Hester Street Fair

Hester St & Essex St
New York, NY 10002

Open Every Saturday From 10am-6pm

Getting There: Take The F Train To East Broadway (Alt. Take The J M Z To Delancey-Essex St.)

New York City is known for some of the best shopping in the world. Just one walk down 5th Avenue or through Soho will prove that. But one outdoor market in downtown Manhattan’s Lower East Side, holds the distinction for being some of the city’s most affordable shopping and food options.

It’s the Hester Street Fair, and as of Saturday May 7th, it will be open every Saturday through October 30th. Located at the corner of Hester and Essex Street, the fair celebrates the culture and rich history of the Lower East Side neighborhood. At the turn of the century, Hester Street was the site of the busiest outdoor market in New York City. Today, the Hester Street Fair focuses on curated local goods, food and most importantly, it highlights the vibrant spirit of the community. Big Social are the engineers of the Hester Street Fair whose members include veteran media personality Suchin Pak, and real estate developer Ron Castellano.

An eclectic array of vendors fill the stalls that line the marketplace. One can purchase several handcrafted pieces of jewelery while at the same time, browsing through several kitschy hats and t-shirts. Even though these goods are always enticing, the LocalBozo crew came to the Hester Street Fair on a culinary mission. We wanted to sample many of the locally produced, and of course, tasty treats the fair had to offer. Needless to say, we have nothing to complain about.

The first food stand we hit was The Brooklyn Taco Company. They are a pop-up taqueria and tamale spot. It was only ten in the morning, but the line was long with patrons craving their authentic tacos. Their menu has several options, but we decided to go with two distinctly different taco selections. First we had the “Guaco Taco” which includes; avocado, raw sweet corn, tomatoes, red onions, lime, crema and cotija cheese. The second was the “Chilorio Brisket,” which is a 4-hour braised brisket in a chilorio sauce. The flavor profile of both tacos screamed true blue Mexico street food. The ingredients were pitch perfect and nothing felt out of place. The Brooklyn Taco Company regularly uses Mexican distributors who reside in Brooklyn and import fruits, vegetables, in addition to dry goods, through their own companies south of the border. Brooklyn Taco’s mission is to support and pay homage to Mexican agriculturists, artisans and small entrepreneurial companies.

Bao Buns are a great treat if they are done right. The great people at Fresh Ginger Ginger Ale and Bao by Bruce Cost have got them down to a science. They have taken the art of bun making to a whole new level with their, “Berkshire Pork Buns.” The outside is soft, doughy, and expertly formed.  But when you hit the center, you encounter a unique taste sensation like none other. The Berkshire Pork has been braised to perfection. The buns are two for three dollars, but we think you will be buying a bakers dozen once you take your first bite. To wash all that bun goodness down, be sure to try the other half of their namesake, with a natural ginger root ale.

After those delicious buns, we had a hankering for something sweet. Luckily we ran into one of our old friends, Fany Gerson owner of, La Newyorkina Mexican Paletas (Ice Pops). After a quick chat, it was Paleta time! Since it was a hot day, we wanted something that would quench our thirst. She suggested the “Lime Paleta,” and we obliged with no argument. The lime pop, like all of Gersons creations are all-natural and therefore the true taste of fresh lime came out in a bold way, and made for a sweet conclusion to our visit to the newly opened Hester Street Fair for the 2011 season.

- Alan Smithee