This Weekend’s Must-Eat Food Pop-ups & Drops in NYC

Jun 13

Let’s be real…keeping track of all NYC’s food pop-ups and limited-edition dish drops has been nearly impossible. Over the last few decades, pop-ups have been on the rise in NYC and 8it has become the go-to source for tracking all of them and helping these entrepreneurial chefs get discovered. From chef residencies to sidewalk pop-ups, we've sifted through the culinary chaos on Instagram to bring you a handpicked selection of NYC's finest pop-ups and limited-edition drops that you should dig into this week. Consider this your backstage pass to the hottest pop-ups & limited-edition eats in NYC! Dive into our weekly curated list of upcoming food adventures before they disappear 🧨💥

There’s a lot of noise out there right now questioning who belongs and what it means to contribute. We won’t pretend to have all the answers, but we do know this: immigrant hands have always shaped what’s most delicious about this city. This week’s Must-Eats is a celebration of that truth - of the cultures, traditions, and flavors that remind us what real nourishment looks like. We believe the best way to understand a place, and the people who make it special, is through what’s filling our plates (and in turn our hearts). These dishes aren't just made with love, they are made by the very people who keep NYC’s food scene alive and endlessly inspiring.

Burritos Juarez
Doppelgänger // 415 Myrtle Ave, BK // Today Only

Chef Alan Delgado grew up on the Texas-Chihuahua border, splitting time between El Paso and Juárez. Growing up in Austin then making his way to New York, he launched Burritos Juarez, a pop-up serving a style of burrito specific to the region he grew up in. Today, pop by Doppelgänger for some hand-rolled treasures and cold brews. And if haven’t heard, after having followed Burritos Juarez from spot to spot but over the last couple years, they’ll (slash you’ll) soon have a place to call home as the brick and mortar is coming soon.

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El Vino Crudo
Frog // 358 Marcus Garvey Blvd, BK // Today Only

Restaurant and natural wine bar, El Vino Crudo, based in the heart of San Juan, Puerto Rico, is coming to visit it’s New Yorkiño cousins today. But this time, Beto and Fernan are focused on the food while Frog is taking care of the wine list. The menu features Hoja de Hechizo, shiso leaf in tempura and yellowfin sashimi, Bacalaito-Chantrelles with herbs and crème fraîche, and some kind of fresh-from-the-farmers-market veggie dish, before wrapping up with a passion fruit curd mille-fuille. This menu is delicious and it very well might change - based on what these guys come up on at the market today that may inspire something else to fill our bellies and hearts.

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Hellbender x Luna Vela
Hellbender // 68-22 Forest Ave, Queens // Mon 6.16

Luna Vela is a molinera, anthropologist, and chef based in Austin, Texas, and the founder of Neighborhood Molino, a community mill and cultural space. Her work honors the native food traditions of her region, remixing Mexican and Tejana culture through a queer, intuitive lens - and she’s partnering with Chef Yara Herrera of Hellbender to create something special for one night only. Crispy Dogs, grilled dogs wrapped in Luna Vela’s hand-ground masa, and Tejuino, a traditional Mexican beverage made from fermented corn. If we have any advice for you, it’s to order both of these, and don’t stop there - the rest of the Hellbender menu will be available.

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I Love Summer in NY: Arroces
Location Announced with Ticket // Sat 6.14

The only thing we love more than a summer night, is a summer night filled with plates full of Chef Eduardo Cuenca’s creations. You may know Eduardo as the Executive Chef at Bar Americano, or from his pop-up that’s always a party, Arroces, that specializes in street paella, but no rice will be found tomorrow’s menu. Eduardo is serving up a 6-course seafood menu inspired by his upbringing in Venezuela and his many years spent in Barcelona. The menu is stacked with dishes like tuna crudo with cherry leche de tigre, razor clams a la plancha, and lobster a la gallega - just to name a few. Oh, and your ticket gets you a couple of spritzes thanks to Primo Aperitivo.

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Masienda Blue Masa Cake
Yellow Rose // 102 3rd Ave, NYC // Thru Mon 6.30

Texas Mexican-American restaurant, Yellow Rose, is owned by a husband-wife duo, Dave and Krystiana Rizo, from San Antonio, Texas. They create Tex-Mex food with a focus on tacos and inspired cocktails, including homemade tortillas made in-house daily, carne guisada and of course a margarita to wash it all down. Those are all mainstays, and they’re not to be missed, but the Masienda Blue Masa Cake is fleeting, so if you needed another reason to get over there now, this perfectly sweet square with mandarin curd, poppy seeds, blueberry compote and mint is it.

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