Six Pop-Up Dinners (And Other Notable Culinary Events)
Della’s Dinners: Pizza and Oysters
Chef Nevin Taylor, who recently left Tres Gatos in Jamaica Plain, has started a new catering and pop-up business called Della’s. Launched with girlfriend Beth Herbert, a bartender at Coppa, Della’s is inspired by Herbert’s family pizza and pasta shop in Rutland, Vermont, something once run by her grandmother (not quite legally) out of her own home kitchen. That same relaxed, communal vibe is something Taylor will attempt to emulate in the couple’s first pop-up at Asta where they’ll be preparing a number of sheet pan pizzas (margherita; ricotta with red onions and parsley; and a white pizza with green goddess dressing), oyster dishes, and various dips and spreads. If you miss out on Della’s inaugural pop-up, there will be other opportunities to check out Taylor’s casual new concept, including a lasagna dinner on June 15 and a Chinese dumpling bash on June 29.
$50 per person, June 1 from 6-10:30 p.m., 47 Massachusetts Ave., Boston; eventbrite.com.
Burgers and Beers at The Butcher Shop
Starting June 1, Barbara Lynch’s The Butcher Shop will bring back “Burgers and Beers,” its annual summer menu featuring a range of chef Matt Mahoney’s upscale burger creations. Taking place every Sunday through Tuesday from June until the end of September, guests can choose from up to five burger options, to go along with The Butcher Shop’s everyday menu. In addition to the classic TBS with bacon and aged cheddar, Mahoney will introduce burgers such as the DAB (Dry-aged chuck, avocado, and fried egg), the Q Burger (beef patty, shoestring onions, house barbecue sauce, and slaw), and the PB&F (Creamy peanut butter, foie gras, and bacon jam).
552 Tremont St., Boston; 617-423-4800; thebutchershopboston.com.
Further Food Stuff La Brasa Takeover
Dan Amighi (La Brasa, Ribelle, Bondir) and Patrick Gaggiano’s (Viale, Brick & Mortar) very loose, very whimsical pop-up concept, Further Food Stuff, will return to La Brasa on June 2. Aimed at bucking conventional tasting menu formats, the duo will prepare eight courses pairing cocktails like Gaggiano’s spicy serrano Aperol with Amighi’s fermented carrot crudite. But here’s the rub, everything is a la carte. You don’t want to try the chef’s oyster and rye fritter? Take a pass until the next plate comes around. As Gaggiano says, “We volleyed back and forth with a few ideas and ultimately narrowed everything down to what’s in season. We’re really letting beginning of summer New England pick our menu.” To help elevate their second get-together, the two have recruited Eric Frier from Ribelle and Matt Hummel from Westbridge for a true star-studded event.
June 2 at 10 p.m., 124 Broadway, Somerville; facebook.com.
Townsman’s #Summerlicious
Matt Jennings is kicking off summer by opening Townsman’s new patio and having a blowout with piles of bivalves, daiquiris, tacos, grilled items, and plenty of rosé. Taking place on June 8 from 4:30-10 p.m., Jennings and his crew will be preparing desserts such as chocolate whoopie pie ice cream sandwiches and mini ice cream cones with house-made sour cream-gooseberry ice cream, savory items like fish tacos and house-made sausages, and festive tropical libations that capture the spirit of summer.
$65 per person, June 8, 4:30 to 10 p.m., 120 Kingston St., Boston; eventbrite.com.
Hot Dogs and Champagne at Menton
Each year on his birthday, chef Scott Jones celebrates the coming year by indulging in two of his favorite culinary guilty pleasures: champagne and hot dogs. This year, Barbara Lynch and Menton are allowing Jones to share his affinity for that most unlikely of pairings. Starting June 11, the Fort Point fine dining destination will launch a series of pop-ups featuring a special bubbles and hot dog-themed menu, that’ll include Jones’ foie gras frankfurter, the Bouillabaisse Dog, and a surf and turf version of the tube steak classic. Grower champagne will be offered by-the-glass on the champagne cart, and by-the-bottle from Menton’s vaunted wine cellar. Prices for the hot dogs range from $5-$15 and come with an array of house-made condiments. Dates for further pop-ups will be announced through Menton‘s website and Facebook. No reservations no necessary.
June 11, 354 Congress St., Boston; 617-737-0099 or mentonboston.com.
Terry Theise at Island Creek Oyster Bar
Legendary wine guru Terry Theise will join Island Creek Oyster Bar general manager and wine director Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli at the latest iteration of ICOB’s Vine Masters series on June 8th, in which leaders in the beverage community co-host wine-centric dinners at the restaurant. Theise will discuss his book “Reading between the Wines” during a raw bar and cocktail reception, then walk guests through five courses of chef Nicola Hobson’s food paired alongside some of his famous European imports.
$135 per person, June 8 at 6:30 p.m., 500 Commonwealth Ave., Boston; 617-532-5300 or islandcreekoysterbar.com.