Highly Anticipated New Essex Street Market Finally Opens in May

The long-anticipated move of Essex Street Market officially has an opening date of May 13.

The longtime city-owned food hall is moving 21 legacy vendors — including Shopsin’s, Arancini Bros., and Davidovich Bakery — from across the street and adding 18 new vendors and two full-service restaurants. New vendors include a Chinatown Ice Cream Factory dubbed Lower East Side Ice Cream Factory, shawarma stand Samesa from Eli and Max Sussman, LES Moroccan restaurant Zerza, and Thai-style chicken spot Eat Ghai. One of the full-service restaurants is Dhamaka from the Adda and Rahi team, while the other space has yet to be leased.

The market is moving into the ground floor of Essex Crossing, one of the largest development projects to hit the Lower East Side. It occupies multiple blocks and 1.65 million-square-feet of development space with retail, office space, apartments, and parks, in addition to lots of food. Underneath Essex Street Market will be the Market Line, a developer-owned food hall.

According to the Facebook event for an opening party at 88 Essex St., there will be live music, tastings, and a raffle from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 18. They’ll also be giving out free Essex Street Market-branded totes at the event.

The original Essex Street Market located at 120 Essex St. will close on May 6.