The Food Hall – Modernizing the Food Court Concept

Some ask, “Why am I seeing an article about food on a history website?” History often reveals itself in unexpected places. As I sat in a new food court in Toronto, Canada, I realized that this concept was a challenge to the traditional food court. Well, it’s winning! Read on….

It’s not a food court like you see at the mall. A relatively new concept, the food hall is bringing together chefs who couldn’t own their own brick-and-mortar establishments and bringing them under one roof to create a new dining experience. It’s called a food hall, and it’s taking America by storm.

A Sense of Community

Whoever thought that dining could be a community experience? The dining planners have figured it out, and the new-age food halls have done an awesome job at maximizing spaces with the community in mind. Once you see one, you’ll get the idea. Many of the food halls are taking the food truck concept and bringing it inside. Just imagine a bunch of food truck chefs getting together in an old industrial building, cleaning it up, and working together to bring a great eating “experience”. Food halls are an experience – and you’ll love it.

Artisan Food

In the United States alone, food halls have grown from 70 to over 400 in just the last few years. But the concept is still quite new. Poised to thrive in urban areas where many young people congregate, the concept can also be effective in suburban areas. It’ll just take someone’s vision and commitment. Think about Bernardsville, New Jersey, for a second. If they decided to convert Quimby Street into a food hall, people would come from all over the state to experience it. It’s just different, exciting, and yes- entertaining. Bring in some outdoor music, and you have a venue destination.

“Even if you’ve been here 10 times, you walk in and you’re discovering something different,” said Phil Colicchio, a consultant with the real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield, as he led correspondent Faith Salie through a food hall. “How is a food hall different than a food court that we’d find in a mall or an airport?” Salie asked. “The food court was never really designed to give you an experience of any kind,” Colicchio replied. “It wasn’t designed to make you say, ‘Wow.’ In a food hall, all your senses should get activated. Lots of variety, lots of artisanality.”  “What is artisanality?” asked Salie. “Does that mean ‘fancy’?” “No,” Colicchio said. “You know what? It means ‘not corporate.'”

Canada Gets It

While traveling to Toronto for work, I experienced over a half dozen food halls. Why just go to one restaurant when you can visit 10? It’s as simple as that. I could go to one place when the weather is bad and walk in, grab a beer at a bar, then stop for some dim sum, and get Atlanta fried chicken at another place, along with a side of artisan garlic mashed potatoes. Then I sit with my friends and colleagues and have a unique meal.

Some of the food halls have a unique payment method to make it easier as well. You enter the facility and get a credit card. You hand in your card at each kiosk as you go from appetizer to dessert. Then you just pay one price when you leave. How great is that?

Where Are the Food Halls Jersey?

\hile the first to the market is going to lead the way, you have to travel to Jersey City to experience a food hall. The District Kitchen in Jersey City is the closest we’ve seen to being a true “Food Hall”.

How about You?

Have you ever experienced a food hall? Not a food court, but a food hall!

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