6. Joon

Joon (a term of endearment in Farsi) is the brainchild of Jessica Spiegel, an architect from Florida, and Amir Alerasoul, an investment analyst from Tehran. Inspired by a trip back to Alerasoul’s homeland, the duo decided to launch their food stand to make up for the lack of Persian food in the city.

At the Queens International Night Market, you can find Joon — another Vendy nominee — dishing out tahdig (crispy rice) paired with savory stews, in addition to kebabs.