Grace n’ Grub is the newest food pop-ups in the area, bringing smash burgers, wings and loaded fries to Somersville Road to Antioch foodies.
The food pop up is set up at 2515 Somersville Road on Wednesdays and Fridays, in the parking lot shared by the former 99 Cents Only store and Savers. Their mission, according to the team, is to feed the people and give thanks and glory to God who gave them this opportunity.
Grace n’ Grub is a youth-led food business founded by 17-year-old Diego Chavez Marquez, whose passion for community has helped fuel the vendor’s rapid growth. Although the business has been booming for five months, Marquez said balancing school and the pop-up can be difficult.
“Getting out of school I have to prepare everything for the same day,” said Marquez.
Marquez encourages customers to arrive early, warning that long lines are part of the experience.
“Having people come and support you know, from starting the business 5 months ago, it’s crazy how many people come and show love and support,” Marquez said.
Grace n’ Grub recently came under scrutiny when a local Little Caesar’s store manager asked the city council to fine, cite or arrest local food vendors. Police arrived at the vendor’s usual location outside their church and were unsuccessful in citing them. Grace n’ Grub handled the situation in humility, informing customers of a new location and continued operations.
“We had a situation today, we didn’t know what was gonna happen or even if we would set up today,” said Marquez, “we let our customers know where we’re gonna be, and all glory to God they came to support us.”
The menu includes a smash burger combo with fries, smash fries, chicken wings with various sauces, onion rings and mozzarella sticks. Prices range from $5 to $20.
“What’s going viral right now is the smash fries,” said Marquez, “People think it looks really good.”
Looking ahead, Marquez hopes to continue with Grace n’ Grub by partnering with other businesses to bring food and grace to the community. The Daily Bread night market food pop-up events feature other East Bay vendors, creating a lively, block-party-like atmosphere. Marquez hopes to keep the momentum going.
“If it’s in God’s will, I would like a food truck or a trailer,” said Marquez, “the [goal] is to do like a foodieland just to bring the community together, and to make Antioch a better place.”
Between the food, the crowd and the community vibe, Grace n’ Grub delivered more than just a meal. I’ll definitely be back, and next time, I’ll make sure to show up early.
