New York City is no stranger to unique and world-renowned culinary experiences, but a recent trend in food halls has ignited the city with a craving for a food revolution. Famous for the “melting pot” of dining options and culinary styles, food halls have become an inviting communal space where individuals can browse and indulge in internationally innovative food and drinks, creating their own gastronomic adventure. From the tried-and-trues such as Chelsea Market, Eataly and Grand Central Market to the new kids on the block like Berg’n, Hudson Eats and The Pennsy to the ones not yet ready to introduce their cooking styles to the world, New York is perched on the precipice of something delectably different and LuxeGetaways is excited to share some of our new favorites with you.
- Brooklyn’s beer hall-style Berg’n features everything from burritos at El Meat Hook and pulled pork and brisket from mighty Quinn’s Barbeque to Filipino-inspired cuisine at Lumpia Shack balanced out by an impressive selection of draft beer and a carefully selected wine list.
- In Times Square, City Kitchen at Row NYC offers a minimalist style menu for easy, can’t-go-wrong selections from the freshness of Azuki Sushi, ilili Box and Kuro Obi to the warm delights of Dough, Gabriela’s Taqueria, Luke’s Lobster and Whitman’s New York.
- With views of the Hudson River and the Statue of Liberty, Hudson Eats’ upscale dining terrace offers an experience to match the cuisine. With 30,000 square-feet of space capable of seating 600 diners, Hudson Eats boasts a diverse collection of vendors including Black Seed Bagel, Blue Ribbon Sushi Bar, Chop’t, Dig Inn, Mighty Quinn’s Barbecue, Num Pang, Skinny Pizza, Sprinkles and Umami Burger.
- Le District brings the tastes of France directly to New York with their authentic French shopping district. With Beabourg’s brasserie-style dining, Le Bar’s small bites and artisanal cocktails, Café District’s smorgasbord of pastries and chocolates and the Market Garden District’s restaurant stations and retail shops, even locals can feel like international tourists for a few hours.
- For those looking for something a little more upscale in their food hall experience, The Pennsy boldly invites one and all “vegans, omnivores, pescetarians, gluten-free, and everything in between” to sample some of the expertly crafted dishes of The Cinnamon Snail, Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors, Mario by Mary, Lobster Press and the Little Beet. Located near Madison Square Gardens, The Pennsy is also the perfect place to take in a pre-concert coffee, or drinks or close out the evening with a little nightcap.
- Late-night snackers will enjoy the Queen’s Night Market, open from 6pm to midnight during the summer season. This open-air food market is always mixing up their food game with an ever-changing list of vendors as original and unique as the borough itself.
- UrbanSpace Vanderbilt’s prime location near Grand Central Station makes it perhaps a little too easy to indulge in one or two of over 20 vendors. With a focus on artisanal, chef-driven food concepts, UrbanSpace Vanderbilt offers everything from Roberta’s and Dough’s to La Sonrisa Empanadas and Burgers & Hard Times Sundaes.
- Taking their food underground, TurnStyle’s edgy space in the Columbus Circle subway stations offers more than meets the eyes. With over 30 small restaurants including Blossom du Jour, Bolivian Llama Party, Doughnuttery, Dylan’s Candy Bar, The Pizza and Yong Kang Street, even non-subway riders are invited to taste the variety of flavors (a MetroCard is not required to gain access to the market).
- Located within Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall, The Great Northern Food Hall opened by internationally acclaimed chef Claus Meyer takes a one-of-a-kind approach to their not-so-typical food hall. With a vendor list that includes Zaro’s Family Bakery, Pescatore Seafood Co, Elizabar’s Farm to Table and Li-Lac Chocolates, this brand new space focuses on specifically Nordic flavors, offering a reprieve from the stressors of travel.
With so many great food hall options already available, it’s hard to believe that even more great food will be coming to NYC later this year. The already iconic Eataly food hall plans to open a new 40,000 square-foot location at 4 World Trade Center while Gothem West Market takes over The Ashland in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene with a new 16,000 square-foot hall.
Meanwhile, Anthony Bourdain’s highly anticipated 2017 opening of the Bourdain Market on Manhattan’s Pier 57 is poised to be the largest food hall in New York City (totaling in at 155,000 square-feet) and home to over 100 international vendors. Also opening in 2017, Empire Outlets Marketplace will be New York City’s first shopping outlet and within the outlet, MRKTPL, Staten Island’s first artisanal food hall. Even 2018 seems to hold new culinary possibilities for New York with the opening of The Shops and Restaurants at Hudson Yards, which will feature 12 luxury restaurants, including a steakhouse and grill by chef Thomas Keller.
With so many great options to choose from and even more popping up in the next few years, New York City continues to challenge the ever-changing culinary scene. Even with cities like Austin, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. starting to catch on, New York has invariable won the battle of the food hall and continues to put its best plate forward.