By Greg Morago, Houston Chronicle
A new food hall is coming to downtown Houston complete with a dozen food outlets, a craft beer and wine bar, and an art deco cocktail lounge.
The Food Hall at Main and Rusk is set to open in early 2018 at The Jones on Main in the JPMorgan Chase building at 712 Main – the former Gulf Oil Building that is undergoing a major renovation by Houston developer Midway. The 37-story tower’s owner, Lionstone Investments, in partnership with Midway, has tapped Austin-based Oz Rey, LLC, to develop and operate the food hall.
“We are thrilled about the addition of the food hall as it is a key element of our overall re-positioning efforts at The Jones on Main,” said Fernando Urrutia, vice president of asset management for Lionstone. “This addition will provide myriad exciting dining options not only for our tenants, but for our neighbors as well.”
The food hall, which will offer breakfast, lunch and dinner options, is designed to be a culinary destination with a “curated group of celebrated local and global chefs.” The dining and drinking concepts will be located in the grand lobby of the building.
While no local chefs or concepts have been identified for the project, the food hall is described as a 20,000-square-foot project that will feature “chef-driven food outlets, a craft beer and curated wine bar, and art deco cocktail lounge and unique private spaces.”
Nationally, food halls are a culinary/retail trend. There are major food halls in New York (Chelsea Market, Grand Central Terminal, Gotham West Market); Krog Street Market in Atlanta; Union Market in Washington, DC; Market on Market in San Francisco; Eataly (various cities); Pike Place Market in Seattle; Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia; St. Roch Market in New Orleans. In New York two new food halls are taking shape: Bourdain Market from Anthony Bourdain, and another at 10 Hudson Yards from chef Jose Andres.
Houston’s first food hall, also downtown, opened last year at 1010 Prairie. Conservatory, a 7,500-square-foot beer garden and food hall in the basement of the former Isis Theatre, features vendors such as El Burro & the Bull, Arte Pizzeria, Moku Bar, Melange Creperie, Mars Bakery, and Noble Rot Wine Bar.
The Food Hall on Main, the working name of the food hall, will be renamed at a later date. The partners of the food hall project are currently looking for operators of the dining and drinking concepts.