6 Atlanta food pop-ups this week, and the return of Brave Wojtek
Each week, Punk Foodie highlights 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.
Japanese sandos from Ticket to Tokyo
Who: Ticket to Tokyo (@ticket_to_tokyo) from Peter Sheng.
When/Where: Saturdays, 9 a.m. — noon. DHA Farmers Market (@dhafarmersmarket). 4770 N. Peachtree Road, Dunwoody.
Mondays–Thursdays, 10 a.m. — 10 p.m. and Fridays–Sundays, 11 a.m. — 11 p.m. Common Coffee & Cocktails (@common.coffee.cocktails). 5677 Buford Highway NE, Doraville.
Mondays–Tuesdays, 7 a.m. — 4 p.m. Postern Coffee (@posterncoffee). 2421 Van Fleet Circle, Doraville.
Why you should check them out: Sheng makes fresh shokupan bread, a fluffy Japanese milk bread baked from scratch in a Pullman pan using traditional recipes, to re-create the experience of a late-night Tokyo convenience store run for Japanese sandos. His savory sandos feature meats slow-braised for hours in a house-made broth of more than 30 herbs and spices, including slow-braised beef and chicken served with cheese and herbs. In addition to serving a full menu in person at the DHA farmers market, Ticket to Tokyo has just begun supplying sandwiches to coffee shops. At Postern Coffee, you can find tuna salad and egg salad sandos on Mondays and Tuesdays. At Common Coffee & Cocktails, you can find a full menu of the savory sandos seven days a week, with fruit sandos, including mixed fruit and strawberries, on Saturdays.
American jerk barbecue from Jimmie’s Jerk BBQ
Who: Jimmie’s Jerk BBQ (@jerkbbqatl) from Jimmie Jackson.
When/Where: Thursday, Aug. 6, 6:30–9:30 p.m. The Home Depot Backyard (@thdbackyard). Soccer Ball Plaza at Gate 1 of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, 1 AMB Drive NW, Downtown.
Friday–Saturday, Aug. 7–8, 5–9 p.m. Boggs Social & Supply (@boggssocial). 1310 White St. SW, West End.
Why you should check them out: Jackson has been serving up his signature “American Jerk” across metro Atlanta for over a decade, winning top honors at the Atlanta Caribbean Jerk Festival and drawing inspiration from jerk traditions in Jamaica, the Caribbean and South Florida. He regularly appears at Boggs Social & Supply on the weekends, and you’ll also find him at the Home Depot Backyard this Thursday. His menus include appetizers like smoked wings and oxtail empanadas; salmon, rib and beef plates and jerk chicken and brisket sandwiches.
Chicago-style beef and dogs from Tony’s ATL
Who: Tony’s ATL (@tonys_atl) from Tony Kerr.
When/Where: Tuesday–Friday, Aug. 11–14, 3–9 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 15, noon — 9 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 16, noon — 8 p.m. Sceptre Brewing Arts (@sceptrebeer). 630 E. Lake Drive, Oakhurst.
Why you should check them out: Kerr puts his heart into classic Windy City fare. His dipped Italian beef sandwich lineup features the Ditka (with hot and sweet peppers), the killer Kerr (with sweet peppers and cheese sauce) and the du sable (topped with caramelized onions and melted mozzarella). For hot dogs with Chicago-sourced wieners, expect the traditional Chicago dog loaded with mustard, relish, onion, tomato, sport peppers, pickle and celery salt, alongside the Maxwell Street-style dog with mustard and sweet caramelized onions.
Halal street food and international bites at ATL Halal Summer Night Festival
Who: ATL Halal Summer Night Festival (@atlfestandco).
When/Where: Friday, Aug. 7, 5–11 p.m. Al-Noor Banquet Hall. 6010 Singleton Road, Norcross.
Why you should check them out: This evening festival brings together halal street foods and global vendor stalls under one roof for a late-night cultural celebration. Food vendor highlights include Wong’s Wok (@wongswok.official), serving halal Korean-Chinese dishes such as fried rice, orange chicken, sesame chicken and pepper steak, and ATL Snacks Stop (@atlsnacks_stop), serving Bangladeshi street food classics like crispy potato-stuffed fuchka, spicy jhalmuri puffed rice and bun maska toast with slow-cooked malai chai tea. Umm Israa Kitchen brings Iraqi comfort food, including fresh dolma, biryani, falafel, savory borek pastries and signature mango sauce.
Indian-influenced Texas craft barbecue from Dhaba BBQ
Who: Dhaba BBQ (@thedhababbq) from Jay Patel.
When/Where: Saturday, Aug. 8, 2 p.m. until sold out. Proper Hop Taphouse (@properhoproswell). 587 Atlanta St., Roswell.
Why you should check them out: Raised in a Gujarati vegetarian household, self-taught pitmaster Patel applies Texas craft barbecue techniques and 24-hour marinades to the bold, aromatic South Asian flavors of his youth. Named after India’s roadside food stalls, Dhaba BBQ reimagines traditional Indian curries and street foods into handheld creations. He frequently changes up the menu for each pop-up. Confirmed for this week: gulab jamun pork belly burnt ends as well as three sandos: tandoori chicken, oxtail tikka masala and tikka pulled pork.
Profile: Matt Reeves on the return of Brave Wojtek, serving in Ukraine and the true meaning of community
Who: Brave Wojtek (@bravewojtek) from Matt Reeves.
When/Where: Tuesdays, Aug. 11, 18 and 25, 5–10 p.m. Dead End Drinks (@deadenddrinksatl). 130 Arizona Ave. NE, Edgewood/Kirkwood border.
From 2021-2025, Reeves built Brave Wojtek into one of Atlanta’s more beloved pop-ups. Then he traded the kitchen for a combat zone.
Prior to pausing the pop-up, Reeves built a dedicated following at spots like Dead End Drinks, the Bookhouse Pub and Banshee. His events became gathering points for those with Polish and Slavic roots, as well as locals eager to commune over food.
Reeves forged his skills at One Eared Stag, going on to spend more than a decade working in an array of Atlanta kitchens, including Krog Bar, Woodward & Park, the Octopus Bar, and Whoopsies. But the heart of Brave Wojtek’s Polish and Slavic menu came directly from his family heritage, integrating seasonal produce from Georgia farmers markets. Reeves’ maternal ancestors immigrated to the United States from Poland. “My family is heavily Americanized, but the food is not,” Reeves recently told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
He preserved those ancestral links through recipes handed down across generations; he pressed dumplings made from his grandmother’s exact pierogi dough recipe.
In 2025, Reeves made the life-altering decision to move to Ukraine for four months to provide humanitarian assistance during the war. While in Ukraine, his roles ranged from line cook to community butcher. Neighbors knocked on his door, bringing chickens and livestock to process in return for home-cooked meals. Working in makeshift kitchens alongside local cooks, Reeves learned their approach to traditional, unpretentious recipes.
Returning to Atlanta, Reeves brought a new perspective that fundamentally changed how he approached his craft. While Brave Wojtek was always rooted in community, Reeves said that witnessing war firsthand gave him clarity that his pop-up’s purpose is to serve the community, not become a brick-and-mortar.
“I don’t want to get people’s hopes up to think this is going to become a restaurant. I don’t see that for Brave Wojtek. It works where it is.”
His time in Ukraine also transformed the dishes he serves. For example, Reeves changed his borscht from the simple, sour vegetable broth to a rich Kharkiv-style version.
“The kind that I fell in love with in Kharkiv was from this beautiful, simple smoked pork loin that brought all of its flavor to the soup.” That soup is rounded out with beetroot, carrot, salo and house sour cream.
For the menu on the 11th, in addition to Kharkiv borscht, some other highlights will include Bessarabia stuffed tomato with vegetable salsa, adjika labneh and sunflower oil; potato, cheese and onion pierogi with housemade sour cream; duck solyanka with duck stock, smoked sausage, ham, duck meat confit, green olive, lemon and pampushki which is a garlic herb and sweet pepper butter yeast bread.
Note: By their very nature, pop-ups are fluid and subject to the whims of weather. For the latest schedule and information, consult the pop-ups’ Instagram feeds.