Essen Fast Slow Food in SoHo: A Buffet-Style Deli for Every Craving
At 160 Varick St, New York, NY 10013 (☎ 212-462-4500), Essen Fast Slow Food is a SoHo staple that fuses the efficiency of a deli with the variety of a global buffet. With 4.1 stars across 1,000+ Google reviews, it’s well-loved by office workers, students, and neighborhood regulars who need quality food fast. The storefront is modern but understated, with a bright glass entry that opens to a spacious cafeteria-style interior. Inside, it’s bustling during lunch hours, buzzing with people piling plates high from the hot and cold bars. Essen is also active online with essenfastslowfood.com and offers delivery through Grubhub.
Menu & Services
Essen’s greatest strength is variety—it’s the kind of spot where you could eat every day for a week without repeating the same meal. Menu highlights include:
-
Breakfast: Bagels, oatmeal bar (with options like almond milk or coconut water), yogurt parfaits, omelets, and breakfast sandwiches (from $5–$9).
-
Lunch/Dinner:
-
Hot Bar with Asian stir-fry, Mexican rice bowls, American comfort dishes, soups, and pastas ($10–$20, by weight or plate).
-
Salad Bar where you build-your-own ($14.50+).
-
Sandwiches & Paninis, like Hudson Market cold sandwiches ($12.50+).
-
Sushi & Seafood, including rolls, poke bowls, and fresh fish options.
-
Asian Specials like beef pho ($15.99) and stir-fried noodles.
-
Essen’s hybrid model—self-serve stations + counter service—makes it both quick for a grab-and-go lunch and comfortable for sitting down with colleagues.
Review Summary
Customer impressions highlight why Essen works:
Positives:
-
Enormous selection spanning Asian, Mexican, American, and Italian.
-
Affordable breakfast options (bagel-egg-cheese combos are a favorite).
-
Reliable service and quick counter staff.
-
Spacious, bright, and clean seating areas.
Critiques:
-
Some items can feel mass-produced or inconsistent in freshness.
-
Prices can climb quickly depending on what you pile on your plate.
-
Peak hours get hectic, with long lines at the hot and salad bars.
Human Commentary
Essen reflects NYC’s food culture: diverse, fast, and customizable. While it’s not a fine-dining spot, it delivers exactly what downtown professionals and students need—speed, variety, and comfort. Complaints about crowding and uneven quality are natural byproducts of a buffet-style model, but Essen’s range and convenience make it indispensable in SoHo.
Location & Accessibility
Centrally located near the Houston St. (1 train) and Canal St. (A/C/E) subway stops, Essen is perfectly positioned for office workers and commuters.
Nearby landmarks that fuel customer flow include:
-
Washington Square Park – A short walk away, attracting NYU students and creatives who grab lunch here.
-
SoHo Shopping District – Shoppers break here for quick, hearty meals between boutiques.
-
Comedy Cellar – Late-night crowds benefit from Essen’s wide offerings when open evenings.
-
Friends Apartment (Bedford St.) – Tourists exploring SoHo often stop for casual eats nearby.
-
Blue Note Jazz Club – Concertgoers heading home often need a pre- or post-show meal.
Its 6 AM–8 PM hours cater to breakfast, lunch, and dinner crowds—though a later closing time could capture more post-show traffic.
Genius Marketing Analysis
GI (Genius Insight): Essen’s value is its global cafeteria model, letting customers “eat the world” in one place. For busy New Yorkers, it’s a trusted option with no mealtime monotony.
MDA (Marketing Action): Essen should highlight its international range in marketing campaigns and consider bundling deals to offset the “price by weight” sticker shock.
Genius Ideas (10)
-
“World on a Plate” Daily Specials – Rotating cultural menus (e.g., Korean Mondays, Mexican Tuesdays).
-
Breakfast Pass – Prepaid cards for regulars grabbing bagels and coffee every morning.
-
Salad Loyalty Card – Buy 10 custom salads, get 1 free.
-
Office Catering Packs – Pre-assembled trays of sushi, wraps, and salads for SoHo businesses.
-
Student Discount Hours – Target NYU students with 10% off between 3–5 PM.
-
Instagram “Plate of the Day” Contest – Customers share their buffet creations online.
-
Combo Meal Caps – $15 flat-rate options to ease concerns about price creep.
-
Evening “Half-Price Sushi Hour” – Encourages after-work pickup.
-
Nutrition Spotlight – Highlight calorie counts and “healthy build” suggestions for salads and bowls.
-
App-Based Ordering for Bars – Let nearby comedy clubs and jazz venues pre-order trays for post-show snacks.
Conclusion
Essen Fast Slow Food is more than just a deli—it’s SoHo’s answer to the question, “What do I eat today?” With global choices under one roof, it caters to the neighborhood’s diverse mix of office workers, students, and tourists. While not perfect, its scale and accessibility make it a dependable dining hub. Essen represents the best of NYC: fast-paced, multicultural, and always ready with another option.
Q & A
Q: What are Essen’s hours?
A: Open daily, 6 AM–8 PM.
Q: What’s the average price?
A: $10–$20 depending on selections; breakfast is often under $10.
Q: Do they deliver?
A: Yes, via Grubhub and their website.
Q: What’s most popular?
A: Bagel breakfast sandwiches, sushi rolls, hot stir-fry, and custom salads.
Q: Is there seating?
A: Yes, Essen has a spacious dining area for eat-in customers.
#EssenNYC, #FastSlowFood, #SushiNYC, #HealthyEatingNYC, #SaladBarNYC, #FreshJuiceNYC, #PizzaNYC, #NYCFoodies, #GrabAndGoNYC, #HealthyLunchNYC
