Instead of having to choose between Panda Express, Sbarro or Chick-fil-A, you would be faced with picking between Roost & Ramen, Kream Coffee Culture, or Field to Farro. (No, these are not real spots, but you get the picture.)
But the idea of community seating and having plenty of food options is definitely the same.
A food hall is typically a mix of local artisan restaurants (instead of several chains), butcher shops + other food/brewery-oriented boutiques — all under one roof (but usually not connected to department stores in a traditional mall-like setting), and typically located in big cities.
The food hall movement in the U.S. started with NYC’s Eataly, a high-end Italian food hall started by Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich in 2010. Since then, more + more food halls have popped up across the country, as close to us as Atlanta’s Ponce City Market and Birmingham’s Pizitz Food Hall.
Food halls provide a common area for local restaurateurs to try things and get started, while not having to bear the full burden of their own stand-alone brick and mortar. Kinda like a food incubator, of sorts.
Locals may remember a smaller version of a food hall on the lower level of Warehouse Row. It featured Southern Burger Co., Blue Coast Burrito + several other restaurants.
Is Chattanooga ready for a food hall? We absolutely think so. And, so do you. Here were some of your thoughts on where a food hall could go:
“Repurpose the old Bueller’s Market!” — Jeff C.
“Probably somewhere near the southside. The old cancun restaurant area perhaps.” — Courtney P.
“The old Enzos Market/Grocery Bar at Main and Long.” — Jason H.
So now that we’ve hopefully got your mind flowing with ideas (and probably your mouth watering as well), let us know what they are: Where would you put a food hall in Nooga + what do you want in it? Respond with a comment on the Facebook post.
