Chinatown Jumps Into Food Hall Fray With Planned New Market on Canal

A new food and retail hall for the "modern urban consumer" is taking over a sprawling space on Canal Street. The Canal Street Market food hall will be debut in November in 12,000-square-feet of space on Canal between Broadway and Lafayette. The 11 vendors confirmed so far include cult favorite bubble tea purveyor Boba Guys, East Village’s Davey’s Ice Cream, and a new concept called Yori Nori from the team behind Chelsea Market Korean ramen shop Mokbar. A retail portion of the market will open in October and features nearly 30 "artist and brand booths" like home goods, ceramics, and flowers.

According to a statement, it’s a play for developer Philip Chong to bring the "gourmet-minded" and "young, energetic downtown creatives" to the street. The space previously housed retailer Necessary Clothing — also a play for "higher-end retail" — and when the deal closed in 2012, it was a sharp change from the typical storefronts on the street. Several small stalls occupied the stretch before, and Chong combined them in hopes of changing what retail looks like on Canal Street. Currently, Canal Street is known for narrow souvenir stalls, retailers, and mom-and-pop restaurants. Some might even call it a real life, outdoor food hall.