Pop-up restaurants in Hong Kong, US take off during Covid-19, and they don’t show any sign of slowing down

As the pandemic continues, pop-ups remain a popular choice for diners and restaurateurs – especially in Hong Kong, where gourmands are still stuck in the city

In the US, many chefs plan to keep having pop-ups even after the pandemic because they are flexible, less expensive to run and allow for new styles of cooking

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Paul Nagar is the manager of Hatch in Hong Kong, which ran a two-day pop-up for Bengal Brothers. Pop-ups remain a popular choice for diners and restaurateurs even as the pandemic continues on. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 7:15am, 10 Sep 2021Updated: 12:55pm, 10 Sep 2021

Vidur Yadav stands behind the counter at the Bengal Brothers pop-up diner in the Hatch venue in Hong Kong’s Soho on a recent Sunday afternoon, where the aroma of traditional cooking meets funky Western tunes from the ’80s and ’90s.

It’s a temporary two-day arrangement for Bengal Brothers, which has a permanent space in Wan Chai, also on Hong Kong Island.

The brand’s mango lassis, signature savoury kati rolls, samplings of finger-licking Indian street food and other Indian delights have proved popular in the city and Yadav and his partner wanted to dip a toe into the wider restaurant scene without outlaying a fortune.

“For us, it was a great opportunity to do this pop-up for two reasons,” Yadav says. “We’re a young brand and it’s a great way to get more exposure and spread the word about the cuisine we’re offering. And we wanted to test the market without having to have a huge investment.”

Vidur Yadav serving meals at Hatch. Photo: Dickson Lee

As the Covid-19 pandemic continues around the world, pop-ups remain a popular choice for both diners and restaurateurs. Many began as stopgap measures by struggling chefs and owners but appear to have staying power as consumers continue to embrace takeaway and delivery while the Delta variant – still raging in the US, Europe, Britain and much of Asia – threatens to make dining-in less of an option.

Above and beyond the pandemic, pop-ups have remained popular for many reasons. They are flexible and less expensive venues for new ideas and new styles of cooking; for new young chefs who want to test their mettle; and for cooperative ventures to test-run new partnerships.