Union Square Events, the catering and hospitality company founded by restaurateur Danny Meyer, is doubling down on Industry City in Sunset Park, expanding its headquarters at Industry City, 220 36th Street, between Second and Third avenues, to 82,000 square feet. The larger footprint pulls everything under one roof, with a 33,000-square-foot commissary kitchen, a dedicated tasting room, a 120-seat employee dining room, and space for incubator-style culinary projects.
Union Square Events is behind the scenes for places like Citi Field, the Whitney Museum, Delta Air Lines, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and the New York Marriott Marquis. It also runs food programs for fellow Industry City tenant BSE Global, parent company of the Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty, and Barclays Center. With this move, Industry City is home to 130,000 square feet of culinary brands.
An 18-year-old has opened his second taqueria location
Tacos del Barrio is the new Lower Manhattan shop from 18-year-old owner Aiden Sterlin at 71 Nassau Street, at John Street. He had opened his first shop near Barclays Center in Brooklyn earlier this year. The corner spot stays open as late as 3 a.m. on some nights, drawing lines of students and late-night workers with al pastor tacos and elote corn ribs that have already become bestsellers.places like Two Bros. Pizza and 7th Street Burger.
Free turkey giveaway before Thanksgiving
Melba’s Restaurant (300 West 114th Street, at Frederick Douglass Boulevard), from chef and owner Melba Wilson, is expanding its long-running school food program with a pair of Thanksgiving events in Harlem. On Monday, November 24, Wilson is teaming up with Graham Windham and Bank of America to distribute hundreds of hot Thanksgiving meals to kids and families at P.S. 92 Mary McLeod Bethune (222 West 134th Street) from 3 to 5 p.m., aiming to help food-insecure households get through the holiday break.
The next day, Tuesday, November 25, Wilson will host her annual free turkey giveaway at the restaurant, joined by surprise celebrity guests, continuing a tradition she started to support the community.