Vote now! Readers' Choice Awards Best Food Halls of 2026

No matter which American city you find yourself living in or visiting, there’s likely a food hall within walking distance. And we’re not talking Eataly or the latest pick-your-restaurant-craze Wonder. Over the last decade, urban food halls have become exciting, interesting places to eat that showcase the history and food culture of the local region. Local chefs and longtime market vendors share space with buzzy new concepts under one roof.

But it’s not just about the food at the gathering spots on this list. Our panel of experts has curated a list of their favorite U.S. food halls with pizzazz. Some are century-old public markets with bona fide roots, while others are sleek new destinations built inside repurposed factories and rail stations.

Here’s your assignment: Browse our list of nominees for the Best Food Halls of 2026 and vote for the one where you had your tastiest, most enjoyable experience. Reviewed consistently publishes Readers' Choice Awards—vote for or check out the winners in a variety of categories.

Voting period ends on Sept. 9, 2026. We'll announce the winners on Sept. 17.

Vote for the best food halls!

Nominee 1: 3rd St. Market Hall

Milwaukee, WI

Since opening in 2022 inside a former downtown department store on West Wisconsin Avenue, 3rd St. Market Hall has quickly become one of Milwaukee's liveliest gathering places. The 40,000-square-foot space pairs roughly 20 chef-driven vendors with a full craft cocktail bar, plus Topgolf Swing Suites and a Nintendo gaming lounge in case you want to hang after digging into Cambodian sandwiches, Venezuelan arepas, Mediterranean gyros, and Mexican tacos.

In fact, it’s that blend of dining and entertainment that our panel pointed to as one reason 3rd St. Market Hall earns a spot on our list. Add in a steady calendar of happy hours and live programming, and this place captures what our experts describe as the next generation of food halls.

Nominee 2: Assembly Food Hall

Nashville, TN

Just a few country two-steps from Broadway, right near the Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville, Assembly Food Hall spreads across 100,000 square feet and multiple levels, and it features Music City’s largest rooftop patio and live music venue.

This happening food hall also accommodates roughly 30 eateries and bars, including Prince's Hot Chicken, for anyone looking for the best of Nashville’s signature poultry dish.

Our experts called it the quintessential Nashville food hall, a place packed with locals and tourists where the soundtrack of live music and sprawling views are as much the draw as the food. Between the rooftop hangout space, the range of local and national concepts, and the near-constant entertainment, vibes here are high.

Nominee 3: Chelsea Market

New York, NY

Loads of non-New Yorkers have heard of Chelsea Market and visit Manhattan salivating over the dining options here. This popular culinary destination fittingly occupies the former National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) complex where the Oreo was first produced in 1898. Since opening in 1997, Chelsea Market has helped define what a modern food hall can be.

It runs a full block beneath the High Line in Manhattan, bringing together acclaimed restaurants, artisan food vendors, and specialty shops within the building's industrial bones—think brick, pipes, and vintage signage that is still on display.

For our part, the panel marked Chelsea Market’s enduring pull and its role as a template for the countless food halls that have followed since, from coast to coast. Several reviewers noted that the crowds are part of the fun; you come as much for the people-watching in one of the city's most beloved neighborhoods as for the noshes themselves.

Nominee 4: Denver Central Market

Denver, CO

You'll find butchers, bakers, and a chocolate maker (but nary a candlestick), lined up next to a fresh fish market and a local coffee roaster, all curating the diverse aromas at Denver Central Market, which anchors the Rocky Mountain city's RiNo Art District on Larimer Street.

Inside its roughly 11 stalls, wood-fired pizza shares space with ice cream and cocktails—a spread that leans as much toward provisioning as prepared meals.

Our reviewers described it as a trendy neighborhood gem that is an early example of the current wave of American food halls. They also singled out its mix of specialty grocers and sit-down options as what makes it worth a visit. Open daily from morning through evening, it works equally well for a quick coffee, a market run, or a full meal with a drink in hand.

Nominee 5: Quincy Market at Faneuil Hall Marketplace

Boston, MA

Quincy Market has anchored Boston's quick-eat dining scene since the Greek Revival hall opened in 1826. In fact, it is one of the country's oldest public market buildings. Today, more than two dozen local eateries line its long central colonnade serving up chocolate chip cookies, lobster rolls, and fresh pasta. Our reviewers single out local favorites like the iconic Regina Pizzeria, New England seafood and chowder stop Boston Chowda, and Steve's Greek.

The Faneuil Hall Marketplace food hall sits directly on the historic, Revolutionary-era Freedom Trail, and it marks the edge of Boston’s original shoreline. So, the vibe is busy, busy, busy, and largely grab-and-go. Patrons can find a seat inside, sure, or they can venture out to sit on the steps and watch street performers entertain the crowds.

Nominee 6: Grand Central Market

Los Angeles, CA

Our panel praised Grand Central Market as an easy, traffic-free way to sample the range of L.A.'s food scene in a single stop. Not only are there historic landmarks right outside—Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Angels Flight Railway—but the food hall itself is housed in the historic Homer Laughlin Building on South Broadway.

It originally opened in downtown Los Angeles in 1917, and today it remains a living showcase of the city's cultural diversity with nearly 40 different vendors from L.A.’s immigrant communities serving everything from tacos and Chinese fare to Italian, coffee, and produce, and drawing around 2 million visitors a year.

Reviewers repeatedly described it as a treasure—a century-old public market that celebrates the bounty and diversity of Southern California without a trace of theme-park polish. On the weekends, The Bazaar takes over the lower level, featuring the artistic wares of local makers and craftspeople.

Nominee 7: High Street Place

Boston, MA

Downtown and Financial District workers will tell you that High Street Place is a newer addition to Boston's food hall roster. It opened in 2022 with a lineup of about 20 food and beverage vendors curated with the help of the city's culinary heavyweights. The mix runs from sushi, Indian street food, and bagels to breakfast sandwiches, fried chicken, and an award-winning champagne bar, anchored in part by concepts from local chef and Food Network fixture Tiffani Faison.

Our experts adore the polished, comfortably designed seating area that often hosts small public social events like trivia or live music. Its location near South Station makes it easy to access.

Nominee 8: Legacy Hall

Plano, TX

The eponymous Legacy Hall packs more than 20 food and beverage stalls into a three-story building in the Legacy West area of Plano, Texas. The offerings run from Texas barbecue to shawarma and Mexico City–style tacos. A hybrid wine bar lets guests sample by the pour before buying a bottle, and an outdoor concert and event venue keeps patrons entertained.

Our panel described it as a DFW destination where something is always happening—live music, a beer garden, big screens for games, and a steady stream of events—set amid shopping and near some of the region's biggest sports venues. With that many concepts spanning the familiar and the unexpected, experts noted there's something here for every appetite.

Nominee 9: Liberty Public Market

San Diego, CA

Set inside the restored 1923 naval buildings of Point Loma's Liberty Station, Liberty Public Market opened in 2016 as San Diego's first seven-day-a-week public market—but as the original Naval Training Station’s mess hall and commissary, the building’s history has been tied to food from the first.

Today, the 25,000-square-foot space gathers more than 30 local restaurants, artisan vendors, and specialty producers, with options ranging from French pastries and ramen to empanadas, fresh seafood, and produce.

Our team pointed to its focus on Southern California flavors and local makers, along with a relaxed atmosphere that encourages visitors to wander and linger, whether from stall to stall within the airy interior or through the market’s outdoor patio and gardens. The former military setting gives the hall a distinctive character, and the daily hours make it as suited to a morning coffee or market errand as to a leisurely lunch.

Nominee 10: The Market at Malcolm Yards

Minneapolis, MN

Contemporary food-hall energy meets a character-full, renovated industrial building in The Market at Malcolm Yards in Minneapolis. Nine diverse culinary concepts span an international range of cuisines, while a full craft cocktail bar and a self-pour tap wall with dozens of rotating beers and wines give visitors freedom to sample widely.

The panel noted the cool, adaptively reused industrial shell as part of the appeal, along with the mix of new and local vendors. And they love the outdoor seating area, which is popular at all times of day or night.

Nominee 11: Mercado Little Spain

New York, NY

First with his restaurants (notably Jaleo and Minibar) and now with a 35,000-square-foot food hall Mercado Little Spain in Manhattan's Hudson Yards, Michelin-star chef José Andrés continues to herald Spanish food and culture, along with fellow chefs Ferran and Albert Adrià. Opened in 2020, Mercado Little Spain combines full-service restaurants with more than a dozen food and retail kiosks and a pair of bars, serving everything from paella and jamón to Spanish wines and pastries.

Our panel appreciated both the depth of the Spanish focus—a rarity among American food halls—and Andrés' broader work, including his founding of the humanitarian nonprofit World Central Kitchen. The result is a hall that feels less like a food court and more like an immersive market transplanted from Spain. For diners curious about regional Spanish cooking, our reviewers considered it a singular destination.

Nominee 12: Monarch Market

Charlotte, NC

Uptown Charlotte's Tryon Street is lined with steakhouses, fast-casual spots, and other restaurants, but amidst the bunch, Monarch Market gathers a curated blend of 11 locally owned and nationally recognized vendors serving Korean, Japanese, Lebanese, Indian, Italian, Mexican, and American fare, alongside three cocktail bars.

We flagged it as an especially good fit for groups with differing tastes, since the range of cuisines means everyone can find something they want without leaving the room. Its central location makes it convenient and walkable for workers, visitors, and event-goers.

Nominee 13: Mother Road Market

Tulsa, OK

You can find flavors from nearly every continent right on historic Route 66 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, thanks to Mother Road Market. This nonprofit food hall was built expressly to help local food entrepreneurs get off the ground. As a result, consumers can dig into bibimbap, jollof couscous, calabresa pastel, and more.

What sets it apart, our reviewers noted, is its mission: through the on-site Kitchen 66 incubator, the market gives cooks access to commercial kitchen space, business coaching, and rent assistance to grow their concepts into standalone restaurants. That returns the food hall to its original purpose as a launchpad for local talent.

Nominee 14: Ponce City Market

Atlanta, GA

Ponce City Market is one of the more multiuse destinations on this list, which makes sense when you hear it's housed in the beautifully restored former Sears, Roebuck building, one of the largest brick structures in the Southeast. The food hall portion features an excellent roster of Atlanta chef-driven spots, including a brewery, a winery, and several sweet stops. Shopping is also a key focus, with major retailers like Anthropologie and Marine Layer mixing with local boutiques. It all sits with direct access to the Atlanta BeltLine's trails and parks, so a meal here can easily extend into a walk or bike ride.

Since reopening in 2014, the market's Central Food Hall has drawn acclaimed chefs and inventive concepts to a soaring, light-filled space that our reviewers singled out for its striking setting. The adaptive reuse of the historic building is a big part of the draw, turning a piece of Atlanta's industrial past into a modern gathering place that our panel considered a natural top pick.

Nominee 15: POST Market

Houston, TX

Inside downtown Houston's restored Barbara Jordan Post Office, POST Market has become one of the country's most talked-about modern food halls. More than 30 vendors serve a globe-spanning spread—sushi, tacos, Vietnamese, and beyond—on the ground level of the sprawling repurposed mail-processing building.

But our reviewers stressed that it's much more than a place to eat: overhead sits Skylawn, a five-acre rooftop park billed as the largest in Texas, complete with a working farm, panoramic skyline views, concert programming, and art installations. That combination of trend-forward global food and standout public space is what our panel highlighted, calling it a genuine destination. For visitors, it offers a full afternoon—a meal downstairs and sweeping city views up top.

Nominee 16: Track 15

Providence, RI

Providence's first food hall, Track 15, opened in March 2025 inside the city's historic Union Station, the product of a $25 million restoration. Its 18,000-square-foot space brings together seven hyperlocal vendors—many also have restaurant footprints elsewhere in town with hard-to-get-reservations—serving modern Indian, Middle Eastern, seafood, Mexican, burgers, Italian, and pizza, anchored by a large central bar pouring beer, wine, and spirits from local producers and beyond.

Our panel welcomed it as a fresh addition to the national food-hall landscape and a showcase for Rhode Island's excellent independent restaurateurs. A lively atmosphere sees all sorts, from nearby Brown University students to post-work crowds, and even families who live in the area, although you won't find a kid's menu around. The pairing of a landmark rail-station setting with an all-local vendor lineup gives it a strong sense of place. As Providence's debut entry in the format, our experts saw it as a promising newcomer worth putting on the map.

Vote for the best food halls!

Our Experts

BethEllen Clausen

Clausen is a freelance writer with a heavy emphasis on art and culture. She is a member of the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association and the LA Wine Writers, and she writes for Food, Wine and Travel Magazine, the Napa Valley Wine Academy, and Costco Connection. You can read more about Clausen's experiences at her website, Organic Wine Travel.

Lisa Waterman Gray

Lisa Waterman Gray has written national and international stories on must-do travel, must-taste food and beverages, and eco-friendly destinations that engage and delight readers. Her print and online stories have appeared in DreamScapes Travel and Lifestyle Magazine, USA Today/10Best, Fodor's, AAA, Wander With Wonder, Foodie Travel USA, and several state tourism magazines and websites. Find more about her work on her website.

Sharon Kurtz

Sharon Kurtz is an award-winning travel writer and photographer specializing in destinations, hotels, cruises, and cultural experiences for readers. Her firsthand reporting has appeared in JourneyWoman, SheBuysTravel, World Footprints, FYI50+, The Compass, and TripAdvisor. Based in Austin, Texas, Kurtz is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

Susan Lanier-Graham

Lanier-Graham is an award-winning food, wine, and travel writer with more than three decades of experience exploring destinations around the world. She has visited luxury resorts, boutique properties, and hidden gems across six continents, bringing a discerning eye to every stay. As publisher of Wander With Wonder, she leads an award-winning digital publication that inspires readers to discover exceptional travel experiences. Her work blends firsthand insight with a passion for storytelling, offering trusted recommendations on where to stay, dine, and explore. Susan’s expertise helps travelers confidently choose destinations that transform trips into unforgettable, experience-rich journeys.

Nancy Monson

Monson is a writer, artist, and teacher who frequently writes about travel, wellness, spas, and creativity. Her articles have appeared in over 30 national magazines and websites, including AARP, Glamour, Saturdayeveningpost.com, USA Today, Woman’s Day, and Women’s Health. She is also the author of Craft to Heal: Soothing Your Soul with Sewing, Painting, and Other Pastimes, which explores how creative hobbies improve mental health. Connect with her at @NancyMonson and see her work at Nancy Monson Art.

Dena Roché

A travel and wine journalist and member of the prestigious Circle of Wine Writers, Dena Roché's publishing credits include Food & Wine, Full Pour, the BBC, and more. When she’s not exploring exciting destinations and wine regions, you can find her hosting private and corporate wine experiences in Scottsdale through her company Vin Roché.

Penny Sadler

Penny Sadler is a freelance writer residing in the Lone Star State. Her glass is always full, preferably of something white and bubbly. She writes for Timeout, Texas Lifestyle Magazine, Matador Network, Inside Hook, Cheese Professor, and other outlets. Read more from Penny on her website, Adventures of a Carryon.

Elaine Warner

Society of American Travel Writers member Elaine Warner has been writing travel stories for more than 30 years, most recently regular columns for Edmond Life and Leisure and the Norman Transcript. She also contributes to Endless Weekend Getaways e-zine. Warner has written a guidebook to Tulsa and More Than Petticoats: Remarkable Missouri Women, Biographies of 13 Outstanding Women From the Show Me State.

Reviewed Editors & Experts

Reviewed editors and experts have hard-earned insight from a broad range of backgrounds, and our nomination panel includes independent researchers, subject matter experts, and editorial team members. We provide unbiased, experiential editorial coverage on products, brands, and companies across the U.S.