Studies program. We give the Foundation special thanks. Copyright © 2010 Eugene Lang College The New School for Liberal Arts We have tried sincerely to verify the information and listings in this field guide, but commu- nity gardens and businesses change often and without notice. That makes up-to-the-minute accuracy very difficult to publish. For this reason, the reader should determine the quality of services or products provided by each business, the current and correct information about each business, and any other important details. The New School assumes no liability for the outcome or consequence of engaging a business or organization listed in this field guide, or the products they use or sell, for incorrect information provided by the business or available to the authors at the time of publishing, or for unintentional errors or omissions. E C l S om ol m Bri 53 uni lla 7 E ty nte Angelica as Ga Kitchen t r 1 th de 2 n 300 E. 12th St. St D e th th u E. 12 E. 12 n e e v u C A A n dy Can e rt i e e v D th u u A St n n ty 0 East 9 e TABLE OF CONTENTS d 43 e or v v n F k A A o ac c ve B e e th th S B u E. 10 190 A E. 10 n C T o e NY mp v le kin A b G s th a re Sq th E. 9 t in A enm ua E. 9 s ta ve a re r s venue A rk i u . A & E 7thet F S 9 A 13 th St. Marks E. 8th E. 8 INTRODUCTION 26 // RESTAURANTS C D r e e nte u u Back Forty th Ce th n n th E. 7 y E. 7 e e E. 7 log v v 08 // URBAN PRODUCTION co A A Listings S E w B & C LE th th th St bt th Liz Christy E. 6 E. 6 7 E. 6 4th Street Community Garden 30 // SUPEMARKETS Ke Fin th 52 A y F th e Fa Food Coop E. 5 oo E. 5 42 A re El Sol Brilliante venue dA v Whole Foods th s enu e 58 E 4 Street e e C u u th Community Garden Key Foods n n th E. 4 A e e E. 4 v e v A u A 4th Street Coop n t d e s n rd r rd v i o E. 3 12 // GREENMARKETS & CSAS E. 3 A F c Fine Fare e S Liz C Christy Tompkins Square Greenmarket Organic Avenue ommun B ity Ga ower rden Listings y & . t Hous Listings ton S ton ous a s H i d b e Foo ston 16 // SPECIALTY FOOD l ou m ho n H . o t . W st u t S n . 38 // FOOD PANTRIES u to l s u t o S Ho y H o S . t e E e t PREPARATION & RETAIL . ! 5 C S t n t 9 g i r S d k P i o . l . Bowery Mission e t u t t k n R t e o Av l f c S i A S o n ga f f r Porto Rico O x u r e . t n S S o t ton s . Listings N n o ta s S t S 1 t 0 E 1 S n n Kossar’s Bialys e io i i s l a s t i i C Food Pantries from NYCCHA M s y b ry er y Ricks Picks r tanton E . e S m . s w t w t s o h e u o . S x S t l B B C S S e t 7 o r n e . 2 g M . h e Saxelby Cheesemonger i t C a t e 2 t t r . d l t S y k . 42 // RESIDUALS S r l 1 e t s S 2 t d y S r A 0 l . e e n t o E t E t n g F s S i o Jeffrey’s Meats r s d e t P i o x k . Lower East Side Ecology Center . t l R t n t t o i vington S S A i f R l ks f d c u C i w La Tiendita P r S o ’s a k e l City Harvest c i h Ri st d ey c c y u lan r r e h L D 5 C O Rainbo’s Fish 19 2E elancey #60 D Delancey Sustainable NYC 50 // LISTINGS . t S . t t t k oome l r S S B S o . f x t d r w e r S o o s a l . N s h t d n E c u Ko Sustainability Glossary // 52 S r s e s L a l rs O B l ial e Broome ys i A y 36 t 7 rand r Gra G s nd e St y r w o h B C Grand Grand INTRODUCTION // NEVIN COHEN n communities throughout the nation, peo- are evident in New York City’s Lower East Side. A glamorize crops that locals have produced in com- We laid out the guide to move through the stages ple are working together to build sustain- variety of ethnic food producers, processors, re- munity gardens for their own enjoyment. There of food’s travel from production to processing, able food systems. These efforts encompass tailers and restaurants serve the neighborhood, are many complex economic relationships here. then to distribution and retail sale, and then to different but interconnected elements. In some founded by immigrants who lived in the Markets that sell fresh, delicious, diverse, and the management of all that is left over. This is not community gardens, neighbors grow fruits area’s tenement buildings (and managed by those nourishing food at a fair price add to the neigh- a linear path. In food systems, actors often are in- Iand vegetables. In farmers’ markets and CSAs, immigrants’ families today). Vegetable gardens borhood’s quality of life and provide health ben- volved in more than one stage. Although quan- city residents buy produce directly from farmers. grow in lots that the city had written off to dis- efits to the poorest residents. Greenmarkets and tifying the sustainability benefit of a particular Supermarkets provide affordable food while soup investment and that neighbors reclaimed in the small food businesses circulate dollars through entry is beyond the scope of this project, the field kitchens and food pantries work to combat hun- 1970s. A wide range of businesses, from conven- the local economy. These markets and businesses guide focuses on elements that contribute to so- ger. Restaurants’ chefs become famous for cre- tional supermarkets to specialty grocers to farm- also play a role in the regional economy by pro- cial, economic, and environmental sustainability. atively cooking ingredients from regional farms ers’ markets, provide food to residents of diverse viding income to family farmers in suburban The guide is not comprehensive. Its choices re- and artisans make unique foods that honor ethnic income levels. Many of these businesses support and rural communities. Businesses that source flect the priorities of its authors, the students in a traditions. And community organizations teach regional farmers. And upscale restaurants that sustainably-grown food within the region help the one-semester undergraduate urban food systems people to prepare healthy meals, redistribute ex- attract trendy visitors promote higher prices for environment by supporting ecologically friendly course. A city neighborhood, by its nature, is a cess food and recycle food waste into compost. more nutritious food, which makes sustainable production techniques and preserving farmland. place that people experience many different ways. Markets make good food affordable, processors food production a more viable business. This field guide maps elements of the Lower East We have undoubtedly omitted organizations and and retailers use food to preserve heritage, restau- As Manhattan apartment prices have escalated, Side’s food system that support social, economic, businesses that are operating sustainably and rateurs make regional food command a premium the web of connections in this food system has and environmental sustainability. Like a guide to that some people cherish, and have merely listed price, farmers’ markets supply these restaurants grown more complicated. So this guide serves the natural environment, it helps the reader iden- others that would reward longer description.