Brooklyn's biggest pozole party is coming back to Sunset Park. Bowl of ‘Zole Brooklyn 2026 is set for Thursday, Oct. 22, at Industry City, promising more than 20 chefs and restaurants dishing out their take on the centuries-old Mexican stew alongside a lineup of more than 300 agave spirits.
The all-inclusive festival will take over Industry City’s Five-Two-A venue at 33 35th Street, according to the event’s official site, bowlofzole.com. Tickets start at $55, with early admission opening at 5 p.m. and general admission following an hour later at 6 p.m. As reported by Brooklyn Paper, the festival runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., giving guests a full evening to work through the food and drink offerings.
Beyond bowls of pozole and other traditional Mexican dishes, attendees can taste their way through mezcal, tequila, raicilla, lechuguilla and sotol, building their own food-and-spirit pairings as they move through the venue, per the same Brooklyn Paper account. The festival is presented by spirits expert Arik Torren of Lot001 Brands, La Lonchería chef and Made in Mexico author Danny Mena, and Food Karma Projects founder Jimmy Carbone, the event's website notes.
A Dish That Changes With Every Kitchen
Pozole itself is described on the official site as a centuries-old Mexican dish that varies by region, family tradition and preparation — typically a spicy soup built from hominy and meat, garnished with shredded cabbage, radishes, onions, cilantro and lime. Bowl of ‘Zole’s chefs are expected to showcase both traditional and inventive versions of the dish, aiming to demonstrate the range of Mexican cooking, according to Brooklyn Paper's reporting. The format has evolved considerably since the festival's 2020 debut, which featured just 10 pozoles and 100 mezcals, per bowlofzole.com's own archive.
The broader festival concept has consistently paired traditional and inventive preparations with a large-scale spirits tasting, as mezcalculture.com has described it, ranging from classic pork and chile versions to vegetarian, seafood and cross-cultural variations. An earlier Brooklyn edition offered guests 10 different pozole varieties from local chefs, including a Pozole Rojo and even a matzo ball pozole, Brooklyn Paper reported in an earlier piece on the festival.
Extra Bowls Head to City Harvest
Every participating chef will prepare additional pozole for donation through the festival's partnership with City Harvest, described on the event's site as New York City's largest food rescue organization. Carbone said award-winning and up-and-coming chefs will present their pozole renditions and donate batches to City Harvest, according to Brooklyn Paper. The organization is expected to rescue 81 million pounds of high-quality food in 2026 and distribute it free to food pantries and soup kitchens across the city's five boroughs, per bowlofzole.com.
Tickets range beyond the $55 kickoff price. General admission is listed at $65 plus a processing fee, while VIP tickets run $75 plus a fee and include 5 p.m. entry, an extra hour of tastings, a swag bag and chances to meet chefs and beverage producers, Brooklyn Paper reported. The event is restricted to guests 21 and older, and organizers note that the lineup and offerings are subject to change without notice, according to bowlofzole.com.
Past Lineups Hint at What's Ahead
The 2026 Brooklyn chef roster had not been announced as of Sept. 16, with organizers saying on their site that the list is still under wraps. Brooklyn Paper's report points to past Brooklyn participants for a sense of the festival's caliber, naming Maria Barriga of Oxomoco, Cosme Aguilar of Casa Enrique, Yara Herrera of Hellbender, Fany Gerson of La Newyorkina and Mijo, and Zack Wangeman of Sobre Masa among those who have taken part in previous years.
The 2025 edition, held Oct. 23 at the same Industry City venue, also drew more than 20 chefs and restaurants and more than 300 agave spirits, and included Cosme Aguilar of Casa Enrique, Justin Bazdarich of Oxomoco and Johnny Curiel of Alma Fonda Fina and Mezcaleria Alma, according to fb101.com. That year's general admission also ran $55 to $65 plus a processing fee, with VIP entry priced at $75 plus a fee for guests entering at 5 p.m., the same outlet reported. The festival has also toured beyond Brooklyn, including a 2024 stop in Boston that featured more than 100 agave spirits and similarly tiered pricing, as caughtinsouthie.com reported at the time.
