Sushi Push Pops, Crab Rangoon Burritos and Seoul in a Bowl — Liberty Public Market’s Food Stars 

Pizookies, dot cakes and Dubai chocolate — only a few viral food trends on social media drive customers out of their beds and flock to the restaurants. 

San Diego’s food scene recently acquired one of the most popular food trends that traveled from the East Coast to the West: Sushi push pops. 

The sushi push pop was created by Suka Sushi in New York City. The pops hit the internet in late 2025 causing huge hour-long lines to try the viral menu item. 

The push pop consists of a simple sushi roll stored inside a tube. It comes with its own smaller tube of soy sauce that you pour in and then use to push out the roll. 

The nuance is it turns a fancy sit-down affair into an easy on-the-go lunch 

The Sushi Stand at Liberty Public Market has recently debuted its own rendition of the famous push pop in five different flavors. 

But, this isn’t the only internet-breaking treat that’s hit the San Diego area. 

Slurp Thai Street Food at Liberty Public Market is the creator of the Crab Rangoon Burrito: A Thai-Mexican infusion of a classic appetizer and a beloved lunch choice. 

Created by co-owner Bella Kim, the Crab Rangoon Burrito went national by blowing up on Instagram and TikTok for customers showcasing their golden crunch and cheesy crab-stuffed interior. 

“The viral crab Rangoon roll has really changed our business,” Gene Kim, co-owner of Slurp and Bell Kim’s husband, said. 

Gene Kim said they wanted to incorporate Thai street food as a part of his wife’s heritage and combine it with San Diego’s staple Mexican cuisine. The Crab Rangoon Burrito was then born and caught the attention of many influencers in California and the Midwest. 

“We always knew about social media and how powerful it could be,” Gene Kim said. “But we didn’t expect the way it took off from June of last year.” 

Gene Kim said they have been overwhelmed by the positive response and have been experimenting with new ways to take traditional recipes and make them approachable for new and current customers. 

Young Kim, owner of BOPJO, also at Liberty Public Market, believes in making fun food that resonates with its customers and entices new ones. 

BOPJO takes a Korean spin on Mexican cuisine with its special California Burrito and Korean-Mexican bowls. 

“Let’s create something that’s gonna be unique,” Young Kim said. “It’s not so traditional because I think there are so many traditional restaurants out there.” 

Young Kim said you have to innovate to keep up with the fast-paced food business, especially with social media in the mix. 

“You always have to be changing things up so that you bring in new customers,” Young Kim said. 

San Diego food is “somewhat underappreciated,” Young Kim said 

Kim hopes that in the coming years, San Diego’s cuisines will become more popular, especially at Liberty Public Market. 

“The people who are behind it are great people,” Young Kim said. “You’re gonna be seeing a lot of good fun stuff coming out of Liberty Market in the future.”