The hottest places to eat in NYC right now aren’t restaurants

Food halls are New York City’s latest culinary craze, offering everything from authentic Singaporean street eats to high-end Italian delicacies. Here are six of the best.

Tin Building

Tin Building, Central Market was founded by Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

Not content with being a Michelin-starred chef with lauded restaurants all over the world, Jean-Georges Vongerichten now has his own sprawling two-storey food hall. Housed in the former home of the Fulton Fish Market in Lower Manhattan’s storied Seaport district, Tin Building contains everything from high-end grocers and casual cafes to upscale takeaways and destination diners. Highlights include the Peking duck in the clandestine Chinese eatery House of the Red Pearl (look for the hidden entrance inside the Mercantile East store), the gooey egg sandwiches from Double Yolk and the fresh seafood at the Fulton Fish Company. See tinbuilding.com

Urbanspace

Urbanspace, Union Square: many of the start-up vendors are gaining a cult following.

Urbanspace has been at the forefront of New York’s food hall trend, opening five upmarket venues in the last eight years. Its latest venture is Urbanspace Union Square, an airy 930-square-metre dining destination on 14th Street. The company reserved 25 per cent of the 13 vendor spots for start-ups, so alongside familiar outlets like Belgian waffle specialist Wafels & Dinges are newcomers like Kid Brother Pizza Bar, which has already gained a cult following for its triple-fermented pizza dough. Best of all – there’s a spacious terrace and street-front seating for A-list people watching. See urbanspacenyc.com/union-square

Market 57

Stalls curated by the James Beard Foundation.

Located on the ground floor of the historic Pier 57 within Hudson River Park, Market 57 is an incubator for local food entrepreneurs with a focus on women and minority-owned businesses. Curated by culinary non-profit the James Beard Foundation, the space houses 15 vendors plus a showcase kitchen and a rotating chef residency program. All of which means you can sample an unusually varied range of tasty treats, from a zingy duck larb from Thai eatery Zaab Zaab to a masala dosa at Indian comfort food specialist Ammi, all while sipping on a local IPA from Harlem Hops. See pier57nyc.com/market-57

Urban Hawker

Stalls from UNESCO-certified Singaporean hawker centres in a stylish setting.Credit: Jacob Williamson

Attempting to recreate an authentic Singaporean hawker centre in midtown Manhattan was a bold move, but restaurateur and street food expert KF Seetoh has nailed it. Urban Hawker might feel a little more polished than its Asian counterparts, but you’ll find a similar range of cuisines, from Indian and Malay to Peranakan and Chinese, all served by stalls from UNESCO-certified Singaporean hawker centres. Chow down on delicious Hainanese chicken rice at Hainan Jones, piquant lamb biryani at Mamak’s Corner and light, fluffy pandan cake from Lady Wong. See urbanhawker.com

Harry’s Table

Harry’s Table: this upmarket food hall is all class.

The legendarily elegant Cipriani family (of iconic Harry’s Bar in Venice fame) would probably be mortified to discover their upmarket dining complex in a round-up of food halls, so let’s make one thing clear – this is the classiest food court you’ll probably ever set foot in. Ten food outlets occupy a sophisticated tiled and wood-panelled space on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, with a predictable focus on high-quality Italian produce. You’ll find everything from fresh paninis and artisan pizza to homemade ravioli and caviar crepes – all at surprisingly reasonable prices. See harrystable.com

Mott Street Eatery

Mott Street Eatery, New York City: exceptional value in pricey Manhattan.Credit: Rob McFarland

Chinatown is hardly short of eateries. Centred on Canal Street in Lower Manhattan, the vibrant district has always had excellent hole-in-the-wall restaurants and authentic alleyway gems. What it didn’t have was a specialist Asian food court. Mott Street Eatery fills that gap. This no-frills food hall has all the expected regional delicacies, from congee and chicken feet to dumplings and Peking duck. There’s even a tiny three-seat sushi restaurant where you can splurge on an omakase banquet. The best bit? The prices. There aren’t many places in Manhattan where you can get a decent feed for under $US10 ($15). See instagram.com/mott.street.eatery

The writer was a guest of Market 57.