A very sad social media post to share…
Sad News For NY Foodies…
I was saddened to read this story: one of New York’s beloved Deli’s – with a really fun name – is closing after 54 years…
I love to walk New York City, and found myself passing this diner regularly – it’s located just south of Union Square on the lower east side, and so one day I decided to walk there – about 3 miles – and finally check it out!
When I first tried to eat there, it was closed for remodeling, and when I told someone about it, they wondered if it was actually going to reopen…and that worried me two weeks later when I returned:
So, it was open! And the full name is “Famous Cozy Soup ‘n’ Burger” which I loved…as you can see from the signs in the window, they were aggressively offering up lower prices to celebrate the remodel – so let’s go eat!
I headed inside and grabbed a seat: it’s a classic diner feel and I felt right at home, and as The Infatuation noted in their positive review:
“When a New York restaurant has been open since 1972, it’s bound to have at least one celebrity regular. For Cozy Soup ‘N’ Burger in Noho, that person is Adam Sandler, whose mom used to live in the building above this diner, and who returns every so often with his daughters. (His table is just inside the entrance to the right.) ”
The Infatuation, which is a terrific site for all things food, shared this photo of the interior, which I am using because it’s better than the one I took!
I was seated where the woman in the blue sweater is, and check out the massive menu:
You can get breakfast, fajitas, sandwiches and so much more…but I was there for two reasons: soup and a burger!
As you a see on the left side of the menu, there are more than 30 different burger options! But let’s begin with the soup course: I started with a French onion soup and it was really rich and cheesy in the best way:
That was an excellent cup of soup, beautifully presented, a great caramelized crust to the top::
A cup of soup was the perfect way to begin: very filling but it left enough room to go with a classic bacon cheeseburger – here’s what showed up:
If you watched the video you’d see the burger comes unassembled, with the lettuce and tomato for me to add:
I chose onion rings instead of fries and they were crispy, golden brown and not overcooked, and delicious!
There’s my “almost finished” soup on the left, and my burger, ready to compile, on the right. So while this burger doesn’t look too large, let me add the toppings:
Boom!
My server, who I think was the owner, told me he was playing with a new sauce he wanted me to review – which I tried and loved! That pink topping to the bacon was mayo, ketchup and a bit of spice that made his sauce really pop!
I ordered my burger medium rare, and it showed up that way: a rare thing when the usual practice is to cook at least medium, which to me dries the meat out too much…the burger I got was juicy, full of flavor, and the combination of ingredients worked perfectly!
Now, a bit of sobering news: as I ate there that day, I overheard a conversation going on between one of the staff and a customer – both clearly in the restaurant business, and both talking about how business is down for the classic dinners like “Cozy Soup ‘n’ Burger”, which are threatened by higher rents, much higher food costs, and a deteriorating customer base…
And sadly, what I overheard turned out to be prophetic: the business is closing…a huge loss for the city, where many classic restaurants and delis have succumbed to the same problem.
However, others have found novel ways to stay alive. This new burger spot turned up in the most unlikely of places:
A Gas Station!
Yes, you can fill up your tank and get a great smashburger as well!
Here’s a sneak peek at what’s cooking inside!
You can see my full “gas station smacking burger” review here!
Unique restaurants should be supported, especially ones like Harlem’s Red Rooster, which has a gospel brunch” – listen!
What an exciting way to enjoy brunch!
See more about this incredible group here:
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Categories: Bite Eat Swallow, Bite! Eat! Repeat!, Burgers, Cheeseburgers, Food, Food Pictures, Food Travel, Food Writing, Restaurants, Travel, World's Wildest Food
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