NY Times Article Questions the Future of the Spiedie “Tradition”

An article in The New York Times reports this is a "critical time for spiedie culture" because of some recent developments.

Times contributor Robert Simonson visited the Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally with his wife and son on Saturday and Sunday.

Simonson's article about the State of the Spiedie appeared on The Times website Monday under the headline: Can This Food Festival Keep a New York Sandwich Tradition Alive?

The story states the spiedie "has been dealt some blows in recent years." It notes that Binghamton-area restaurants that specialize in spiedies are "disappearing."

The article reports on the 2020 closure of Sharkey's in the First Ward after being in business for more than seven decades. It also calls attention to last January's decision shutting down Lupo's S&S Char-Pit as the owners chose to focus more on their wholesale meat processing operations in West Endicott.

Simonson, the author of The Times piece, lives in Brooklyn and is a big fan of spiedies.

Simonson told WNBF News he learned of the regional sandwich specialty when his son was attending Binghamton University. He enjoyed his first spiedie at Sharkey's on Glenwood Avenue.

Over the past four years, Simonson has visited the Binghamton area about 20 times. He said he had visited Sharkey's only twice before the restaurant closed its doors.

The article about the Spiedie Fest is scheduled to appear in The New York Times Wednesday print editions.

Simonson will talk about spiedies and his Spiedie Fest experience Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. on WNBF Radio 1290 AM and 92.1 FM.

VIDEO: WNBF News visited Lupo's S&S Char-Pit on January 16, 2023, the day after the restaurant closed forever.

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com. For breaking news and updates on developing stories, follow @BinghamtonNow on Twitter.