By STAFF | MobileFoodNews.com
Philadelphia, PA – July 26, 2012 – The votes for the 2nd Philadelphia Vendy Awards held at The Lot have been tallied and The Smoke Truck was named victor of the coveted Vendy Cup. The People’s Choice winner was Vernalicious and Best Dessert honors were given to Lil’ Pop Shop.
The Vendy Awards are an annual event organized by The Street Vendor Project at the Urban Justice Center, a membership-based organization of more than 1,300 vendors. Â The Philly Vendy Awards served as a fundraiser for The Food Trust, a Philadelphia-based nonprofit organization that strives to make healthy food available to all.
As an added bonus, the winners of both the 2011 and 2012 Philadelphia Vendy Awards are rolling into Eakins Oval on Thursday, August 2nd for the first ever Winners’ Oval Event. The Fairmount Park Conservancy, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and the Street Vendor Project invite all food lovers to come out and enjoy an evening of picnicking in the park and some of the best street food in Philly. The event will feature the 2011 Vendy Award winners Sweet Box, GiGi & Big R’s, Cucina Zapata and the winners from this year’s Vendys, The Smoke Truck, Vernalicious and Lil’ Pop Shop. Beer will be available for purchase from Sixpoint Brewery. Pay-as-you-go food purchases. There will be music, chalk drawing and much more.
• Chef/Owners: Mark A Coates, Chef/Co-owner; Chris Martino, Co-owner
• Hail from: Central Mississippi
• Kind of food they serve: Traditional Southern BBQ and soul food
• Specialties: Carolina Chopped Pork BBQ
• What they would like the world to know: There’s world class BBQ right off a truck in Philadelphia
PEOPLES CHOICE WINNER VERNALICIOUS
• Owner(s): Verna Swerdlow/ David Jurkofsky
• Hail from: Philadelphia suburbs
• Kind of food they serve: Eclectic comfort foods
• Specialties: Pulled pork grilled cheese
• What they would like the world know: They have great food, great customer service, and we are team players. We have a goal of providing fresh & classic comfort foods, with a smile. I’m also thinking that we are the only mobile food vendors in Philly that can get our fans to sing, dance, do stupid human tricks and deliver jokes on cue.
DESSERT WINNER ‘LIL POP SHOP
• Chef/Owners: Jeanne Chang, Chef & owner and Vince Tseng, owner
• Hail from: Jeanne comes to Philadelphia via California and Durham. Vince currently lives in London
and is also from California.
• Specialties: Popsicles featuring the best local produce and dairy from the Philadelphia area in unique flavor combinations. Currently on the menu: Cantaloupe Rose, Goat Cheese with Black Raspberries and Honey, Chocolate with Salted Caramel Brownie and Nectarine and Ginger.
• What they would like the world to know: Lil’ Pop Shop is bringing popsicles back from the dark side. No artificial dyes or syrups are used. Pops are made with seasonal local produce and hormone free local dairy. Flavors change weekly with the farmers’ market bounty.
ABOUT THE STREET VENDOR PROJECT AT THE URBAN JUSTICE CENTER
The Vendy Awards are an annual benefit event for the non-profit The Street Vendor Project at the Urban Justice Center. The Street Vendor Project is a membership-based project with more than 1,300 active vendor members who are working together to create a vendors’ movement for permanent change. The Street Vendor Project is part of the Urban Justice Center, a non-profit organization that provides legal representation and advocacy to various marginalized groups of New Yorkers. To join their list of supporters, please click here.
