Pop-ups are crucial to Boston’s dining scene. They are temporary spaces for cooks and bartenders who might not (yet) run their own spots to try out new dishes and drinks. Or, sometimes, it can be an opportunity for industry veterans to collaborate and step outside of their usual routines to put together more experimental, one-night-only menus. In each case, it’s a fun way to foster new talent and keep thinking creatively. This periodic column highlights notable pop-ups happening in and around Boston.
Boston Pop-Ups You Gotta Try, August 2024
Versova Social brings its inventive drinks to Brookline bar Merai, Shōjō and Mimi’s Chūka Diner collaborate on a lunch and dinner menu, and more
Erika Adams is the former deputy editor of Eater’s Northeast region, where she covered Boston, Philly, D.C. and New York. Based in Boston, she has spent years covering the local restaurant industry.
Know of a new or soon-to-open pop-up that should be on Eater Boston’s radar? Get in touch here.
ShōChū Co. at Ruckus
The minds behind Chinatown hangout Shōjō and the soon-to-open Mimi’s Chūka Diner are joining forces at Shōjō’s sibling restaurant, Ruckus, for a lunch and dinner pop-up while Mimi’s Chūka Diner gets ready to open soon in Somerville. The pop-up includes a series of teishoku, or Japanese set lunches, with mains like yakisoba and sweet and sour chicken sold with a vegetable eggroll, soup, and pickles. Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, with dinner coming soon. 5 Tyler Street, Chinatown
Versova Social is a new-ish pop-up celebrating South Asian flavors run by bartending talent Altamash Gaziyani, a finalist for Punch’s Best New Bartenders of 2024. Gaziyani will be behind the bar at Merai on August 25, starting at 9 p.m., slinging inventive drinks with ingredients like Alphonso mango, kalonji (nigella seeds), and candied amla (an Indian gooseberry). 14 Harvard Street, Brookline Village
Highland Butcher Shop breakfast sandwich at Shirley Eat More Sunshine
Shirley Eat More Sunshine owner Katherine Bayle is collaborating with fellow Somerville business Highland Butcher Shop on a beast of a breakfast sandwich this weekend. The whole animal butchery is supplying the sausage for the sandwich, made with sage and maple, which Bayle will layer with Cabot cheddar, a mustard-y aioli, and an olive oil baked egg, all sandwiched on Shirley’s cheesy focaccia. There’s an option to add Shirley’s hot sauce, too. The sandwich will be available from Friday, August 23 through the weekend, and potentially longer if demand is high, according to Bayle. 22A College Avenue, Somerville
Flower Dinner at Field and Vine
Somerville date-night favorite Field and Vine is hosting its first-ever flower dinner with Eva’s Garden, a Massachusetts-based farm that specializes in edible flowers. On Wednesday, August 28, the restaurant is serving a four-course pescatarian or vegetarian dinner that is built around edible flowers such as marigolds, squash blossoms, nasturtiums, and a whole lot more. Tickets are $95 per person with an optional beverage pairing and the ability to add a bouquet from the floral buffet bar before the meal; diners can reserve a spot at one of two seatings, 6 p.m. and 8:15 p.m., here. 9 Sanborn Court, Somerville
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