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Afood hall is a large standalone location or department store section where food and drinks are sold.[1]
Unlikefood 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 athird place for gathering, can function as abusiness incubator, and are part of a trend towards moreexperiential 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.Afood court means a place where thefast food chain outlets are located in a shopping mall.[7]
A gourmet food hall may also exist in the form of what is nominally apublic market or a modernmarket hall, for example inStockholm'sÖstermalm Saluhall[8] orMexico City'sMercado Roma.