Photos by Vince Tatarian
You need a group of friends to eat here. The more the better. With 40 unique food stands to choose from, the DeKalb Market Hall doesn’t want for options. Neon signs call out the names of each eatery, and every stand looks better than the last. Come prepared for Shanghai cold noodles, arepas filled with queso, hot pickles, craft beers and cake pops served in push pop containers– and that’s just scratching the market hall surface.
The DeKalb Market Hall is an escalator ride beneath the Fultun Mall in Brooklyn, New York. It’s like a mall for food– walking past stand after stand of delicious choices is part of the experience of “shopping” for food.
The vendors are what make the experience.
The businesses that were invited to DeKalb Market Hall were curated to be eclectic and unique. Each one is there to show off the best of Brooklyn’s food scene. Classics, such as Katz’s Delicatessen, burgers, and BBQ sit next to vegetarian booths, French cheese displays, Pakistani cuisine, and Latin American favorites.
You can’t get around the fact that this food hall is a prime example of the gentrification of Brooklyn, and the debate about gentrification (is it good or bad?) continues to rage. Whatever the answer, it’s clear that the food is good.
The best way to tackle DeKalb Market Hall is to fast before you go. Come hungry, really hungry, and bring a pack of hungry friends. Rove the hall, following your nose and eyes, and let your gut tell you what to get. Order sharable meals and then huddle together over one of the cocktail tables or in an uncrowded corner. You’re about to enjoy a feast of foods.
