Food halls are Columbus' hottest dining trend
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
An overview of Little Grand Market, which opened this weekend in Grandview Heights. Photo: Alissa Widman Neese/Axios
Little Grand Market debuted in Grandview Heights over the weekend, the sixth food hall in our region to open in the last four years.
Why it matters: These food-court-like setups are more than a place to grab a bite. They're buzzy and boozy gathering places, bringing new life to historic buildings and giving area chefs cheaper opportunities to try new concepts.
Zoom in: Combined, the six halls lease space to about 60 diverse food and drink vendors. Many are brand-new concepts.
- Some, like Pitabilites and Dos Hermanos, started as popular food trucks.
- Others, such as Momo Ghar and Hoyo's Kitchen, have ditched their brick-and-mortar restaurants.
Yes, but: While their popularity is exploding nationwide, the local food hall bubble has already burst in other cities.
- "Food hall fatigue" has been reported in New York City and Las Vegas. Two of New Orleans' three halls closed last year, though another recently debuted.
What they're saying: It's a valid concern, but one that should drive local competition, David Moeser, food and beverage director for Little Grand developer Thrive Companies, tells Axios.
- "There definitely can be too many in a market, but if you're on the top of the rung, if you're the best food hall, then that's not an issue you have to worry about," Moeser says.
- One of Little Grand's distinguishing features is its three-acre park with outdoor drinking, which will soon host events like movie nights and Buckeyes viewing parties.
The intrigue: Public markets date back longer than you might expect. North Market, one of Columbus' most popular attractions, opened in 1876.
- "No offense to the new guys. I love what they're doing, but we have the benefit of authenticity," North Market executive director Rick Harrison Wolfe told 614 Magazine in 2021.
💠Alissa's thought bubble: With food halls spread across a wide area and appealing to different crowds, I don't think we're oversaturated just yet.
- Budd Dairy in Italian Village has late-night DJs and karaoke, for example, while the spacious patio at Center Street Market in Hilliard is filled with suburban parents like myself.
- Bonus: The plentiful options mean avoiding the dreaded "What's for dinner?" debate.
Go deeper: A guide to Columbus' seven food halls.