Pop-ups have become increasingly popular in recent years, giving chefs more creative freedom with less financial overhead and drawing in a wide range of customers eager to try their limited-time fare. Food pop-ups in a variety of cuisines flourish over the summer at venues throughout the Hudson Valley from farms and orchards to breweries. Here’s our roundup for this season’s selection of pop-ups to savor.
Hibino Day by Day
Hibino Day by Day is offering onigiri and fresh maki multiple times a week at a variety of locations to ensure that everyone has a chance to enjoy chef Yasuyo Hibino’s treats. Each Monday in June, from 11:30-2:30pm, Hibino Day by Day sets up shop in Little King in Beacon to offer bento boxes with rotating weekly menus. Their July pop-up schedule is yet to be announced, but should be coming soon. The bento boxes come with three or six rice balls (onigiri) with miso soup, Ajitamago (marinated soft boiled egg), yuzu daikon pickles, and edamame. The onigiri come in fresh, fish flavors ranging from Chilean sea bass to tuna mayonaise and fresh mackerel.
Misto
Digging into delicious, local food on a summer evening to the tune of live music is the epitome of summer. Misto, a Brazilian-Ukrainian fusion pop-up-turned-restaurant, is resuming its burger night pop-ups on Rose Hill Farm yet again this June. Each Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, they offer up juicy and flavorful beef, salmon, or vegetarian patties with gluten-free buns available. Furthermore, the married owners of Misto use hyperlocal ingredients, ensuring that food is fresh and sustainable.
Oyster Party
This New York City-based raw bar pops up across the Hudson Valley at breweries, farms, and markets with its signature freshly shucked oysters and lobster rolls. Each weekend, they serve food at Backbar in Hudson from Friday to Sunday, 12-7pm. On June 27, they’ll also be at Water Street Market in New Paltz and West Kill Brewing in West Kill; on June 28, they’ll be at Fishkill Farms in Hopewell Junction, Rose Hill Farm in Red Hook, and Weed Orchards and Winery in Marlboro; and on June 29, they’ll add Fjord Vineyards in Milton to the list. On July 19 and 21, from 12-6pm, Oyster Party will pop-up at natural wine producer Wild Arc Farm in Pine Bush to serve their delicacies. Keep an eye on their Instagram for new dates, which are announced weekly.
Supreme Soft Serve
Chocolate and vanilla simply aren’t enough flavors for soft serve, so this inventive ice cream truck has flavors like blueberry lavender champagne sorbet in addition to the classics that so many love. The business came about after owner Megan Kitsock worked at an ice cream shop in high school and decided she never wanted to quit. Instead, she opted to start a roving pop-up business of her own that wildly expands the flavor profile of soft serve’s creamy deliciousness. Now, Supreme Soft Serve is available to book for weddings, other private events, and roaming pop-ups. This summer, it’ll be at Cooper’s Daughter Spirits on Fridays from 4-8pm, and Saturdays and Sundays from 12-7pm.
Eat Church
Mark Turcotte brings a punk vibe to the culinary scene with his pop-up. Inspired by the immigrants that he grew up around, many of Eat Church’s rotating menu items have a Southeast Asian flavor, like Malaysian rendang or Vietnamese banh mi. This summer features a kitchen takeover residency at Arrowood Farms on the second week of each month through October on Thursdays and Fridays 4-9pm, Saturdays 12-9pm, and Sundays 12-7pm. Also at Arrowood, he’ll be serving food at a slew of special events that can be found on his website, like July 19’s July Jam. Eat Church will also be at the Flying Goose Tavern from Wednesday to Saturday, 4-9pm, on the first, third, and fourth week of each month through October.
Nine Chefs, One Table
Chef Einat Admony of the New York City restaurant Balaboosta unites eight other chefs at this fundraising pop-up in Kerhonkson. Admony, Ester Choi, Miriam Milord, Anthony Sasso, Gabriele Bertaccini, Ilan Hall, Christopher Weathered, Nini Nguyen, and Efrén Hernández will gather to cook and celebrate the end of summer using its freshest produce. The event will raise money for the James Beard Foundation. Guests are seated on a sprawling field with fairylights hanging on a canopy overhead. Each of these restaurant owners bring their own culinary backgrounds to their cooking, and when combined and paired with specialty cocktails, it creates an experience that’s hard to miss.
XO Cantonese
First-generation Cantonese-American chef Alex Deng proudly offers “authentically inauthentic” Cantonese cuisine. His background in food science and 15 years of culinary experience make him skilled and creative in the kitchen, offering a rotating menu at each of his pop-ups. Bite into his crunchy salt and pepper wings or his chewy Cantonese-style mochi at one of his events. His upcoming pop-ups include Dassai Blue Sake Brewery on July 5-6 from 12-4pm in Hyde Park, July 12 at Enoki at Basilica Hudson in Hudson from 10am-5pm, July 25 in ADS Warehouse in Newburgh from 5-9pm, and July 26 at the Flying Goose Tavern from 5-9pm in Kerhonkson.
Sueños Catskills
Tamales are a labor of love, and Sueños Catskills has plenty of both to go around. The family-owned business serves tamales and salsa out of Sunshine Colony for a summer-long residency on Tuesdays and Fridays from 5-9pm and Saturdays from 12-9pm, with Sunday hours coming soon. The pop-up’s signature tamale flavors include pork, broccolini and epazote, and poblano and cheese. Keep an eye out for weekend specials as well
Fantzye Bagels
Fantzye Bagels started its business as a pop-up shop, and now boasts its own brick and mortar. However, it’s not casting aside its origins, and its iconic sourdough bagels will be traveling around the Hudson Valley all summer. Fantzeye is hosting a Tuesday dinner pop-up almost every week in July and August; its next supper is on July 15, with chef Gina Citarella. July 22’s pop-up will partner with chef Molly Levine and July 29’s will highlight homemade pizza with Rebecca Ellis. Check Fantzye Bagels’ Instagram for more updates on future pop-up events, or visit their brick and mortar location on 392 Hasbrouck Avenue in Kingston.
Mohonk Mountain House’s Hudson Valley Wine Dinner Series
The famous Mohonk Mountain House is returning this summer with an outdoorsy twist at the cozy Picnic Lodge. While the wine dinner series was previously a traditional indoor dinner setting, guests can now watch the sunset while seated on a long table outdoors as they wine and dine. Each of the three dates in the series will partner with a different vineyard to provide high-quality, local wine. The dinners will begin with oysters, cocktails, and hors d'oeuvres. Then, a seasonal, three-course, farm-to-table meal with wine pairings will follow. Mohonk Mountain House will partner with Fjord Vineyards on July 12, Milea Estate on August 9, and Whitecliff Vineyard on September 6.
