One of the District’s largest food festivals will take over Union Market this weekend, filling the space with samples from more than 95 vendors.
For the past four years, The Emporiyum has been hosting their November food marketplace at Union Market. Many of the vendors featured are DMV favorites, but The Emporiyum also highlights foods from all around the country. This year’s festival will be held Friday through Sunday and will exhibit treats from New York City, Charleston and restaurants around the country.
Check out these innovative vendors from D.C. and beyond as they serve everything from trendy treats to authentic international cuisine this weekend:
Dorjee Momo
Dorjee Momo is a D.C.-based family business that aims to introduce people to Himalayan cuisine, like traditional dumplings called momos and other flavorful street food. The restaurant is based at Union Kitchen, a kitchen incubator, where they cook the food they bring to events, festivals and private home dinners. They also have a pop up shop in Dupont Circle’s Shop Made in D.C. which opened in October.
This weekend they will be serving three menu items including “dumpling shots” filled with chicken, ginger, garlic, greens, bone broth and a 21-spice sauce ($4), Sichuan eggplant with mala vinaigrette, thai red chili and other spices ($4) and sunflower buns, which are steamed buns stuffed with “glass noodles,” tofu, spinach and mushrooms ($4).
Lobsang Dorjee Tsering, the co-owner of Dorjee Momo, said this festival will allow him to introduce his native Himalayan food to more visitors than he can typically reach through smaller pop-ups around the District.
“For me, Emporiyum is a chance to connect with people who maybe never had Himalayan food before,” he said. “I cook from my heart, and I make all our dumplings by hand because I’m proud of my Tibetan culture and our food history.”
Chick’nCone
Chick’nCone is a New York City food vendor often found at pop ups and markets that offers a twist on chicken and waffles by offering crispy fried chicken in a waffle cone topped with decadent sauces. Chick’nCone can currently be found around NYC at places like Gansevoort Market in Chelsea and the Bryant Park Winter Village.
At The Emporiyum, the pop-up vendor will be serving their Chick’nCones ($9) with their three best-selling sauce flavors: Kick’n Ranch, Yella BBQ and Cinna-Maple.
After blowing up on social media, the pop up shop manager Ashley Grimes said their fan base got “crazy huge.” An event like The Emporiyum in a new city is a great opportunity for the growing business, Grimes added.
Avocaderia
If you love avocado with everything, Brooklyn’s Avocaderia is a must-see vendor at The Emporiyum. Based in Brooklyn’s Industry City, a trendy crossroad of food, shopping and art, Avocaderia is debuting in D.C. this weekend at The Emporiyum. From toasts to salads to bowls and even smoothies, all of Avocaderia’s dishes incorporate avocado in some way.
This weekend the seven-month-old shop will be showcasing their top selling products: the El salmon toast with avocado, smoked salmon and cream cheese ($12), the Mediterranean toast with avocado, feta cheese and olive and caper tapenade ($10), guacamole with baked pita chips ($7) and chocolate avocado mousse ($7).
Tipsy Scoop
Tipsy Scoop is New York City’s first boozy-ice cream parlour and located in the Kips Bay neighborhood just blocks from the Empire State Building. The shop’s signature ice cream flavors are influenced by cocktails and include flavors like maple bacon bourbon, tequila Mexican hot chocolate and strawberry white sangria.
This weekend, Tipsy Scoop will be serving all scoops in mini martini glasses that will be rimmed with both rainbow sprinkles and chocolate fudge. The scoops ($3) will be served in four flavor options: raspberry limoncello, cake batter vodka martini, dark chocolate whiskey salted caramel and spiked mint chocolate chip. Since each scoop does actually contain alcohol, Tipsy Scoop will be reserved for people at The Emporiyum who are 21 or older.
Melissa Tavss, the founder of Tipsy Scoop, said although her business has been featured at other festivals across the country, this will be their first time in D.C.
“It’s a well-curated foodie event, so basically just wanted to be in good company,” Tavss said.
The Emporiyum will be open from Friday 6 to 8 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. General admission tickets start at $15.