A nibble, a shop, a nosh, a chat: all in an afternoon’s work at last week’s Emporiyum at Dock 5 of Union Market. Dozens of vendors set up wares, foodstuffs, and crafts – whether craft beer, sweets, or greeting cards. It was a veritable foodie haven, touching on all the latest local and national food trends. If it wasn’t there, it’s not hot right now.

Top takeaways? Kombucha won the popularity contest, sold at several spots; surely no one went home won’t a good dose of probiotic. Granola came in a close second, the earthy crunchy sweet stuff making into everyone’s hands. Long lines abounded, including for Bruner Yang’s uber-popular ramen from Maketto, which was paired with Gordy’s spicy and briny Bloodys, bringing people into the far reaches of the outdoor space. Meanwhile, a DJ spun high-energy tunes on the other end to keep shoppers energized as they tasted Sir Kensington’s low-cal ketchup, Bullfrog’s unbeatable bagels, and flavorful, pumped-up coffee brewed with macha from startup Javazen. The DC area is apparently also almost overflowing with new brewpubs and distilleries, which made for a slightly tipsy shopping experience. The pastrami, smooth as butter, from DGS, helped sop it up.

Finally, there were a few vendors there making sure we did good while picking up holiday treats. Beyond all the local, organic, fair-trade options, there were places like Fruitcycle, which uses produce that would otherwise go to waste, and also empowers women by providing jobs to those who are homeless or were recently incarcerated. Plus, the kale chips, tossed in cayenne and garlic, truly kicked it out of the park – or Market.

Guest Blogger, Evan (ESC)