Written by Brittany Kleinman With Carne Asada as their weapon of choice, Calexico street cart has taken home this years Vendy Awards. Chef-owners and brothers, Dave (25), Jesse (40) and Brian (28) Vendley are building a new generation of cheap eats on the streets of NYC. Located at the corner of Wooster and Prince St. these three dudes from Southern California are heating up Soho with rocking food and a very loyal hungry crowd.

This past October, the largest Vendy Awards crowd ever came together at Tobacco Warehouse in Brooklyn to watch five finalists battle it out for the title of best street food vendor. Words cannot describe the intense cook-off between the best sidewalks chefs in New York City. A festival of respect and gratitude, The Vendy Awards celebrate everything street vendors provide us, from morning coffee to the $2 umbrella during a sudden thunderstorm. The event is structured as an Iron Chef-style cook-off where each of the finalists has earned the right to compete through public nominations. During the extravaganza, the finalists positioned their carts around the location cooking for guests and the esteemed judges. Click Read More for additional information and photos.

Take a look at who made the winners list of 2008 and grab yourself some amazing grub on the streets of NYC:

Vendy Award Winner
(Savory) Calexico (at the corner of Wooster and Prince Streets)

Vendy Award Runner-up
(Savory) Kwik Meal (45th Street near Sixth Avenue)

Vendy Award Winner
(Dessert) The Treats Truck
(rotating) People’s Choice Award Biriyani Cart (46th Street and 6th Avenue)

Photographs courtesy of Erin Zimmer & Xanthos/News

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