Is The Spicy Pickle In A Pickle Of Its Own?

By on October 2, 2008 10:32 am in Food

The newly openly Spicy Pickle at 143 Montague Street, which six weeks ago opened in the space long occupied by the beloved Armando’s restaurant, has already cut out its breakfast menu–and sliced its morning hours.
Specializing in paninis, salads and subs, Pickle opened its doors Aug. 14, marking the first New York location and 43rd opening for the Denver-based chain.
Until last week, it was open 7 a.m.-10 p.m., with a full breakfast menu. Now, it’s downsized to 11 a.m.-10 p.m.–just in time for Court Street workers to start making their way into the Heights.

Update: Marilyn Davenport, Vice President of Marketing for Spicy Pickle responds, “Oftentimes stores that open in a new market go through a testing process to evaluate operational and menu efficiencies. This was the case with our breakfast program in this market. We thought we would introduce some new products to see if breakfast was a daypart we might want to explore in more of our markets nationwide. Additionally, this Spicy Pickle has only been open for 6 weeks, and it is standard practice for a new store to make adjustments in the initial weeks, to better service the community, streamline its operations, and provide an experience that is localized and fits the needs of its customers.”

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  • Alex

    And don’t forget that Spicy Pickle recently sent out a free meal coupon to all Heights addresses (or at least everyone in my building). Why would a restaurant do that unless they were in major trouble?

  • AEB

    I don’t think that sending announcements in the mail is necessarily an indication of trouble, Alex. I get that stuff a lot from places that seem to be doing fine.

    Perhaps, though, there’s some limit on the number of drecky restaurants that you can stuff into a three or four block stretch without the less established ones going under.

  • Alex

    Not just an announcement, but a coupon for a free meal. That’s something I could understand doing right when you open. Giving away free food two months in, however, signals to me that they’re having trouble. But I could be wrong….

  • JGM

    As I mentioned on some other post, the place seems pretty empty everytime I walk by…but I have not checked the place out during lunch. I personally was a bit dissapointed when I checked the place out when it first opened…very meh.

  • AEB

    Marilyn “Daypart” Davenport:

    “We thought we would introduce some new products to see if breakfast was a daypart we might want to explore in more of our markets nationwide. Additionally, this Spicy Pickle has only been open for 6 weeks, and it is standard practice for a new store to make adjustments in the initial weeks, to better service the community, streamline its operations, and provide an experience that is localized and fits the needs of its customers.”

    Abstract/translation: breakfast bombed.

  • Lou

    I had a terrible experience there. I ordered a panini and it took them 3 tries to make me what I ordered and they never got it right. I wrote a review on menu pages. Not long for Montague is my feeling

  • Lefty

    I miss Armando’s. I used to love how it was like stepping into 1979 in there.

  • chris

    You guys suck. I love Spicy Pickle. Adobe panini is money.

  • http://selfabsorbedboomer.blogspot.com Claude Scales

    As my ninth grade science teacher, Hasus Castro (he changed the spelling of his first name when he was in the U.S. Army because he got sick of the sergeant saying JEE-sus Castro), used to say: “All right, class. Get this, and get it good!” On the menu board you see the word “panini”. Under that heading, you see a list of sandwiches. That’s what panini means: sandwiches. (Actually, it means a particular kind of grilled sandwiches, but never mind.) When you order one of them, what you’re ordering is a panino. Got it? Panini: plural; panino singular. Let’s give the language of Dante and Pirandello the respect it deserves.

    As to the store: two days ago, I was mightily hungry at about 1:00 P.M., didn’t feel particularly enthusiastic about the options in the fridge, and chanced upon the “free meal” mailer from S.P., so decided to try it. Perusing the board, I had a hard time deciding between the “Italian” (a mixture of mortadella and other cold cuts, cheese, etc.) and the “Bronx” (a sort of Reuben with corned beef, Swiss, and Russian dressing, but cole slaw instead of sauerkraut), and, mostly on the basis of 175 calories (these are posted as per the new law) vs. (if I recall correctly) 190, decided on the former. It came quickly, I took it home (as did most other customers who came in while I was there), and found it quite satisfying. Capisciphobes beware: the pickle that come with your sandwich really is spicy.

    WillI go there again? Sure. I’ll try the Bronx (vowing to pick up my pace even more on my Brooklyn Bridge walk the following morning) and, thanks to Chris, the adobe.

    Do I miss Armando’s? Indeed, though in my quarter century in the Heights I only dined there once (decent, though not spectacular saltaimbocca alla Romana). Like Lefty, I miss its anachronistic quality; besides, there are some very nice ladies who would never forgive me if I said otherwise.

  • Jen

    Claude, are those the calorie counts for the entire sandwich? You may be leaving out a number — as I recall from the Spicy Pickle takeout menu, there are no sandwiches under 500 calories…

  • Loving Brooklyn

    I would actually like to receive a free coupon for Spicy Pickle. They should send them to all Heights addresses. I haven’t gone there yet. A free meal would let me judge whether I want to spend $7 or $8 on a sandwich. If I want a cheap fast meal, I prefer to stick with the standards, Chipotle and Five Guys. Maybe a free meal will create more options for me?

    Because you know Brooklyn, “this is all about job creation and shoring up our economy.”

  • http://selfabsorbedboomer.blogspot.com Claude Scales

    Jen, I’m sure you’re right. I’m a newbie to the calorie-counting game, so my memory may have failed me when I was posting last night. It probably was 575/590.

  • curious george

    I hope that is the adobo panino (thanks Claude) not adobe. “A sun-dried, unburned brick of clay and straw” doesn’t sound all that appetizing.

    Who remembers Cosi? You know, the last chain sandwich place on Montague Street?

  • love it

    you guys suck. i’m a fan of the pickle. and they deliver. we order all the time.

  • Julie

    It’s a shame they’re no longer open for breakfast because the egg sandwiches were really good, and a lot of food for only $3.50 – a good deal for around here.

  • No One Of Consequence

    Stupid Investment of the Week
    Commentary: Spicy Pickle shares aren’t much to chew on

    Article is about a month old, during which time the stock shed another ~30%.