Beef Brisket-Topped Popcorn Blasts Into Hayes Valley Thanks to New Snack Shop Fluff Nugget

If you’ve ever wished there was a place where you could order a cute paper cone filled with fresh-popped popcorn topped with dried strawberries or fried onions or even brisket — yes, hunks of hand-pulled beef brisket — then here’s some truly great news: There’s a new snack shop open in Hayes Valley today, Thursday, July 21 and it’s got a menu offering all of those things and more. Oh, and it’s also called Fluff Nugget.

The gourmet popcorn shop takes over one of those converted shipping containers at 432 Octavia Street, just off Patricia’s Green. The idea comes from founder Doug Tomlinson, who’s also the man behind Vino Volo, that favorite pre-flight destination of wine lovers everywhere, and chef Laurine Wickett of Top Chef Season 6 fame.

It’s a pretty straightforward concept: Pick a flavor from options such as Chorizo & Cheddar, Strawberry Meringue, and Chocolate Aztec Chili and Fluff Nugget staff will toss your snack to-order before scooping it into a cone and proffering it alongside a set of tongs. (Don’t worry, they’re compostable.) The menu spans both sweet — think, Cookies & Cream — and savory flavors including the aforementioned Barbecue Brisket, Thai Curry Coconut and Pistachio Pesto, a seasonal offering for summer.

Large cones cost $11.50 with kid-friendly portions available for $4.50 and a regular option coming in at $7.50. For the classicists there’s also the option to get Farm Butter & Salt popcorn for about $1 less depending on the size. Beverages offered include housemade lemonade and iced tea, plus several sodas and water.

Brittany Hosea-Small

Brittany Hosea-Small

Brittany Hosea-Small

Brittany Hosea-Small

Brittany Hosea-Small

To celebrate the shop’s opening, Fluff Nugget will be giving away free popcorn to the first 100 customers. The shop will be open from 3-10 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and from 1-8 p.m. on Sundays.