Serious question guys……why did no one cue me in on food halls before?! I mean, I thought we were friends! Lately, as I’ve been traveling the US for that little nugget of life that pays the bills, I’ve come across some food halls that have absolutely blown me away!
Just this week I spent some time in Dallas and found a place called The Exchange. There may be no better way to describe it other than a foodie’s little slice of heaven. And heaven doesn’t discriminate. You will find something for every taste bud in that crazy little pie whole of yours. From pizza, sushi, ice cream, Wagyu sliders, Greek, fried Chicken, fancy waffles, or a noodle bar, you’re covered. Think of it as a grown-up’s food court sans the dirty tables, sticky floors, and crappy food. Oh, and did I fail to mention that most food halls also have at least a couple of bars or cocktail specialists on site?!
I’ve been able to hit up 3 different food halls in Dallas, Columbus, and Knoxville since discovering food halls (no thanks to you guys). The most striking takeaway for me has been the value that these places offer. The quality of food for the price can’t be beaten at a typical restaurant of any sort. My assumption is that since the individual “restaurants” share the overhead costs and have no wait staff, they can keep their dish price at a reasonable amount. For example, while at the Columbus food hall, I was able to get lobster chips from a place called “Coast to Local”. These are potato chips topped with lobster butter, smoked cheddar cheese sauce, and butter-poached lobster for a super reasonable price of just $15. Considering the amount of whole lobster claw meat that I had on mine; I can’t imagine I could even just buy the lobster at a seafood market for that!!! In Dallas, I grabbed a roasted lamb Gyro that seemed as big as a football for $11. Then for dessert, I washed it down with an ice cream waffle sandwich!
The bottom line is this, do yourself a favor if you are exploring a new town, or heck even headed out for a date night. Search out food halls in the area. Try something new that you’ve never had, then sit out on the patio and people-watch. Then be a pal and tell somebody else about it!
