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Pop-ups seem to be everywhere in D.C. Here, Eater will highlight some of the best pop-up options coming to town over the next month or so, and periodically update this guide when old ones disappear and new ones emerge. This curated guide includes everything from longer-term pop-ups to one-time events. It de-emphasizes residencies lasting more than a couple of months, or events labeled pop-ups that don’t quite fit the format.
The Eater DC pop-up roundup is traditionally updated every other week or so: send any upcoming pop-up information to dc@eater.com for potential inclusion.
“Supra Tuesday” at Dio Wine Bar
The Deal: H Street’s Dio Wine Bar hosts a pop-up preview dinner of Tabla, Park View’s soon-to-open Georgian restaurant from Supra co-owners Jonathan & Laura Nelms. Curious diners wanting to celebrate “Supra Tuesday” over Super Tuesday primary voting day are invited to sip Georgian wines and partake in a family-style assortment of khinkali (soup dumplings) and gooey boat-shaped cheese breads (khachapuri), along with small plates from chef Lonnie Zoeller.
Where: Dio Wine Bar (904 H Street NE) starting at 5:30 p.m.
Dates: Tuesday, March 3
Cost: The $50 “Supra Tuesday” ticket includes two glasses of wine and food
New Kitchens on the Block at Mess Hall
What: The wildly popular restaurant preview pop-up returns with teased bites and drinks from nine coming attractions. The bi-annual food festival’s seventh installment features a sea of cuisine options, including barbecue (Arlington’s Smokecraft Modern Barbecue), Jamaican (Jerk at Nite on H Street), Italian (Hank & Mitzi’s Italian Kitchen in Alexandria), and more.
Where: Mess Hall, 703 Edgewood Street NE
Dates: Sunday, April 5, with two separate sessions: one from noon to 2 p.m. and another from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: A limited number of early bird tickets are available for $75. General admission is $85; a limited number of VIP tickets, which include swag bags, are $135.
Toki Underground at The Jasper
The Deal: D.C.’s long-running ramen bar Toki Underground will sling noodles all night at Richmond’s cult cocktail bar The Jasper. Toki Underground’s Olivier Caillabet will take over the kitchen to send out bowls of chicken shoyu ramen and small plates like pork belly steamed buns, charred Brussels sprouts, and vegan gyoza starting at $7. The cocktail menu will be filled out by hits from both Toki and Jasper.
Where: The Jasper (3113 W Cary Street, Richmond, Virginia), 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Dates: Sunday, March 1
Cost: Each $16 ticket includes a seat and a bowl of ramen; additional food and drinks can be purchased day-of at The Jasper.
Après Ski at Wundergarten
What: The annual winter pop-up is back at NoMa’s resident beer garden, complete with fire pits, free whiskey and bourbon tastings, airy empanadas, and swanky alpine vibes every weekend in February. Along with seasonal brews and cocktails, there’s s’mores for two ($6), anytime mimosas ($8) and shots Tullamore whiskey ($7) with a purchased beer.
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An Argentinian empanada stand called La Buena comes from a D.C. couple, one of whom is from Buenos Aires, that started the biz out of their Kalorama kitchen. Air-baked empanadas come in beef, ham and cheese, and spinach and feta varieties slathered in a house chimichurri.
Where: Wunder Garten (1101 First Street NE)
Dates: Saturdays and Sundays through February 29; empanadas are available Fridays and Saturdays from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays also call for live bands, specialty cocktails, and whiskey tastings from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Pours are also free on Fridays and Saturdays from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. DJ Lehi keeps the lodge party going until late on Saturday nights.
Rosé-Colored Sunglasses at Union Market
What: Union Market shoppers can peruse for sunglasses while catching a buzz at the new KREWE pop-up. The New Orleans-based eyewear brand’s roving mini showroom on wheels, dubbed Tiny House, comes with a liquid perk: rosé and La Croix is poured freely inside.
Where: Union Market, 1309 5th Street NE
Dates: Now through March, from Monday and Thursday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m, and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Bourbon on Ice
The Deal: Bourbon Steak’s chic patio is filled with themed “Champagne bubble” domes with room for six to eight people. Pours of Dom Perignon, Ruinart, or Krug are offered in each. The Dom Perignon dome includes Dom Perignon Blanc 2006 and caviar accompanied by special sauces. The Ruinart bubble, adorned with a collaboration centerpiece from Brazilian artist Vik Muniz, is a seated dinner experience that includes pours of Ruinart Blanc de Blanc and Rosé and a lobster pot pie. Guests receive a Ruinart 1764 Spice Blend from spice master Lior Lev Sercarz and a seasonal recipe from Bourbon Steak chef Drew Adams. The patio is also outfitted with fire pits, faux-fur blankets, and glow-in-the-dark lawn games, along with a continuing cascading shower of bubbles that resemble snowflakes.
Where: Bourbon Steak at the Four Seasons Hotel, 2800 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Dates: Throughout the winter season
Cost: Rental fees run from $150 to $250, with a food and beverage minimums starting at $75 per person. Reservations are recommended: (202) 342-0444.
Heated Tent at Pub & the People
The Deal: The Bloomingdale watering hole’s heated, dog-friendly tent keeps the holiday season alive with festive decor, mistletoe, hot holiday cocktails served in snazzy wintry mugs, and blankets.
Where: The Pub & The People, 1648 N. Capitol Street NW
Dates: Through mid-March
Southeastern Roastery Does Dio
The Deal: Female-owned local coffee business Southeastern Roastery will take over the daytime menu a at H Street’s natural wine bar a few days a week. Along with plenty of strong coffee, the short lineup will be filled out by some teas and freshly fried doughnuts. “We’ve been carrying [Candy Schibli’s] coffee at Dio since day one,” says Dio owner Stacey Khoury-Diaz. “We feel really lucky and excited that she’s giving the space some day-time life.”
Where: Dio Wine Bar, 904 H Street NE
Dates: Starting Friday, January 31. The “permanent pop-up” will run Fridays, Saturdays, and the third Wednesday of every month from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Two Guys Gravy and Fries Pop-Up
The Deal: Piping hot poutine comes to Capitol Hill every Friday inside veteran-owned Valor Brewpub. The Canadian comfort food pop-up, called Two Guys Gravy and Fries, comes from Calvin-Peter Hamilton and Max Reisser, a pair of 20-something roommates who met on the rowing team at George Washington University. They saw a void of late-night eats beyond Jumbo Slice that were filling enough to satisfy people who burn a lot of calories. Hamilton, who’s from Canada, is using an old family recipe to make warming wintertime boxes that can be enjoyed on-site alongside live music or ordered to-go. The duo says the key to a perfect poutine is using hand-cut fries, Wisconsin white cheddar cheese curds that “squeak,” and gravy that makes its way to the bottom. Topping options include pickled jalapenos, bacon bits, and fried onions.
Where: Valor Brewpub (723 8th Street SE)
Dates: Picking back up again on Fridays in February starting at 10 p.m., until the poutine runs out
Cost: Poutine is $8 (menu below). New $14 fall cocktails at Valor that pair well with the rich dish include the Roll Call (vodka, mint, cucumber, lime, saison) and Hot Apple Pie, made with chacho, cider, lemon, honey, and ginger. Valor’s full menu will also be available, including new comfort foods like pork belly mac and cheese and pretzel bites dressed with truffles, ricotta, and parmesan.
Two Guys Final Draft by Anonymous S3C97Jx4 on Scribd
SUGAR SHACK
The Deal: Shaw’s doughnut destination just shaved its hours, closing from Monday to Thursday. It’s now going the pop-up route, selling breakfast pastries and coffee drinks on weekends as the space prepares to transform into something different. A representative tells Eater that will be a “fun new restaurant concept that we think will be a perfect fit for Shaw.” The new hours better reflect demand from Shaw customers, “who tend to buy doughnuts mostly on Fridays and weekends.” Its basement cocktail bar, Nocturne, will keep operating as usual.
Where: 1932 9th Street NW
Dates: Now operating Friday to Sunday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights
XIAO LONG BAO DINNER SERIES
The Deal: Maketto’s dinner series highlights limited-time menu items at Erik Bruner-Yang’s Cambodian-Taiwanese eatery, like unlimited soup dumplings, a few times a week.
Where: Maketto, 1351 H Street NE
Dates: Seatings at 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Cost: $40 per person; make reservations here