The Little Grand Market opened last week off of Dublin Road in Grandview Heights with a perfect view of the Columbus skyline and a variety of different food vendors.
Pablo Taura, owner of Pablo's Havana Cafe, is one of the many food vendors there serving up traditional dishes from the Carribean Island like tostones, Ropa Vieja and the classic and very popular Cubano.
Taura said the food hall concept is great for a business like his. It's the second stall he's opened up in one. The other is at the Bridge Park North Market in Dublin.
"I love the food hall concept because you come to one place and you get to try a bunch of different food. It's very European because it's family seating. So you get to kind of exchange with folks," Taura said.
Food Halls are not new to Columbus. The Little Grand Market is the sixth of the food court/bar style-restaurant in the Columbus area. There's also a rich history of the concept dating back to the downtown North Market's conception in the 19th century.
Others in Columbus include Budd Dairy Food Hall in Italian Village, the Trolley District's East Market, Bubbly Food Hall in New Albany and those two North Market locations in Dublin and downtown.
Each has its unique spin, but each usually carries mostly locally-owned restaurants and stores and plenty of seating to enjoy the food and possibly a beer or two.
Restaurant marketing expert Brian Hipsher said there is a reason why food halls find success here. But, he thinks there's an upper limit of about 5 or 6 total food halls that he thinks Columbus can support.
"Columbus is a foodie town, and, there's a number of towns that would lay claim to that type of environment. But definitely there's a lot of there's there's a food culture here. There's a lot of startups. Food halls are a wonderful way for a new restaurant tour to really have a physical location," Hipsher said.
Hipsher said a food hall is basically an option for a good business to grow in between a food truck and a brick-and-mortar restaurant.
Hot Chicken Takeover opened a location in North Market and soon took off to what it is today being bought out by a national restaurant group. Los Agaves Taqueria in Little Grand Market owns a food truck in Clintonville.
Hipsher said start-up costs are lower in food halls and restaurants get a lot more exposure because of the nature of a food hall and the foot traffic it brings. He said some food halls also offer leases that make it more flexible for a restaurant to get in and out of space.
"You may get a chance or a trial depending on how aggressive you are in bringing them into your your location or your stall there," Hipsher said.
Hipsher said because of all this and the shared resources of a food hall, it is a less risky way to get into this part of the business and restaurants are naturally more profitable.
"What makes a food hall unique is that it's local. It's definitely it's a lot more hip, more variety. You know, the food is typically a bit more elevated. There's a lot of times a central bar or like where you can get a beer with your drink if you want," Hipsher said.
Food prices are more expensive because the type of food being served is more elevated than what would be found in a traditional mall food court, he said.
Hipsher said the existing food halls should prioritize providing a unique experience to find success and stay open.
"With Covid and a lot more hybrid work and remote work... we're seeing that maybe we need to move some of these food halls into the more of the suburban areas. So that's where you're seeing some spread," Hipsher said.
Taura said when Little Grand Market opened last Friday it was "gangbusters" once the doors opened. The crowd on Friday during lunch hour was also very large.
"On its own, it stands like nothing else that I have ever seen. It's just, so, gracious. It's beautiful. It's spacious. There's an indoor and outdoor, so it's a full community," Taura said.
Taura said he is an Ohio transplant, moving to Powell from the traditional Cuban enclave of Union City, New Jersey 20 years ago. He was born in Cuba and moved to the United States. in 1967.
Taura said he works with other businesses in the Columbus area to get the ingredients he needs for his recipes. He works with Auddino's Italian Bakery to make Cuban bread and another shop in town to make croquetas de jamón.
Taura said since the Columbus area is very transient with lots of travelers, lots of people are open to trying his food. He said the 212 Cubans who live in Columbus have all had his food and they keep coming back.
"They'll come in and say, 'How is your Cuban sandwich better than what I just had in Miami?' And I give them a simple answer. It's homemade. We're using my grandmother's and my mom's recipes," Taura said.
Tony Ingram came to Little Grand Market Friday to get lunch. Ingram is a retired firefighter and has visited some of the other food halls in town.
Ingram said food halls provide a variety of options and feel like a safe place to eat. Ingram chose to eat at Los Agaves but he wants to try Seoul Food on the Go, a Korean Street Food vendor.
"This is open. I like outside with that park and everything. You get a nice crowd up in here And you can relax. You don't feel threatened," Ingram said.
Ingram said he may come back for Ohio State football games or to relax. He said he hopes Little Grand Market can add a fried fish restaurant soon.
