Two Five
Michelle Chiu's pop-up Two Five leans heavily Korean, reflecting her heritage, but she also dips into Japanese and Chinese culinary traditions to round out the offerings in her mouth-watering, Asian comfort food pop-up. Think handmade mandoo—pillowy, steamed dumplings filled with beef or pork, kimchi, and veggies or pajeon—Korean savory pancakes with scallion, zucchini, shredded carrot, onion, chives, and shrimp paired with a dipping sauce you could drink. As the weather gets colder, you could pick from a hearty Japanese curry made with seasonal, local vegetables; sweet and spicy buldak (literally fire chicken); japchae (stir-fried glass noodles), or fried Korean hot dogs. You'll have to make the decision on the fly, though, as Chiu switches up the menu regularly. Though her summer season has taken her throughout various locations in the Rondout Valley, Two Five is mainly a fixture at Stonehill's in Accord, where the pop-up will be in residence, alongside the Catskills Cocktail Club, on Friday, December 9.
Misto
Run by Brazilian-Ukrainian, husband-and-wife duo Wilson and Nadia Costa, Rose Hill Farm-favorite Misto harnesses global flavors in a locally sourced menu. On a given weekend at the orchard taproom, options might span a vegan, coconut milk acorn squash curry with potatoes, garlic, ginger, chili, and turmeric; a smoked brisket sandwich on housemade focaccia, served with pickled onions, cheddar, and hoisin barbecue sauce; or a mutton merguez sausage with grilled banana peppers, sumac onions, yogurt raita, and pita. All of the meat products are pasture-raised locally from producers like Germantown-based regenerative operation Gulden Farm and Red Hook-based Sawkill Farm. There is always at least one vegetarian option and a selection of desserts. Misto will continue to be inside the taproom at Rose Hill Farm on Saturdays throughout the winter with the exception of Christmas and New Year's Eve. Stay tuned for news about special, ticketed, sit-down dinners at the farm.
Ric Orlando
For years, in a converted barn in Saugerties, New World Home Cooking in Saugerties turned out an eclectic menu with a quirky, iconic chef at the helm. Ric Orlando's signature style was "bringing global comfort food and farm-to-table together," which earned him a close-to-cult following until the spot closed in 2018. Since then, between stints of traveling and writing, Orlando has stayed active on the local culinary scene with periodic pop-ups and cooking classes. On December 2, he takes over the kitchen at the Wick Hotel in Hudson. The menu includes jerk swordfish meatballs, chickpea fritters with octopus, and saffron rice balls stuffed with braised short rib. And on December 6, Orlando will return to his old stomping grounds of Saugerties for a one-night "Ric Orlando Classic Dinner" pop-up at Salt & Fire by reservation only. Expect old favorites from the New World menu with new twists.
Miracle at Flores Tapas Bar
1659 Route 9, Wappingers FallsFor cocktails and kitsch, Miracle is the gold (tinsel) standard. In 2014, on advice from his mom, Greg Boehm paused construction of his East Village cocktail bar to do a Christmas-themed pop-up. Sometimes, mother knows best. With the decorative zeal of a maximalist elf tempered by elegant, though still thematic cocktails, Miracle was a raging success that went on to become a global phenomenon with pop-up locations around the country and across the world from Montreal to Paris, Greece to Mexico, and now, the Hudson Valley. Miracle will pop-up at Flores Tapas Bar in Wappingers Falls in all its gaudy greatness through December 30. Expect candy canes and silver lanes aglow, lights, tinsel, snowflakes, and mistletoe. And at the bar, time-tested, punny seasonal favorites like the Christmapolitan, Christmas Carol Barrel, Snowball Old-Fashioned, Yippie Ki Yay Mother F****r!, and Jingle Balls Nog. Flores will also have live music every Friday from 6pm to 9pm for the duration of the pop-up, in addition to their normal food menu.
Oyster Party
A New York City food market favorite, Oyster Party made its way upstate when its founder Kyle Needham did (he's also one of the partners behind Kingston Standard, hence its oyster program). So, fortunately the last few years have been a briney blessing, with Oyster Party dishing up their fresh mollusks (3 for $10, 6 for $18) and lobster rolls ($22) at local shops, restaurants, farms, festivals, wineries, and breweries. They close out the 2022 season with a final, six-stop lap around the valley. They'll be at Rose Hill Farm in Red Hook on Fridays, December 2, 16, and 30; Stella's Fine Market in Beacon December 3, and at Drowned Lands Brewery in Warwick December 10-11.
Hibino Day By Day
188 Liberty Street, NewburghOn Mondays, the peaceful space that houses Lodger, Leon Johnson's temple of food, art, and activism, is quietly a-flurry behind curtained windows. Slipping in the door, you feel like you've entered a monastery or someone's study. You're on the inside of best-kept secret: Yasuyo Hibino's Japanese lunch pop-up, Hibino Day by Day. Onigiri, or rice balls, are the heart of the menu at this weekly affair. Stuffed with things like sauteed shitake, hijiki seaweed, or kimchi-tuna mayonnaise and topped with delicacies like microgreens, sesame seeds, sprouts, and edible flowers, each onigiri is a tiny canvas of color and texture. Hibino offers a mix of vegetarian and seafood-based options. Order three, six, or eight. The miso soup is more than an afterthought—salty, tangy, with a hint of smoky flavor from the fish flakes, it warms your bones on a cold day. (Order ahead for a vegan version made with mushrooms.) Specials change weekly and might include a cold soba salad in warmer months or a hot curry made with root vegetables in winter. Preorder via Instagram DM to guarantee your food.