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When Ninth Avenue stalwart Chelsea Market opened in 1997, the city fell hard for the food hall concept—now, instead of sitting down for a boring old appetizer-entree-dessert, it was possible to graze through your way through a meal, sampling bites from two or three (or six) vendors in one visit. Since then, NYC food halls have multiplied rapidly, and are now found all over town, from Crown Heights’ Berg’n to Penn Station’s the Pennsy. With so many options, the question is: what to eat? We’ve picked our favorite dishes from each of the city’s 15 food halls, so get your wallet ready and prepare to let your belt out a notch.
THE PENNSY
This January addition to the city’s food hall scene sits inauspiciously above every New Yorker’s least favorite place: Penn Station. Luckily, it’s home to a number of quality vendors, from meat masters Pat LaFrieda to vegan junk-food slinger the Cinnamon Snail.
What to order: The Lobster Press from Marc Forgione’s spot of the same name, a gloriously buttery, pressed lobster sandwich. Be sure to do the dip with the hot, spicy broth served alongside. $17
LE DISTRICT
FiDi-focused restaurant mogul Peter Poulakakos has launched a whopping 10 projects south of Chambers Street (Dead Rabbit, Pier A Harbor House), but this industrial-styled French-food complex is his largest undertaking yet. The 30,000-square-foot market is divided into a bakery-café, meat and cheese stalls, an open-air grocery shop and two sit-down restaurants, Beaubourg and L’Appart.
What to order: Class up food-court dining with L’Appart’s French tasting menu (organic-zucchini hand rolls, a roasted-beet mille-feuille) helmed by Daniel alum Nicolas Abello. One course $105, two courses $125, three courses $145
URBANSPACE VANDERBILT
This Midtown spot changed the workaday lunch game when it opened on Park Avenue last fall. Twelve-thousand square feet of snacks served up by grade-A vendors like Bushwick’s Roberta’s and Ditmas Park’s Mimi’s Hummus, the hall quickly and efficiently made office workers’ sad desk lunches a thing of the past.
What to order: The down-and-dirty burger from ground-beef purist Andrew Zurica’s Hard Times Sundaes, improbably juicy and served in a stack of one, two or three patties. $6–11
CITY KITCHEN
At this 4,000-square-foot Hell's Kitchen food market, snag a turquoise barstool and sample bites from food-court first-timers like Ilili and regulars like Dough and Luke's Lobster.
What to order: A steaming bowl of chicken-broth ramen (top it with chashu pork, a soft-boiled egg and leaf mustard) from Kuro Obi, a spinoff of noodle king Ippudo. $12
TURNSTYLE:
Columbus Circle elevates your platform noshes with this 325-foot-long subway passageway turned underground retail complex, designed with glass storefronts, porcelain floor tiles and white steel columns. Thirty-nine vendors now call the subterranean mall home, including dining outlets like Doughnuttery and MeltKraft.
What to order: Bolivian Llama Party's triple-pork sandwich, piled high with braised pork shoulder, pork-belly crackling and house-cured bacon. $12
HUDSON EATS
Clocking in at an astounding 35,000 square feet, this Battery Park City hall accommodates up to 600 eaters chowing down on meals from the likes of Black Seed Bagels and Mighty Quinn’s BBQ. Don’t miss the great river views afforded by the huge picture windows.
What to order: Northern Tiger’s juicy handmade lamb dumplings, slick with spicy sauce. $8
EATALY
The largest Italian marketplace in the world, Madison Square Park’s Eataly covers more than 50,000 square feet and is a dream for lovers of pizza, pasta, cheese and salumi. Its seasonal rooftop bar-restaurant has offered tastes from all over the country, from the Alps to the coast.
What to order: Eataly’s bountiful selection of Italian breads would make any carboholic happy. Its fresh-baked focaccias are exceptional; look for the sweet blueberry version when it’s available. $3.80
GOTHAM WEST MARKET
This sprawling Hell’s Kitchen spot is another boon to neighborhood office workers, and it’s open late to accommodate theatergoers looking for an after-show bite. With high-profile vendors including Ivan Ramen and ice-cream favorite Ample Hills, it’s worth the trek west.
What to order: Tapas master Seamus Mullen’s beautiful octopus a la plancha, laced with an addictive kale pesto. $16
GANSEVOORT MARKET
This comparatively diminutive hall occupies a handsome historical building in the Meatpacking District and boasts a laid-back atmosphere. Vendors run the gamut from Thai (Bangkok Bar) to tacos (Tacombi).
What to order: You can’t go wrong with a swirl of soft serve from Big Gay Ice Cream. The Salty Pimp, a vanilla cone with dulce de leche, sea salt and a chocolate dip, is a perennial fave. $7
BERG'N
Brooklyn finally got its own fancy food hall in 2014 when this hipster heaven opened on Bergen Street in 2014. With concrete floors, exposed brick and solid, shareable wooden picnic tables, its new industrial feel is complemented by a rotating cast of hip eateries.
What to order: An overstuffed burrito from El Meat Hook, the beloved Williamsburg butcher shop’s Tex-Mex spinoff. It’s loaded with housemade chorizo, fluffy rice, queso Oaxaca and, unexpectedly and most welcomely, a generous fistful of fluffy fresh-cooked fries. $9
PLAZA FOOD HALL
Tucked away beneath the historic Manhattan hotel is this expansive food court modeled after the indoor markets found in Europe. Luke’s Lobster, vegetarian favorite No. 7 Sub and 19 other vendors offer lunch-friendly fare perfect for toting across the street for an al fresco lunch in the park.
What to order: The signature mille crepes cake from confectionary Lady M makes the perfect dessert, a slice of super-thin sweet crepes layered with ethereal vanilla pastry cream and finished with a thin shell of crispy caramelized sugar. $7.50
GREAT NORTHERN FOOD HALL
This newest addition to the food hall scene is a Nordic-themed dining experience from Noma cofounder Claus Meyer. The 5,000-square-foot marketplace inside Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt hall offers a variety of northern eats, from fresh-baked pastries and breads to salads and smoothies.
What to order: Traditional Danish open-faced sandwiches, or smørrebrød, from pavilion Open Rye. Look for tasty combinations including potatoes will dill mayo and pickled onions, and hardboiled egg with crispy chicken skin and peppercress. $5–7
GRAND CENTRAL DINING CONCOURSE
The city’s oldest food court, this isn’t one of NYC’s best, but it’s a nice option for grabbing a bite before a long train ride. New York stalwarts, such as Mendy’s Kosher Deli and Two Boots, are well-represented here.
What to order: The best option by far is a dependable burger from Shake Shack. $4–9
INDUSTRY CITY - FOOD HALL
This way-south-Brooklyn food court is a bit of a schlep, but it features a fun mix of vendors making very good food, from Blue Marble ice cream to Spanish Harlem-bred Taco Mix. After eating, take a stroll through nearby Greenwood Cemetery, whose famous residents include Jean-Michel Basquiat and crooked politico “Boss” Tweed.
What to order: A New Orleans-style muffaletta sandwich from whole-animal salumeria Ends Meat, packed with house-cured salami and chopped black olives. $8
CHELSEA MARKET
NYC’s OG food hall, Chelsea Market has continued to evolve over the past few decades, adding more and more retail space and new vendors whose offerings square with the trends of the times. After eating, take in the views from the nearby High Line.
What to order: Juicy carne asada tacos from Tijuana-inspired taco stand Los Tacos No. 1. $3.75
