Popular Belfast pop-up restaurateur announces new city centre home for Filipino food fans

Filipino pop-up food stall, Kubo, has revealed details of its new home in Belfast city centre. It comes after popular Belfast food and retail market Trademarket shut up shop in July this year and has been missed by all those who enjoyed it.

The shipping container market on Dublin Road had a temporary lease with digital technology company Kanios to operate on the site of the former Movie House Cinema. After Kainos was given the green light to begin work on its Bankmore Exchange HQ on the site earlier this year, Trademarket launched a campaign to find a new location.

However, the team were unable to secure a new site before their final day of trading but a number of containers were able to be shipped around the corner to 'Mini Trademarket' on Shaftsbury Square.

READ MORE: Where to find Trademarket vendors three months on since venue's closure

READ MORE: Belfast pop-up stall introduced renowned celebrity chef to Filipino food

Made up of local independent food and retail vendors, these businesses have been hard at work to show their resilience since the market closed - cropping up all across the city in their own new stores, guest locations and pop-up markets.

One of them, KUBO, brought food of the Philippines to the heart of Belfast and had the city fall in love with Filipino BBQ street food.

The brainchild of Nallaine Calvo, who is originally from Toronto, the successful pop-up food stall business was started four years ago at the beginning of lockdown.

KUBO has been teasing on social media that they are "reopening soon" and at the weekend they finally revealed the news that their fans have been waiting for - a new home at Great Northern Mall on Great Victoria Street.

"They posted: We’ve missed you. So, Belfast City Centre! We’re putting together a cosy home for KUBO and we’re excited to welcome you, feed you and chat with all of you again.

"Keep an eye out for our new menus and opening date. New life is being breathed into this area and we’re excited to be part of its growth."

KUBO has already had the seal of approval from celebrity chef Rick Stein after a visit to Belfast last summer. The cooking legend was introduced to Filipino food thanks to Nallaine when he visited her at KUBO as part of a new BBC cooking show.

Stein tucked into a Filipino-style Sunday lunch at KUBO during filming for his TV series, Rick Stein’s Food Stories, which aired earlier this year. He made a point of visiting her stall on his own before the crew had arrived and later enjoyed a Kamayan, a traditional Filipino communal feast, with her friends and family.

You can follow KUBO here.

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