8 Food Halls to Visit NOW

Gourmet, eclectic food courts are springing up left and right in Manhattan. A far cry from the days of McDonald’s and Sbarro’s on the lower level of Penn Station, these food courts focus on bringing in high quality food for discerning customers in a fun environment.

Whether you’re actually in a rush or you just want something simple I urge you to gather up your friends, family, co-workers, dates, perfect strangers - whoever - and take advantage of the delicious offerings available- and explore a new neighborhood while you’re at it! Enjoy, and please let me know how I can assist you with any of your real estate needs. Your support and referrals are greatly appreciated and have been a cornerstone of my business since the beginning. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

In geographical order from north to south, here are some of the highlights: (Make a goal to try one every week this summer?)

1. TURNSTYLE (Columbus Circle - 58th and 8th)

2. THE PLAZA FOOD HALL (58th and 5th)

3. URBANSPACE VANDERBILT (45th and Park)

4. GOTHAM WEST MARKET (45th and 11th)

5. CITY KITCHEN (44th and 8th)

6. GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL (42nd and Lexington)

7. CHELSEA MARKET (14th and 10th)

8. HUDSON EATS (230 Vesey Street, Brookfield Place - Battery Park)

(PREVIEW) of Food Halls Coming Soon

1. TurnStyle (8th Ave- enter on any corner of 57th or 58th Street)

Let’s start off with a bang here: most New Yorkers probably never used the words “Great Food” and “Subway Station” in the same sentence before this new destination opened April 19th, but now that’s what we have underground at the Columbus Circle subway stop! The space was under construction for months, blocking off the southern entrances to the station for a major renovation.

This new corridor feels open and clean, and provides an impressive array of delicious food choices as well as some neat retailers to check out. The irresistible aroma of grilled cheese sandwiches wafting out from the Meltkraft storefront. There are also vegan options from Blossom du Jour.

Next: THE PLAZA FOOD HALL (Plaza Hotel - 58th and 5th)

- other delicious options -

1. TURNSTYLE (Columbus Circle - 58th and 8th)

2. THE PLAZA FOOD HALL (Plaza Hotel - 58th and 5th)

3. URBANSPACE VANDERBILT (45th and Park)

4. GOTHAM WEST MARKET (45th and 11th)

5. CITY KITCHEN (Times Square - 44th and 8th)

6. GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL (Grand Central Station - 42nd and Lexington)

7. CHELSEA MARKET (14th and 10th)

8. HUDSON EATS (Brookfield Place, Battery Park - 230 Vesey Street)

(PREVIEW) of Food Halls Coming Soon

2. The Plaza Food Hall (The Plaza Hotel - 58th and 5th)

This is my favorite. The perfect place to meet an out of town visitor who needs a respite to kick up their feet after pounding the pavement all day on a shopping spree. An OASIS in the Plaza shopping district.

This place is a must for great, quick food! In addition to a variety of different cuisines from vendors like Luke’s Lobster and Epicerie Boulud, you can also sit down for a meal at the Todd English Food Hall for inspired dishes from across the world.

- OTHER DELICIOUS OPTIONS -

1. TURNSTYLE (Columbus Circle - 58th and 8th)

2. THE PLAZA FOOD HALL (Plaza Hotel - 58th and 5th)

3. URBANSPACE VANDERBILT (45th and Park)

4. GOTHAM WEST MARKET (45th and 11th)

5. CITY KITCHEN (Times Square - 44th and 8th)

6. GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL (Grand Central Station - 42nd and Lexington)

7. CHELSEA MARKET (14th and 10th)

8. HUDSON EATS (Brookfield Place, Battery Park - 230 Vesey Street)

(PREVIEW) of Food Halls Coming Soon

3. Urbanspace Vanderbilt Food Hall (45th and Park)

Mouthwatering options abound at this new Food Hall just north of Grand Central Station. They’ve packed 21 vendors into this giant open space, all worth checking out. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed with where to start, I recommend Delaney Chicken for some amazing, crunchy drumsticks that will blow your mind.

Previous: THE PLAZA FOOD HALL (Plaza Hotel - 58th and 5th)

Next: GOTHAM WEST MARKET (45th and 11th)

- OTHER DELICIOUS OPTIONS -

1. TURNSTYLE (Columbus Circle - 58th and 8th)

2. THE PLAZA FOOD HALL (Plaza Hotel - 58th and 5th)

3. URBANSPACE VANDERBILT (45th and Park)

4. GOTHAM WEST MARKET (45th and 11th)

5. CITY KITCHEN (Times Square - 44th and 8th)

6. GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL (Grand Central Station - 42nd and Lexington)

7. CHELSEA MARKET (14th and 10th)

8. HUDSON EATS (Brookfield Place, Battery Park - 230 Vesey Street)

(PREVIEW) of Food Halls Coming Soon

4. Gotham West Market (45th and 11th Ave)

The far West Side is becoming one of the latest hot spots for prime real estate in New York City, and the stretch between Hudson Yards at 34th Street and Riverside Boulevard to the North is quietly building a lot of steam. And with prime real estate comes awesome eats (no wonder I love Manhattan so much!)

Find a reason to check out Gotham West Market - 600 11th Avenue. Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop is amazing - one of my favorites anywhere. Alternately, fill up on a Cider Braised Pulled Pork sandwich from Genuine Roadside or some Spanish tapas from El Colmado. Call me afterward - you’ll probably want an apartment in the area, and I’d rather you make the decision on a full stomach 😜

Previous: URBANSPACE VANDERBILT (45th and Park)

Next: CITY KITCHEN (Times Square - 44th and 8th)

- OTHER DELICIOUS OPTIONS -

1. TURNSTYLE (Columbus Circle - 58th and 8th)

2. THE PLAZA FOOD HALL (Plaza Hotel - 58th and 5th)

3. URBANSPACE VANDERBILT (45th and Park)

4. GOTHAM WEST MARKET (45th and 11th)

5. CITY KITCHEN (Times Square - 44th and 8th)

6. GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL (Grand Central Station - 42nd and Lexington)

7. CHELSEA MARKET (14th and 10th)

8. HUDSON EATS (Brookfield Place, Battery Park - 230 Vesey Street)

(PREVIEW) of Food Halls Coming Soon

5. City Kitchen (Times Square - 44th and 8th)

Sometimes despite our best efforts it’s impossible to completely avoid Times Square. Make those times a treat by stopping in at City Kitchen!

This food market sits on the second story within the Row NYC hotel, above the hustle and bustle of 8th Avenue at 44th Street. Inside you’ll find options ranging from Japanese to Mexican, doughnuts to one of my favorites: Luke’s Lobster.

Previous: GOTHAM WEST MARKET (45th and 11th)

Next: GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL (Grand Central Station - 42nd and Lexington)

- OTHER DELICIOUS OPTIONS -

1. TURNSTYLE (Columbus Circle - 58th and 8th)

2. THE PLAZA FOOD HALL (Plaza Hotel - 58th and 5th)

3. URBANSPACE VANDERBILT (45th and Park)

4. GOTHAM WEST MARKET (45th and 11th)

5. CITY KITCHEN (Times Square - 44th and 8th)

6. GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL (Grand Central Station - 42nd and Lexington)

7. CHELSEA MARKET (14th and 10th)

8. HUDSON EATS (Brookfield Place, Battery Park - 230 Vesey Street)

(PREVIEW) of Food Halls Coming Soon

6. Grand Central Terminal

Perhaps the inspiration for the new TurnStyle food market, this is a great place to visit whenever trains are a part of your life (or really, just if you’re in the area and you’re hungry…)

They have a Shake Shack down there, and it will be insanely busy at any time of day. It is an option. The “Pro Tip” on Shake Shack is if you really want it and you value your time, you can pay $6+tip to have someone from Postmates pick it up and deliver it to you. Download the app; they can deliver practically anything you want, any time, for cheap.

Of course if Shake Shack isn’t your thing, the idea here is options. Options from around the world, one right next to another - something to please everyone, at reasonable prices.

Previous: CITY KITCHEN (Times Square - 44th and 8th)

Next: CHELSEA MARKET (14th and 10th)

- OTHER DELICIOUS OPTIONS -

1. TURNSTYLE (Columbus Circle - 58th and 8th)

2. THE PLAZA FOOD HALL (Plaza Hotel - 58th and 5th)

3. URBANSPACE VANDERBILT (45th and Park)

4. GOTHAM WEST MARKET (45th and 11th)

5. CITY KITCHEN (Times Square - 44th and 8th)

6. GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL (Grand Central Station - 42nd and Lexington)

7. CHELSEA MARKET (14th and 10th)

8. HUDSON EATS (Brookfield Place, Battery Park - 230 Vesey Street)

(PREVIEW) of Food Halls Coming Soon

7. Chelsea Market (14th and 10th)

Heading further downtown, the Chelsea Market at 14th and 10th has become a New York City icon by the Highline. Their fantastic dining options and beautiful decor have made it a staple for tourists and locals alike, and you’ll see people eating full-sized lobsters there any day of the year. And yes, there is a lobster theme going on here. Food courts. Lobsters. It’s a whole thing. Embrace it!

The gelato spot on the western border of the market is a must-visit (L'Arte del Gelato)

Previous: GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL (Grand Central Station - 42nd and Lexington)

Next: HUDSON EATS (Brookfield Place, Battery Park - 230 Vesey Street)

- OTHER DELICIOUS OPTIONS -

1. TURNSTYLE (Columbus Circle - 58th and 8th)

2. THE PLAZA FOOD HALL (Plaza Hotel - 58th and 5th)

3. URBANSPACE VANDERBILT (45th and Park)

4. GOTHAM WEST MARKET (45th and 11th)

5. CITY KITCHEN (Times Square - 44th and 8th)

6. GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL (Grand Central Station - 42nd and Lexington)

7. CHELSEA MARKET (14th and 10th)

8. HUDSON EATS (Brookfield Place, Battery Park - 230 Vesey Street)

(PREVIEW) of Food Halls Coming Soon

8. Hudson Eats at Brookfield Place (World Trade Center)

Close to the southern tip of Manhattan you’ll find this shiny new smorgasbord right next to the World Trade Center. It is the perfect complement to all the new high-end shopping coming to the neighborhood, and worth visiting as part of any trip to Battery Park City.

Two suggestions in particular here: check out Le District at Brookfield Place for French, and if you’re more in the mood for some barbecue that will knock your socks off, you’ve got to try Mighty Quinn’s. Bring a partner to split their giant Brontosaurus Rib and I promise you won’t regret it!

Next: (PREVIEW) of Food Halls Coming Soon

Previous: HUDSON EATS (Brookfield Place, Battery Park - 230 Vesey Street)

- OTHER DELICIOUS OPTIONS -

1. TURNSTYLE (Columbus Circle - 58th and 8th)

2. THE PLAZA FOOD HALL (Plaza Hotel - 58th and 5th)

3. URBANSPACE VANDERBILT (45th and Park)

4. GOTHAM WEST MARKET (45th and 11th)

5. CITY KITCHEN (Times Square - 44th and 8th)

6. GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL (Grand Central Station - 42nd and Lexington)

7. CHELSEA MARKET (14th and 10th)

8. HUDSON EATS (Brookfield Place, Battery Park - 230 Vesey Street)

(PREVIEW) of Food Halls Coming Soon

COMING SOON:

Union Fare (Fifth Avenue/17th Street) - This massive food complex at the former site of the Barnes and Noble flagship store on Fifth Avenue is expected to open sometime later in June.

Pier 57 Food Hall (15th Street/11th Avenue) - Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain has teased us for a while now with conceptual images of the new $60mm dining complex under construction at Pier 57. Bourdain is famous on TV for traveling the world in search of new and exciting dishes from various cultures, and the idea with his food hall seems to be to import them to NYC. While specific details are rather sparse, the scope of this place appears so impressive I’d predict it becomes an international tourist sensation as soon as it opens.

Enjoy! Share this with a friend. Eat your heart out. Send me tips on other food courts I should check out or profile - I’d love to hear from you! Follow me on Instagram @MikeLubinNYC and check out my website at MikeLubin.com for more neighborhood tips and listings for apartments all around New York City. And if you have any questions about New York City in general or buying or selling an apartment here, please reach out to me!

Mike Lubin is a top 100 NYC real estate professional with Brown Harris Stevens representing buyers and sellers for co-ops, condos, and townhouses in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Offering discreet, personalized, expert service and attention.