Social Sightings: Five Must-Follow Pop-Ups

Monday mornings are tough, but this series isn't. Social Sightings is a quick look at interesting food tidbits that we've spotted recently. It goes down as easy as your first cup of coffee, and should whet your appetite for the week ahead.

Pop-ups have become more and more common since the pandemic hit. They're the perfect way for new businesses to gain a following, test menu items and build toward bigger goals — businesses like Little Arthur's Hoagies, which is serving up some of the best sandwiches in town, and the Funky Flame, which now has a regular schedule at the Radiator in Sunnyside, where you can find its pizza, bread and much more.

Here are five more pop-ups whose social media posts have us hungry for a taste:

While the loss of Owlbear left a brisket-sized hole in Denver's barbecue scene, there's still a lot of great smoked meat in this town. Exhibit A: the Dorsia Speakeasy BBQ pop-ups from Michael "Mikey" Schinn, an engineer by trade. King of Wings, which is currently closed as it recovers from a fire, has hosted this pop-up several times, but you'll have to keep on eye on its latest posts if you want to get your hands on Mikey's low-and-slow brisket, delectable ribs and more.
Instagram: @mikeymeats5280

Despite the naysayers, Denver has plenty of good pizza joints — so many that we had to set some ground rules when making our picks for the ten best pizza places. One competitor who didn't make the cut based on a technicality (no pop-ups) is Kevin Hamori's Get Sauced, which is based in Arvada. Pizzas are available weekly for pre-order via Instagram DMs, with pick-ups on Wednesdays. Hamori offers several varieties each week in both neo-Neapolitan and Detroit styles; popular options include pepperoni, ricotta basil and chicken bacon ranch.
Instagram: @getsaucedpizza
Bakeries may be the biggest food trend of the pandemic. After everyone started making sourdough at home, many would-be bakers realized just how much goes into high-quality baked goods. And then came hot baked goods summer 2021. The bakery pop-up trend isn't slowing down, either, thanks to additions like Emily's Baked, which got its start last October selling boxes of treats for the holidays. These sweets are packed with nostalgia and available to order à la carte via Square for pick-up on Sundays. Watch its Instagram page for other chances to score these goodies. 
Instagram: @emilys_baked
Chef Dave Hadley, who's made appearances on Chopped and Supermarket Stakeout, has been slinging his samosas and other Indian specialties at markets and pop-ups all over town throughout the pandemic. He changes up his offerings regularly, frying up everything from pepperoni pizza and Buffalo chicken-inspired samosas to vegetarian curries and tandoori chicken.
Instagram: @samosashopco
Onigiri, the pyramid-shaped rice balls stuffed with a variety of fillings, have gained popularity in the United States in recent years. A new pop-up, Gonigiri, is now bringing fresh, handmade onigiri to Pacific Mercantile, at 19th and Lawrence streets, every Friday. It's available in three varieties: salmon, tuna mayo and chive tofu.
Instagram: @eatgonigiri