Each week, Punk Foodie highlights eight Atlanta pop-ups worth catching before they disappear, helping readers find the city’s most interesting chef-driven dining concepts, food trucks, supper clubs and limited-time food events.
The independent chef scene often reveals how immigrant traditions, first-generation entrepreneurship and local ingredients are merging into a new Southern food identity. Atlanta offers a unique laboratory where chefs test ideas to determine if temporary kitchens can transform into revolutionary restaurants.
Credit: Rog Spence
Credit: Rog Spence
Sourdough-crust pizza from Pizza Kusina
Who: Pizza Kusina (@pizza.kusina) from Lorena Asidao-Spence
When/Where: Friday-Saturday, April 10-11, 6 p.m. until sold out. Sidetracked Wine Co. (@sidetrackedwineco). 3411 Pierce Dr., Chamblee.
Why Go: Chicago native Lorena Asidao-Spence co-founded Pizza Kusina in 2021 with her husband, Roger Spence, and has been refining her sourdough-focused crust ever since. The concept has grown into a regular presence across Atlanta, with a rotating lineup of specialty pies with creative topping combinations, many named after family members, and a naturally leavened, slow-fermented dough shaped in part by her recent training at the Pizza University in Beltsville, Maryland.
What to Get: The samantita with spicy vodka sauce, mozzarella, ricotta, Calabrian chile and Parmesan reggiano.
Also on the menu you’ll find the clams Kusina with clams, basil pesto, Parmigiano-Reggiano, extra-virgin olive oil, togarashi, and a twist of lemon; tita Ine, with mortadella, ricotta, pesto, mozzarella, pistachio, Parmigiano-Reggiano and several other pies.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Halal South Asian charcoal street food from Char Kingz
Who: Char Kingz (@charkingz.atl) from Nasrul Alam
When/Where: Saturday, April 11, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Druid Hills Farmers Market (@druidhillsfarmersmarket), 3039 Briarcliff Road, Druid Hills.
Why Go: Nasrul Alam is the founder of Char Kingz, a live Halal charcoal street food concept bringing together flavors from across South Asia and the Middle East, drawing inspiration from the street food scenes of Dhaka, Karachi, Delhi and beyond.
What to Get: The bob in the bun, which is a Bihari kabob marinated overnight, charcoal-grilled and tucked into a toasted handheld bun, topped with crispy onions, fresh cucumbers and the royal green sauce. Served with crispy masala chips.
The menu also features tandoori chicken wings.
Southern Thai Songkran celebration from Talat Market and Puma Yu’s
Who: Talat Market (@talatmarketatl) from Parnass Savang and Rod Lassiter; Puma Yu’s (@pumayus) from Pete Amadhanirundr and Ally Smith.
When/Where: Monday, April 13, 5-8:45 p.m. Talat Market (@talatmarketatl). 112 Ormond St., Summerhill.
Why Go: The folks behind Talat Market, a James Beard Award finalist and Michelin-recommended restaurant, and James Beard semi-finalist Puma Yu’s come together in a collaboration of two of Georgia’s most influential Southeast Asian kitchens. The menu draws inspiration from Austin Bush’s documentary-style book, “The Food of Southern Thailand” (Norton, 2024), which offers a regional lens on Thai food beyond usual Thai fare. The dinner will celebrate Songkran, the Thai New Year.
What to Get: The dinner features a set menu, and we are excited about the gaeng som, a sour catfish curry featured in Bush’s book that stands as a core, everyday dish of Southern Thai cooking.
The lineup also offers many other courses, including puyut-style murtabak with lamb, plaa thawt kamin with deep-fried scad with turmeric and garlic and moo hong pork belly stew.
Credit: Adrian Profumo
Credit: Adrian Profumo
Traditional Lao and Vietnamese “an nhau” food from Side Quest
Who: Side Quest (@sidequest.atl) from Nik Soukavong and Cynthia Hoang
When/Where: Sunday, April 12, 5-10 p.m. A Mano (@amanoatl). 587 Ralph McGill Blvd. NE, Old Fourth Ward.
Why Go: Nik Soukavong, a 15-year Atlanta restaurant industry veteran with time as beverage director and bar manager at Lucky Star, Stereo and Little Trouble, teams up with Cynthia Hoang, a self-taught cook drawing from her experience as the eldest daughter in an immigrant household, for a pop-up rooted in Vietnamese and Lao “an nhau” culture, a Vietnamese term describing drinking, shared plates and a loose, high-energy evening.
What to Get: The seared steak with Lao chimichurri or the red snapper crudo with muoi ot xanh (Vietnamese green chile salt sauce).
The rest of the menu includes fish sauce wings, tom yum fries, banh khot (Vietnamese mini savory coconut rice pancakes), lotus root salad, grilled conch, mi xao gion (crispy noodle stir-fry), nam khao (Lao crispy rice salad) and fried quail.
Credit: Alexander Cha
Credit: Alexander Cha
Seasonal American sushi and craft cocktails from Amerikajin and Monolith
Who: Amerikajin (@amerikajin.atl) from Lani Lee and Monolith (@bar.monolith.atl) from Jared Grisham, in collaboration with Grow Where You Are‘s Eugene Cooke (@growwhereyouare) and Murrell’s Row Spirits (@murrellsrowspirits)
When/Where: Monday, April 13, 5 p.m. - midnight. Banshee (@banshee_eav). 1271 Glenwood Ave. SE, East Atlanta Village.
Why Go: Chef Lani Lee of Amerikajin, currently managing the kitchen at Brush Sushi and trained under American sushi pioneers Vu Tran and Yoshi Eddings, collaborates with Cooke of Grow Where You Are and Grisham of Monolith to create Bloom, a spring-driven dinner. The elevated Americanized sushi will use local and domestic seafood and produce, building on Lee’s sourcing relationship with Grow Where You Are and a beverage program shaped by Monolith.
What to Get: We are excited about the seasonal California roll with Amerikajin blue crab salad, celery, pickled rutabaga and California avocados and the shrimp tempura with Tybee Island Royal Red shrimp and fennel tartar sauce.
Other notables on the extensive menu include Maine scallop aguachile with celery and fennel agua, cilantro, grilled alliums, El Milagro tostada brittle, California avocado and house-made chile powder and the aged steak “hibachi” with koji-aged Chatel Farms Wagyu picanha, Tybee Island shrimp, butternut squash mousseline, poached bok choy and hibachi jus.
Credit: Teresa Martinez
Credit: Teresa Martinez
Family-recipe Mexican food from Buen Provecho
Who: Buen Provecho (@buenprovechoatl) from Teresa Martinez
When/Where: Monday-Thursday, April 13-16, 5-9 p.m. Boggs Social & Supply (@boggssocial). 1310 White St. SW, West End.
Why Go: Teresa Martinez’s Buen Provecho menu is rooted in the nostalgia of traditional Mexican flavors reimagined as contemporary street food, inspired by the Latin food culture of Southern California, where she grew up. Teresa was recently featured in Candy Hom’s AJC article on three women from immigrant communities turning family recipes into businesses.
What to Get: The classic beef crunch wrap or the Mexican lasana verde with chicken.
Other offerings include the SoCal hot dog with pico de gallo, asada cheesesteak and tres leches tiramisu.
Credit: Handout
Credit: Handout
Lao-Chinese and Italian-American collaboration from So So Fed and Gigi’s Italian Kitchen
Who: So So Fed (@sosofed) from Molli Voraotsady and Gigi’s Italian Kitchen’s Eric Brooks and Jacob Armando
When/Where: Wednesday, April 15, 5-10 p.m. Gigi’s Italian Kitchen (@gigisitaliankitchen). 1660 McLendon Ave. NE, Candler Park.
Why Go: Molli Voraotsady of the Lao pop-up mainstay So So Fed teams up with Eric Brooks and Jacob Armando of pop-up-turned-brick-and-mortar Gigi’s Italian Kitchen for a collaboration to fuse Italian American with Lao and Chinese cooking.
What to Get: Menu details were not available at the time of publication, but expect incredibly creative dishes from these chefs who love their craft. Follow their Instagram accounts for the menu drop this week. Punk foodie tip: expect a line. This collab will definitely attract a crowd.
Credit: Cameron Lukkar
Credit: Cameron Lukkar
High-low Southern seafood and smashburgers from ATL Shuck Boyz and Camburger
Who: ATL Shuck Boyz (@atlshuckboyz) from Jeremy Smith; Camburger (@camburgeratl) from Cameron Lukkar
When/Where: Tuesday-Friday, April 14-17, 3-9 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, April 18-19, 12-9 p.m. Sceptre Brewing Arts (@sceptrebrewingarts). 630 E. Lake Drive, Decatur.
Why Go: Nearly three years ago, ATL Shuck Boyz’ Jeremy Smith and Camburger’s Cameron Lukkar were introduced through mutual industry friends and knew immediately they would work together. Their passion is making seemingly high-end foods, like oysters and caviar, approachable by pairing with Miller High Life and intentionally made burgers. Their vision is built on a shared love of Southern seafood, mixing coastal nostalgia with a few unexpected turns and keeping the menu and atmosphere loose and fun.
What to Get: The original Camburger with slivered onions, smashed into two local, grass-fed chuck patties, American cheese and Camburger sauce on a potato bun. Also, the blue crab pimento cheese dip and the lemon pepper hot fried shrimp po’boy.
Other items include the grilled oysters magic city, select local Southeast farmed-raised raw oysters, okonomiyaki hush puppies, Caesar salads covered in Old Bay rice “Crispies” or a bump of Russian black sturgeon caviar.
On our radar:
The limited-time Sonoran dog at Little Rey, available through April 12.
The Smiley’s Burger and Fox Bros. collaboration smoked brisket chili burger, topped with smoked brisket chili, Hatch chile queso “pimento cheese” and pickled red onions, available for the month of April.
The burger pop-up from beloved gas station NFA burger joint at Beetlecat on April 11 to raise money for the Giving Kitchen.
Global Growers’ A Meaningful Feast 2026 on April 25 brings together 20+ local chefs and mixologists, led by Terry Koval (the Deer and the Dove, B-SIDE, Fawn) and Andy Gonzales (Steinbeck’s, the Companion), to support a network of farms sustaining families and local food systems.
A “Korean-ish” supper club on April 26 from Stephie Watson, the founder of the Seoul Chikin pop-up, an early participant in the Atlanta pop-up scene.
Good Luck Smokeshow on May 20, with early bird tickets on sale now, for the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month celebration benefiting We Love BuHi, featuring chefs from Atlanta and the Southeast.
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