Montclair, CA – The search is on! The Inland Empire’s Montclair Place^® (5060 N Montclair Plaza Ln, Montclair, CA ) is offering established and emerging food brands the ultimate opportunity to connect with consumers through its inaugural Search for the Next Great Pop-up competition. One food entrepreneur will have the opportunity to win a FREE food space at Moreno St Market, as well as $5,000 in prize money toward the build-out and design.

One lucky winner will join the ranks of notable restaurants like: Noodle World, Stick House, Pokeway, Boba World, Panda Express and Crazy Crab. The winner will be able to capitalize on the exposure and awareness from a highly visible food space in Moreno St Market, the all-new dining destination at Montclair Place featuring a mix of restaurants and eateries in a community-style setting.

Voting closes on Friday, June 2nd at 5:00 pm PST. Here’s the link to vote: http://wshe.es/QS5uz9Kz.

Five Finalists

• Baby’s Badass Burgers
  • Baby’s Badass Burgers sprang from the imaginations and experiences of ex-New York restaurateur Erica Cohen and celebrated event planner Lori Barbera. Cohen launched her career in the restaurant world as one of the founding partners in the first of The ONE Group’s many restaurants. Cohen, a passionate foodie and burgermeister at heart who had “been searching for the perfect, quintessential cheeseburger since [she] was a little girl,” decided that in order to satiate her quest she would have to create her own flawless burger: the Simple Original Beauty on the BBB menu.
• My Delight Cupcakery
  • Mother-daughter team Melinda and Naomi Moreno founded My Delight Cupcakery in 2009 with aspirations to innovate the pastry world, while sharing their carefully crafted cupcakes with dessert lovers everywhere! “At My Delight, we do more than bake cupcakes. We handcraft edible works of art, made from only the highest quality ingredients,” say Melinda and Naomi. My Delight Cupcakery has become one of Southern California’s prominent go-to cupcake stops, winning multiple awards for their consistency in innovation as well as mastering tradition.
• Oli’s Tacos
  • Named after Olivia, a Mexican immigrant who came to the U.S. twenty-eight years ago, Oli’s Tacos’ brand concept combines the past with the present and the traditional with the innovative. Menu options include street tacos, shrimp tacos, specialty tacos, potato tacos, soft tacos, hard shell tacos, and more. Oli’s Tacos stand for “hope, love and, most importantly, family.” Every dish is made with love and passion. The goal at Oli’s is to make you feel at home.
• Ridges Churro Bar
  • Ridges Churro Bar started as a booth at the 626 Night Market in 2015 and, due to popular demand, a food truck was established in March 2016. Their concept is a unique twist on the ordinary cinnamon sugar churro and takes it to another level by adding fun toppings and pairing it with ice cream. They are known for their churro sundaes, which come in fun flavors such as Fruity Pebbles, Salted Caramel, Nutella Nut and Strawberry Shortcake. The colorful concoctions are delicious yet Instagram-worthy, as well!
• Barbara Jean LA
  • Barbara Jean Restaurant is a celebration of modern American soul food, a cuisine that is imbued with the many cultures that make up this vast and diverse country. With a focus on the roots of African American cooking, Barbara Jean LA presents elevated food for the soul made with locally sourced ingredients by Chef Fullilove.

Entries will be judged on the concept’s application materials, plan for the space, in-person interview, and social media engagement. A panel of guest judges, who were selected based on their extensive experience and understanding of the restaurant industry, will assist in the selection of the  finalists including the final winner.