This Weekend’s Must-Eat Food Pop-ups & Drops in NYC: August 21, 2026

Keeping up with NYC’s food pop-ups and limited dish drops is basically a full-time job. 8it does it for you. We track the most time-sensitive drops across the city (from chef residencies to one-day collabs to sidewalk pop-ups) and every Friday we hand-pick the ones we’re especially excited for. Here’s this weekend’s must-eats…

This weekend marks the end of Leo season, aka a reason to eat like a lion. Chicken, steak, even tofu – chefs are giving you a reason to show up and devour everything light touches. Here are five must eat pop-ups and drops that will get your weekend started with a roar.

Moonburger × Edith’s

📍Moonburger
🏠 All locations
🗓️ Fri 8.21 • 12pm-11pm


📸: instagram @moon.burger

Edith’s and Moonburger are joining forces to drop the fried chicken sando of your dreams. Moonburger’s hand-breaded chicken breast tossed with za’atar is topped with spicy crunchy brussel sprout slaw and Edith’s confit garlic mayo on a potato bun. Available at all Moonburger locations today, gone tomorrow.

Add it to your cal

Grill Time w/ Lisa Cheng Smith

📍Hudson Wilder
🏠 142 Plymouth St, BK
🗓️ Sat 8.22 • 1pm till sell out


📸: @lisa.cheng.smith

Hudson Wilder has invited Chef Lisa Cheng Smith to host a Taiwan-inspired BBQ… but make it vegan. The pop-up is in celebration of her new season of Cooking With Steam on YouTube and will feature dishes like Orchid Cut Tofu Skewers, Grilled Taro Mochi Skewers, Soy-Tomato Marinated Eggplant, Hot and Numbing Blistered Cabbage, and Oolong Tea Jelly for dessert.

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Ace’s Pizza x Cmarty’s Jerk

📍Ace’s Pizza Bushwick
🏠 423 Troutman St, BK
🗓️ Sat 8.22 • 1-7pm


📸: Instagram @cmartysjerk

Cmarty’s Jerk is closing out Ace’s summer series with a collab on top of a collab. Cmarty and Meyhem Lauren will be in the kitchen whipping up a menu you won’t forget. Jerk Chicken Alfredo Pizza, Black Truffle Meyhem, Sweet and Spicy Jerk Wings, Green Goddess Salad, Plantain Fritters, along with Frozen Rum Punch and a Dark and Stormy.

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Spicy Jalapeño Cheesesteak

📍G’s Cheesesteak
🏠 All locations
🗓️ Thru Sun 8.23

 
📸: instagram @gssteaks

This weekend, G’s and 7th Street are kicking up the beloved cheesesteak up a notch. G’s signature is being hit with fresh jalapeños and 7th Street’s signature spicy sauce, smothered in cheese and hugged between seedy bread. Available at G’s through this weekend.

Add it to your cal

Lemon Peach Ice Cream Sando

📍Malai
🏠 All Locations
🗓️ Thru Mon 8.31


📸: instagram @libraebakery

South Asian inspired ice cream shop, Malai, dropped the Lemon Peach Cardamom Ice Cream Sandwich that you can get through the end of the month. Sweet milk ice cream, frozen handmade compote and are sandwiched between lemon cardamom snickerdoodles.

Add it to your cal


This is just a taste of what’s poppin’ in the 8it app. If you have any suggestions to make the 8it app experience even better than it already is, don’t hesitate to shoot us a DM

STAY HUNGRY, NEVER HANGRY!
The 8it team 

PS. Tag @nyc8it in your food adventures and remember…

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