- Time Out Market Lisbon is the first of eight must-visit food and cultural markets currently open around the world – with more to come
- Each Time Out Market brings the best of the city together under one roof: a curated mix of the best local culinary and cultural experiences
Ten years ago almost on the day, Time Out Market Lisbon opened its doors to the public as the world’s first editorially-curated food and cultural market. It was the culmination of an idea from Time Out Lisbon’s editors to bring their ‘best of the city’ ethos to life and together under one roof: a curated mix of the best chefs, restaurateurs, drinks and cultural experiences. To date, Time Out Market Lisbon has welcomed over 35 million guests – making it one of Portugal’s most popular destinations and sparking a global foodie phenomenon with currently eight Time Out Markets around the world spread across four continents.
Time Out’s curation: shining a spotlight on the city’s best talents
Time Out's expertise in ‘going out’ lies at the heart of Time Out Market. Time Out editors – who know the city like nobody else – curate, try and test a city’s leading, most exciting and aspirational culinary talents, then invite the best to join Time Out Market. The curated mix – which is regularly updated to keep the offering fresh, showcasing a city’s ever-changing food scene – features the city’s award-winning chefs, much-loved local gems and up-and-coming homegrown restaurateurs. Customers get a true taste of the city as they choose from a total of over 1,500 menu items across the eight sites currently open – a unique experience that makes fine dining and high-quality casual food accessible. A meal from a top chef can be enjoyed – for example at Time Out Market Porto – from just £6 for one Michelin star Chef Vasco Coelho Santos’ Rabanada with ice cream, or £7 for two Michelin star Chef Ricardo Costa’s famous beef stew served in a doughnut.
Culinary and cultural experiences bringing people together in a communal atmosphere
Time Out Market guests come together at communal tables in a uniquely-designed space and social-led atmosphere to which regular cultural experiences contribute. Each year, across all currently open Markets, around 1,500 events take place from theatre shows to exhibitions, salsa nights, cooking classes with top chefs, comedy nights and more – always with local talents at the heart of these activations.
Global expansion from Lisbon in 2014 to 16 Markets by 2027, with more in negotiation
Today, there are eight open Time Out Markets in five countries and four continents: Lisbon, New York, Boston, Chicago, Montreal, Dubai, Cape Town and most recently Porto. As the global expansion continues, 2024 will see further openings in Barcelona and Bahrain; followed in 2025 in Osaka, Budapest, Vancouver and Abu Dhabi; and in 2027 in Riyadh and Prague. Once open, they will be home to a total of 270 chefs and over 50 bars across 620,000 square feet and while all are dedicated to the best of their own cities, each is distinctly local, featuring homegrown talents.
Time Out Market has the ability to transform a property into a destination
Time Out Market offers a variety of models – from Owned & Operated to Management Agreements – working closely with real estate developers and landlords as they seek immersive anchors that drive differentiation and a desirable audience, supported by Time Out’s global monthly brand audience of over 130 million and also relevant for advertising clients and sponsoring partners. The sites currently open and in development are Time Out Market flagships; in addition, to meet continued demand and explore more site opportunities, the Company is also developing wider format flexibility to best match the Time Out Market proposition to the locality and reach new segments: alongside the Time Out Market flagship, formats for smaller neighbourhood food halls as well as for travel hubs such as airports, are being conceptualised.
Sandy Hayek, Time Out Market CEO said: “This tenth anniversary marks a big milestone in the Time Out journey – happy birthday Time Out Market Lisbon! Time Out has been synonymous with going out since we first launched in 1968 – this unmatched authority when it comes to curating the best of the city positioned us incredibly well to open our first food and cultural market in 2014. Time Out Market Lisbon has become one of Portugal’s most visited destinations, much-loved by locals and tourists, and started the global roll out of Markets in other great cities – we are proud of these achievements and the amazing work of our team, partners and vendors.
“Each Time Out Market truly is a foodies’ playground: dedicated to the best of the city, our guests get to explore local culture and excellent food and drinks from a variety of kitchens and bars, before coming together at communal tables. Our Markets are open and inclusive spaces for a diverse audience: families and friends enjoy meals together (and everyone finds something for their taste), couples come for a date night and solo diners can easily connect with other guests rather than sitting at a table on their own.”
Chris Ohlund, CEO of Time Out Group plc commented: “Time Out is the only global brand helping people go out in cities around the world and that’s something people will always want to do. We are a trusted brand and as consumers spend more time online, Time Out meets them across many digital channels to inspire and enable them to experience the best of the city with our curated, authentic, expert recommendations. But they also still want to socialise and get together over food and drinks which they can do in our Markets. We capture both of these trends through our unique synergistic combination of Time Out Market (real-life experiences) and Time Out Media (high-quality digital content) – wherever you engage with Time Out, you’ll be sure to go out better.”
A SHORT OVERVIEW OF ALL TIME OUT MARKETS CURRENTLY OPEN
Time Out Market Lisbon: The first Time Out Market opened in 2014 in the historic Mercado da Ribeira. Across 32,000 sq ft, there are 26 restaurants including two chefs with three Michelin stars, 8 kiosks, 8 bars, 5 shops, a Chef’s Academy (since 2015, almost 24,000 people attended workshops and events there) and the Time Out Studio, a 900-capacity entertainment venue which since 2016 hosted around 1,200 events. There is also a co-working space (Second Home) and a bar/nightclub (Rive-Rouge). Time Out Market Lisbon is one of Portugal’s most visited attractions and in a single week attracts people from over 60 countries.
Time Out Market New York: Located in DUMBO, Brooklyn at 55 Water Street, Time Out Market New York occupies two floors of the historic Empire Stores right by the East River. It not only offers some of the city’s best food, drinks and cultural experiences, but also a rooftop with impressive views of the Brooklyn Bridge and lower Manhattan skyline. Across 21,000 sq ft, there are 21 kitchens, 3 bars and a stage for cultural experiences.
Time Out Market Boston: The 401 Park building – a 1920s Art Deco masterpiece – at the heart of the vibrant Fenway neighbourhood is home to Time Out Market Boston with 15 kitchens, 2 bars and space for local culture across 25,500 sq ft.
Time Out Market Montréal: Located in the Centre Eaton de Montréal, on Sainte-Catherine Street at the heart of downtown, Time Out Market Montréal features across 40,000 sq ft 16 of the city’s top chefs and restaurateurs, 2 bars, a demonstration kitchen, a cooking academy and a shop.
Time Out Market Chicago: Set within a standalone brick building at 916 W Fulton Market – at the centre of the Fulton Market District – and spread across three floors, the 50,000 sq ft space is home to 18 kitchens, 3 bars, a demonstration kitchen, a viewing and entertainment platform with bleacher seating and a rooftop bar, Tony’s – an ode to Time Out’s founder, Tony Elliott – with skyline views.
Time Out Market Dubai: Located in Souk Al Bahar, Downton Dubai and spread across 43,000 sq ft, Time Out Market Dubai offers iconic views from the 3,000 sq ft wraparound outdoor terrace, overlooking the Dubai Fountain and the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper. Fully licensed, the 17 award-winning, homegrown food concepts are complemented by 3 bars.
Time Out Market Cape Town: Time Out Market Cape Town is the first location on the African continent. Located at the V&A Waterfront with views of Table Mountain, Time Out Market Cape Town offers 13 kitchens, 3 bars and a dedicated wine bar, as well as a stage for cultural activations and entertainment.
Time Out Market Porto: Across 22,000 sq ft, there are 12 kitchens and 2 bars. There is also an outdoor space with a unique tower which houses a shop at the base and at the top a space for wine experiences, with stunning views over the city. It’s the Market with the highest number of Michelin-honoured chefs: there are three chefs with five Michelin stars between them in their local restaurants. Time Out Market Porto was designed by Porto-born architect Souto de Moura, recipient of the 2011 Pritzker Architecture Prize.
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Notes to editors
About Time Out Group plc
Time Out Group is a global brand that inspires and enables people to experience the best of the city. Time Out launched in London in 1968 to help people discover the best of the city – today it is the only global brand dedicated to city life. Expert journalists curate and create content about the best things to do, see and eat across 333 cities in 59 countries and across a unique multi-platform model spanning both digital and physical channels including website, mobile, newsletters, social, video, audio, live events and Time Out Market. Time Out Market is the world's first editorially curated food and cultural market, bringing the best of the city together under one roof: the best chefs, restaurateurs and cultural experiences. The portfolio includes open Markets in eight cities such as Lisbon, New York and Dubai, several new locations with expected opening dates in 2024 and beyond, in addition to a pipeline of further locations in advanced discussions. Time Out Group PLC, listed on AIM, is headquartered in London (UK).