Korean Street Food Pop-Up To Open Permanent Spot In Bed-Stuy

BED-STUY, NY — Korean street and home comfort food pop-up Sonbul will make Burly Coffee its permanent home next week after years of serving good eats around Brooklyn.

Chef Taeil Kim has been regularly cooking dishes out of the coffee shop on Throop Avenue between Kosciuszko Street and Dekalb Avenue for about a year. And starting Nov. 3, Sonbul's menu will be available daily after the coffee shop closes Wednesdays through Saturdays, with Sunday service being added soon.

Along with his regular Korean street food staples, Kim will use a newly installed commercial kitchen to test out new concoctions inspired by his hometown of Los Angeles and seasonal flavors, he said.

And, inspired by the confidence of his father who also works in the restaurant industry, Kim will serve a fast favorite from his pop-up: a Korean cheesesteak sandwich.

Kim started the pop-up in 2021 after years in the restaurant industry. As it always has, Sonbul's food will "speak for itself," Kim said.

The eatery will open on Nov. 3 with a party complete with flash tattoos, live DJs and drinks including Màkku beer and West 32 Soju. Guests can RSVP for the opening party, which will run from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m., using this link.

It's a perfect teaser for the restaurant Kim hopes will go far beyond just a place to dine. Kim sees Sonbul as becoming a cultural and community hub in an area he felt was lacking Korean eateries.

Another popular Brooklyn pop-up and food truck, Little Grenjai, recently opened a permanent spot on Gates Avenue near Marcy Avenue. The eatery serves a popular chile and basil-seasoned smash burger, along with other Bangkok street food.