Food Halls Are The Next Big Dining Trend

We all know how successful Liberty Station's two year old food hall has been.  It is packed for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day, with 30 choices for diners.  Well, James Markham, the restauranteur who created Pieology, Project Pie and now Crackheads (breakfast), thinks that food halls are the next big food concept.

Markham secured the lease at the old TGIFridays in Carlsbad (big windmill hovers above it), which has been vacant for two years.  Years ago, this spot was the home of Anderson's Pea Soup.  Here, Markham plans to create the Carlsbad Windmill Food Hall, 12,000 square feet of 11 individual food vendors, bar, and games for the children.  Games will include Skee Ball, Pac Man and Ping Pong.  In order to free up servers to help customers rather than have to spend time processing credit cards, Markham plans to create a single point payment system, similar to the system used at the KAABOO concert in Del Mar last year.  When customers arrive, they check in, get a key fob linked to their credit card, which will be swiped at each booth for payment.  I can't wait for Carlsbad Winmill Food Hall to open.

Markham might be right about the food hall trend.  In June, Little Italy Food Hall is set to open.  Also this summer, Whisknladle Hospitality will open Park Commons, formerly San Diego Tech Center, in Sorrento Valley.  It will be 10,000 square feet of food hall space.  One chef will oversee multi concept food stations.

San Diego and North County are seem to be keeping up, perhaps even setting trends in food right now.  First breweries and gastro pubs, now food halls.  I hope the concept lives up to the hype.