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Tupac-inspired pop-up cafe opening in NYC this weekend

A Tupac-inspired pop-up restaurant will open in NYC this weekend, when the East Harlem-born rapper is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
A Tupac-inspired pop-up restaurant will open in NYC this weekend, when the East Harlem-born rapper is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox Film / Hopper Stone

All eyez will be on the Lower East Side when a Tupac-inspired pop-up opens this weekend.

Sweet Chick’s Ludlow Street location will transform into The Powamekka Cafe on Friday, a vision straight from the mind of the late East Harlem-born rapper himself.

Some of Tupac’s favorite foods, like gumbo, meatloaf and chicken wings, are expected to be available, but Sweet Chick’s manager George Cruz said the exact menu hasn’t been nailed down yet.

“Nothing is finalized, but the menu will be based off dishes mentioned in Tupac’s notebook,” he said, referring to old-school loose-leaf sketches about a potential restaurant that were apparently drawn up by the rapper before his untimely death on Sept. 7, 1996. Images of the sketches were the driving force behind a Powamekka pop-up in Fresno, California, which drew hundreds last September, according to Eater.

“The café gives Tupac’s friends, family and fans a chance to revisit him through a carefully curated collection from his archives, including personal photos from his childhood, his poetry and music memorabilia from his favorite artists,” the pop-up’s reservation page reads.

Unfortunately, reservations are already booked solid, but fans can still wait outside for the chance to get in. Limited walk-ins will be available, Cruz said.

Food won’t be the only thing sold at the pop-up. An exclusive Tupac by Vlone collection, consisting of apparel like hats, tees and bathrobes, will be up for grabs at the café. Prices for the styles range from $100 to $380.

The pop-up will be open at 178 Ludlow St. on Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., and both Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.

The rapper will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in a Barclays Center ceremony on Friday. Plus, with Nas as a primary Sweet Chick’s investor, we’re hoping some famous faces will drop by.