Everything to Get at NYC’s New Urbanspace Night Market

New York’s Union Square may be known for its incomparable farmers’ market and seasonal winter holiday market, and a brand new pop-up is about to entice hungry visitors to the Manhattan neighborhood. 

The inaugural Union Square Night Market will debut this July, full of food vendors curated by New York market producer Urbanspace. “It’s a trial year, we’re hoping to come back for many, many years in the future,” explains Evan Shelton, senior vice president at Urbanspace. “We want to transform Union Square into a great place to hang out all day long.” 

The market will open with 25 vendors, selected from Urbanspace’s long-standing favorites and newcomers, and the programming will scale up to 50 vendors by the fourth week of the trial market. 

“It’s really exciting,” says Shelton. “We’re hoping to make this a much larger program, especially if vendors are happy, guests enjoy themselves and return, and we add a nice amenity to the park.”  

Kicking off on Thursday, July 11, and running from noon through 9 p.m. every Thursday through August 1, this market will feature a trove of local vendors offering New York takes on global street foods, including Belgian fries from Bed-Stuy, legendary East Village tamales, street fair-famous banh mi, and so much more for lunch, dinner and that mid-afternoon snack that you know you crave on a workday. Additional seating will be set up for diners to linger and return to stands to taste more street food.  

Here’s everything you need to try at Urbanspace Union Square Night Market: 

So Sarap

A popular Filipino Street Food Pop-Up Vendor, So Sarap is in the process of opening a brick-and-mortar location in New York. But in the meantime, they’re offering their beloved dishes at street fairs throughout the city. Their menu changes frequently, but favorites include a Smorgasburg-popular Surp & Turp rice platter with chicken, pork belly, squid, lobster, and more. Chicken isaw and pork isaw skewers are easy to enjoy while walking, and balut often appears on the menu as well.

Caracas

Some of the best arepas in New York are only found at a seasonal stand at Rockaway Beach, and indulging in the Venezuelan street food made by Caracas is always a special treat. And now, you don’t have to take the subway quite that far. Classics include the De Pabellón stuffed with shredded beef, black beans, cotija cheese, and fried sweet plantains or the vegetarian La Del Gato with guayanés cheese, fried sweet plantains, and avocado. Pro tip: Order extra sides of the house salad, a citrusy, bright yellow sauce you’ll want to slather on everything. 

Tanghulu NYC

Tanghulu is having a bit of a moment (thank you TikTok), and this vendor offers the candied fruit skewers at their best. The naturally vegan and gluten-free treats are available in grape and strawberry flavors, as well as a mixed fruit tanghulu. It’s a sweet refreshment perfect for a steamy summer evening and a nice way to get in some Vitamin C with a sugary coating. 

TNT Pineapple

Honestly, is there anything more fun than eating food out of a fruit bowl? TNT Pineapple delivers the vibes, with fried rice served out of a hollowed-out pineapple half (don’t worry, it comes in a cardboard carton to protect your hand from spikes). And no, it’s not just a photogenic gimmick, this dish is a Carribean-Chinese fusion packed with flavor. Fried rice is packed with spicy jerk chicken and drizzled with hot sauce for an indulgent, summer-ready creation.

Hen House

A contemporary take on classic Lebanese shawarma, Hen House offers the type of satisfying, savory meat-packed handhelds pretty much irresistible at any street fair. Their Lebanese Crunch Wrap Supreme is wrapped in markouk, a Lebanese village bread, and stuffed with smashed garlic potatoes, slow-roasted lamb shoulder shawarma, smashed soujouk sausage doused in cheese curd, and drizzled with zaatar ranch, tahini, and pomegranate molasses, before being topped with lemon slaw, tabouleh, and smashed pita chips. The lamb shoulder birria is another can’t miss – bring someone to share with.