10 must-try Atlanta food pop-ups and dining events this week

This week’s pop-up lineup includes Smokin Moes BBQ’s Midland South Carolina-style barbecue, Phantom Pizza’s naturally leavened sourdough pies with Georgia ingredients, Witchsugar and Lucky Star’s Halloween-themed plated desserts and craft cocktails, Beksa Lala and Girl Bar’s “Polish Girl Dinner” with pierogi nuggets and Ticket to Tokyo’s Japanese sandos, including a limited-edition fall pumpkin custard version. Read on for all 10 pop-ups to check out.

South Carolina barbecue from Smokin Moes BBQ on Cheshire Bridge

• Who: Smokin Moes BBQ (@smokinmoes30324) from Maurice “Moe” Burrows.
• When/Where: Friday, Oct. 23 and Sunday, Oct. 25, noon until sold out. Outside of the Mobil gas station, 2353 Cheshire Bridge Road NE. Cheshire Bridge, Atlanta.
• The Draw: Army veteran Burrows brings Midlands South Carolina-style barbecue featuring tangy mustard-based sauces to Cheshire Bridge. Menu highlights feature slow-smoked beef brisket, pulled chicken, barbecue ribs and pulled pork, served as sandwiches, plates or multiple-protein platters and paired with sides, including saffron yellow rice, cowboy baked beans with ground turkey, pasta salad with smoked chicken and smoked Gouda macaroni and cheese. Dessert options include cheesecake cobbler jars, cookies and cake slices. Though off this Saturday, Moes regularly posts up Friday through Sunday at this location.

Wood-fired artisan pizza from Phantom Pizza in Avondale Estates and EAV

• Who: Phantom Pizza (@phantompizzaatl) from Will Kohl.
• When/Where: Friday, Oct. 23, 5 p.m. until sold out. Little Cottage Brewery (@littlecottagebrewery). Avondale Estates. Tuesday, Oct. 27, 6–10 p.m. Burle’s Bar (@burlesbar). East Atlanta Village.
• The Draw: Former Kimball House sous chef Kohl serves naturally leavened sourdough pies crafted with local Georgia ingredients. The rotating menu spotlights his signature greenza pie with confit garlic, braised collard greens and pork pancetta, funghi No. 3 with sweet pepper ricotta, the classic Margherita with Georgia extra-virgin olive oil and specialty Spotted Trotter pepperoni pies.

Fall dessert and cocktail pop-up from Witchsugar and Lucky Star in West Midtown

• Who: Witchsugar (@witchsugar_) from Maximilian Lucas and Lucky Star ATL (@luckystaratl).
• When/Where: Friday, Oct. 23 — Saturday, Oct. 25, 5:30–11 p.m. Lucky Star ATL. West Midtown.
• The Draw: Lucas, known for story-driven desserts that draw on childhood nostalgia and seasonal inspirations, will serve Halloween-themed plated desserts paired with Lucky Star’s craft cocktails in West Midtown. Plated highlights feature the witch doctor with spiced rum cake, a flambe chocolate skull, hibiscus-cider broth and vanilla ice cream; el chupacabra with goat cheese ice cream, a black moon croissant, Puerto Rican coffee cajeta, goat butter shortbread, buckwheat and Malta Goya foam; and Snow White’s poison apple with German chamomile broth, raspberry-rose Bavarian, Lucy Glo apple cider compote and poppy seed cookie crumbs. Reserve your spot.

Japanese sandos from Ticket to Tokyo

• Who: Ticket to Tokyo (@ticket_to_tokyo) from Peter Sheng.
• When/Where: Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m. — noon. DHA Farmers Market (@dhafarmersmarket). Dunwoody.

Sunday, Oct. 25, 10 a.m. — 3 p.m. Grant Park Fall Festival (@grantpark.atlanta). Grant Park, Atlanta.

• The Draw: After years working in commercial real estate, Sheng shifted to his true passion for Japanese sandos, inspired by his travels in Japan and his upbringing in China. He bakes fluffy shokupan Japanese milk bread to create sandos ranging from slow-braised beef and slow-braised chicken sandos to Japanese-style tuna salad, Kewpie egg salad, Hokkaido-style matcha cream fruit sandos and a limited-edition fall pumpkin custard sando made with real pumpkin and fresh cream. Sandos are also available weekly at Common Coffee in Doraville every Monday–Thursday starting at noon, Postern Coffee in Doraville on Mondays and Tuesdays from noon until sold out and at Prime Tea in Johns Creek on Fridays starting at 1 p.m.

Filipino comfort bakes from Manalo’s Bakery in Virginia-Highland

• Who: Manalo’s Bakery (@manalosbakery) from Nia Hammer.
• When/Where: Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m. — noon. Virginia Highlands Farmers Market (@vahifarmersmarket). Virginia-Highland, Atlanta.
• The Draw: Hammer learned to cook from her mother and grandmother, who both owned food businesses in the U.S. and the Philippines. Drawing on her family’s Kapampangan roots in Pampanga, north of Manila, she brings traditional Filipino comfort baked goods and street favorites to the neighborhood farmers market. Highlights include steamed meat siopao buns, chicken pastil with shredded chicken over rice, soothing salabat ginger tea, kalabasa rolls and sweet coconut-filled pan de coco bread.

African diaspora tasting showcase from Black Restaurant Week at Uptown Atlanta

• Who: Black Restaurant Week (@blackrestaurantweek).
• When/Where: Saturday, Oct. 24, VIP doors open at 6 p.m., general admission doors open at 7 p.m., until 9 p.m. Uptown Atlanta (@uptownatlanta). Lindbergh.
• The Draw: Nosh Atlanta celebrates Black culinary talent across the African, African American and Caribbean diaspora with 20-plus tasting stations including J’ouvert Caribbean Kitchen & Bar, Bando Verde, Crumb Get Some Bakery, Gourmet Street Foods, Fin & Feathers and West End Gin, with a VIP spirits lounge, a sweet lab and an intimate two-course Chef’s Table experience curated by the New South chef collective and chef Robert Butts. Reserve your spot.

Dark harvest tasting menu from Gathered Grounds Supper Club in West End

• Who: Gathered Grounds Supper Club (@gatheredgroundsatl) from Kai Halpaus.
• When/Where: Saturday, Oct. 24, 7–10 p.m. Private location (exact location revealed upon ticket purchase), West End.
• The Draw: Halpaus is setting up a secret-location table for a seven-course autumn tasting menu inspired by harvest, fire, shadow and Moroccan warm spices. The seven-course meal includes example courses such as “Garden at Dusk” with tempura shishito, “the Harvest” with pumpkin soup, “First Frost” with hamachi crudo and “Black Tide” with squid ink pasta. Reserve your spot.