Wildly popular food festival Queens Night Market is making its way to Midtown, at least for a while. Starting next Monday, July 29, the market known for its plethora of international foods will be popping up at Rockefeller Center for three weeks.
Nine of the the market’s most popular vendors will be camping out on the South Plaza at Rockefeller Center for the trial run, serving food Monday through Thursday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. The acclaimed palatas of Burmese Bites — flatbread that was called “light, crispy, and chewy” in the Times’ Hungry City column — will be available, as will the flaky custard pasteis de nata of Joey Bats Cafe, which critic Robert Sietsema highlighted as one of his favorite eats so far this year.
Vietnamese, Cantonese, Jamaican, Polish, Mexican, and Singaporean food will also be available. See a full list of the vendors below.
Unlike the market at Flushing Meadows Corona Park, not all the options will stay under the $5 price cap. But the dishes will be meal-sized portions, and market founder John Wang notes that the spirit of affordability will still be present at the Midtown pop-up, though prices will vary.
If this trial run goes well, Queens Night Market may end up staying beyond the three weeks, Wang says.
Modeled after Asian night markets, the Queens Night Market started five years ago, with vendors representing dozens of countries, intended to reflect the diversity of the borough. Since then, it’s become a summer food destination, where food is accompanied by an outdoor beer garden and live entertainment.
This year, it will be taking a pause on August 17 for the U.S. Open but will return in the fall, between September 14 and October 26.
Here’s who will be at the Outpost by Queens Night Market at Rockefeller Plaza:
Burmese Bites: Burmese keema palatas (flatbread stuffed with minced chicken) and ohno kaukswe (chicken coconut noodle soup)
Em: Vietnamese thịt kho (caramelized pork and eggs) and chả giò (deep-fried egg rolls)
La’Maoli: Antiguan saltfish balls and island subs
Joey Bats Café: Portuguese pastéis de nata
Brooklyn Dumpling: Polish pierogis and kopytka
Treat Yourself Jerk Chicken: Jamaican jerk chicken
Hong Kong Street Food: Hong Kongese soy sauce noodles
Primos Variedades: Mexican al pastor tacos
Lion City Coffee: Singaporean chai tow kway (fried radish cake) and kaya toast
This post has been updated to reflect new information.