Pop-up experiences are a big hit on social media. People flock to these temporary venues, which include experiences like dining, drinking, and art.
News12 spoke to a pop-up expert, Jordan Andino. Andino is the executive chef and owner of Flip Sigi, a Filipino taqueria that's currently popped up at the VERSA NYC rooftop in Midtown, Manhattan.
Andino said, "Limited amount of time is the key. People see when you can't have it forever, they're like 'Oh! I gotta go there now,' and they rush to it."
He's created about seven pop-up versions of Flip Sigi since 2017. He says pop-ups can be a great economic decision for all parties involved. Pop-up restaurants and food concepts often take place in the space of other businesses.
"You have people who have a restaurant, and you have people who want to expose themselves to a bigger crowd," Andino said. "You put the two together, and everyone wins."
Here's a list of some summer season pop-ups all throughout the tri-state area, listed in order of urgency/when they end.
Patricia Suarez came to NYC from Miami, and says she missed her mother’s Cuban cooking. So, she started Sofrito y Salsa, a monthly cuban dinner inspired by the food, drinks, and music of Cuba and Miami. The next Sofrito y Salsa pop-up will be on August 25th at King Tai on Bergen Street in Brooklyn. There will be Cuban sandwiches, Cuban hamburgers, croqueta sandwiches, and vegan tamales. This will go from 4pm to late.
Yaki Tiki is a partnership between the Sunday in Brooklyn hospitality team, and other area chefs. It merges Japanese yakitori-style cuisine with fun tiki drinks. It’s at the A/D/O space in Greenpoint, in an outdoor garden area. Yaki Tiki is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm to 8pm, and ends after Labor Day weekend.
NYC Japanese omakase and kaiseki restaurant Shuko has made its way out east for a pop-up dining experience at Highway Restaurant & Bar. This pop-up is called Shuko Beach. It offers omakase and a la carte sushi menu options. It’s open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through the end of Labor Day weekend.
Popular Asian Steakhouse Brooklyn Chop House has taken up a residency at the Capri Hotel in Southampton for the summer. Through the end of Labor Day weekend, they’ll be serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner Thursdays-Sundays. Brooklyn Chop House has a menu featuring dim sum, dry-aged meats, and homemade noodles.
You wouldn’t necessarily expect a pop-up dinner at an art museum, but the Hunterdon Art Museum in Clinton, New Jersey may just change your mind about that. They’ve got a fundraising pop-up dinner on September 21st at 6pm. Dinner will be created by the chef of Metropolitan Seafood & Gourmet, featuring seafood, leg of lamb, and pumpkin ice cream.
Booza is a form of ice cream, but it’s got a soft elasticity that makes it smoother, denser, and creamier, according to the Republic of Booza shop. The flagship location is in Williamsburg, but there’s a pop-up location at 45 Willoughby Avenue in Fort Greene until September 30th. It’s got the same hours, and most of the same flavors as the original shop… but it’s now reaching a new community in Brooklyn.
Love rose wine? Well, the Rose Mansion might just be the place for you. According to its website, the Rose Mansion is a wine bar, amusement park, and museum of science for wine. The “mansion” is actually a pop-up space on the second floor of the Manhattan Mall near Penn Station. There’s 14 rooms, all very Instagram-friendly, where you can drink and learn about the ever-popular pink wine. This pop-up runs through September 30th, and you might want to consider buying tickets in advance.
Flip Sigi, a Filipino Taqueria, has a pop-up at the VERSA NYC rooftop on the 5th floor of the Renaissance New York Midtown hotel. The pop-up is open Every Tuesday-Saturday from 5pm-12am, roughly until late October. The venue features gorgeous views, awesome decor, new menu items including a full roasted pig, and specialty cocktails.
Local beer and local art come together in a Bushwick venue. At 33 Wyckoff Avenue, from Wednesday to Sunday, you’ll find the Brooklyn Beer Garden. The space is inspired by the streets of Brooklyn, so you can try some local brews and check out an outdoor art gallery. This pop-up will be running until the end of October.
If you find yourself near Rockefeller plaza for work or for fun, you can also enjoy a summer wine garden pop-up in Rockefeller Center. Seven days a week from 11am to midnight, City Winery’s outdoor “urban oasis” is open for business. They serve their variety of locally-crafted wine on tap, locally brewed beers, and charcuterie and cheese snacks to nibble on with your drinks. This pop up runs through the fall.
