Food hall

A food hall is a large standalone location or department store section where food and drinks are sold.^[1]

Confectionery counter, Harrods Food Hall, London

Mercado Roma in Mexico City

Overview

Unlike food courts made up of fast food chains, food halls typically mix local artisan restaurants, butcher shops and other food-oriented boutiques under one roof.^[2] Food halls can also be unconnected to department stores and operate independently, often in a separate building, or repurposing a building formerly used for something else.^[3]

The number of food halls in the United States grew by 37% in 2016 and has spread across the country. Advocates state that it provides a third place for gathering, can function as a business incubator, and are part of a trend towards more experiential retail experiences tailored to a given community, in contrast to traditional food courts with national chains which are deemed inauthentic.^[3]

The term "food hall" in the British sense is increasingly used in the United States.^[4][5][6] In some Asia-Pacific countries, "food hall" is equivalent to a North American "food court", or the terms are used interchangeably. A food court means a place where the fast food chain outlets are located in a shopping mall.^[7]

A gourmet food hall may also exist in the form of what is nominally a public market or a modern market hall, for example in Stockholm's Östermalm Saluhall^[8] or Mexico City's Mercado Roma.

See also

• Food truck
• Hawker centre