Pop-ups are here to stay

The question I am asked the most these days is, ‘Sooo, what’s new and exciting in the world of food?’

The answer?

So very much.

I find that the young and hungry people these days are wanting more. No, they’re demanding more.

It’s old news to go out for a wine and dine, a picnic on a wine farm or a whisky tasting. Pfffft, that’s like, so last year people. Now, it’s about cramming many things into one singular experience.

Then, it’s about sharing those experiences, as they happen. Forget about material things, it’s the Instagram of where you are, the Facebook selfie of who you’re with and the tweet of what you’re doing, in real time.

A pop-up is the perfect place for this kind of thing. These days they are usually held at interesting locations, with cool craft beer and trendy food trucks. Add some cutting edge fashion and cool music and before you can say pulled pork, you’ve just got yourself an awesome experience.

But where?

SA has been a little slow on the uptake but there are more and more pop-ups happening all the time now. They come and go – I did a fun #streetfood one a couple of weeks ago at the Spier Secret Courtyard in Cape Town – a space that has ‘popped-up’ for 3 months. I’ll be doing many more in the months to come, wherever I can find a spot to conjure something fun and experiential, #streetfood and all sorts of other fun themes – I’m completely hooked!

The WKND Social in Jozi is a once a month pop-up in different locations and is fashion, DJ’s, insane cocktails and food. Foodhall is another project, just food and is a themed pop-up dinner with strangers in a theatre once a month in the Maboneng Precinct.

The Flying Boar, a pop-up burger joint in Cape Town with insane burgers has proved extremely popular and the Avant Garden food, fashion, design and music market is coming up this weekend and looks fabulous.

Another cool pop-up dinner experience is The Secret Eats – they rock locations all around SA and are fun and interactive. And if you haven’t been, the coolest Saturday morning place to pop-in right now in Cape Town is the Oranjezicht City Farm. Just go.

I know I have not covered them all so pretty please help out here and send me all the pop-up news you have so we can share it immediately and get this trend flying high.

So, charge your senses (and your phones) there are experiences to be had.

What do you think dear foodies?

Follow Caro on Twitter and Instagram @carodewaal and food24 on @food24 (Twitter) and @instafood24 (Instagram).