Garden State Public Market Pop-Up (Paramus, NJ)

Garden State Public Market is a 12 week pop-up brought to you by the creators of Midnight Market, Perla Nieves and Alysis Vasquez. Located in Garden State Plaza (Paramus, NJ) in the former location of Pirch (by Neiman Marcus & behind Tiffany & Co.), Garden State Public Market is meant to be an experiential dining and shopping experience unlike any other.

From today, April 12, to June 30, step into the 20,000 sq. ft. space transformed into a modern & chic food hall filled with Instagrammable dishes, local art, and even live jazz (every Friday from 6-9pm)! And on top of that, tonight & every Thursday night is Trivia Night! Relax at one of many seating options with some board games while you wait…

Then grab a bite from the following vendors: Kimchi Smoke Barbecue, El Lechon De Negron, Tojo Kitchen, Jerk Shack Grill, Hold My Knots, Yani’s Bake House, The Brownie Bar, and Sogno Coffee!

If you’re unfamiliar with Kimchi Smoke, check out my in-depth post about their dine-in location! Their pop-up inside GSPM has many of their popular items, plus specials!

El Lechon De Negron is based in Union, NJ and has been around since 2012. Step inside their cozy booth inside GSPM and experience some great Puerto Rican cuisine!

Tojo’s Kitchen is a Japanese fusion comfort food pop-up in the New York metropolitan area with no permanent location. Currently they offer two types of ramen and two types of rice burgers. I tried their Tonkotsu Ramen and Karaage Rice Burger. They both packed some great flavor!

They share a space with Jerk Shack Grill, who similarly does not have a permanent location for now but is taking advantage of Garden State Public Market to continue sharing their good eats!

Because their menu will constantly rotate, I knew I needed to try something of theirs too because I love Caribbean food! So I ordered their Jerk Chicken meal which is served with mac & cheese, corn on the cob, and sweet plantains. Goes great with a side of Jamaican cola!

The infamous Hold My Knots (from NYC and more recently opened in Hillsdale, NJ) also has a presence in the Market but is only open on Saturdays.

But as you can see, they’ll offer 6 of their killer Garlic Knot Sliders, as well as a great backdrop for photos! Here’s a shot of my Buffalo Chicken Garlic Knot Slider:

Once you’re through with the food, you can move onto dessert. Yani’s Bake House caught my eye with their “Scones of the Day” and Unicorn Cake Pops (you read that right)!

If you’re feeling a little more basic, then go for The Brownie Bar! Originally a food truck, we’re in luck to find The Brownie Bar semi-permanently located in GSPM at the moment. Swing by and experience their diverse brownie menu including, but not limited to: Triple Chocolate Fudge, Caramel Sea Salt, S’mores, Funfetti, Pecan Pie, and a Carrot Brownie! What??

And the best part about Garden State Public Market? There’s tons of walking space and things to look at while digesting all these good eats. You know I did!

Plus, you can grab a coffee at Sogno Coffee, browse the art on display from Jersey City Arts Council, pick up some jewelry from MOONCHILD, or spin in circles with the Herman Miller Magis Spun Chair:

Honestly, there’s so much to do and eat inside that you can’t possibly take it all in with one visit. Thankfully, Garden State Public Market is open to the public for 12 weeks with no admission fee! Everything is pretty affordable and currently there’s no other experience like this in the area so be sure to make a trip out to Garden State Plaza mall before this pop-up disappears!

Garden State Public Market is open Thursday through Saturday from 11am to 7pm from April 12 to June 30, 2018.