After our story Thursday on Gibson's Food Hall & Market, I got an email from a reader wanting to know what constituted a food hall.
Was it a mall food court? they asked.
No, a food hall is not the same as a mall food court, which is a collection of fast-food restaurants, mostly national chains, set up in a designated area of a shopping mall.
A food hall is a curated collection of independent restaurants that operate out of different stalls under a single roof or in a confined location. They also include a bar element.
Food halls are perfect incubators for new restaurant concepts including food trucks trying out the world of brick-and-mortar without the often crippling startup costs.
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Tucson seems to have quite the appetite for the genre. Since 2018, four have opened, the latest just last week.
American Eat Co.
1439 S. Fourth Ave., americaneatco.com. Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays, until 10 p.m. Fridays-Sundays.
Monster Sonoran serves its namesake hot dogs at American Eat Co., 1439 S. Fourth Ave.
Tucson's first food hall opened in April 2018 in the former American Meat Co. in south Tucson. It has eight restaurants — Monster Sonoran, serving tacos and Sonoran hot dogs; Samurai Sombrero, a sushi restaurant; Walter's Pizzeria; Asada Patron, specializing in tacos and burritos; GM Kitchen 86, serving gourmet burgers and sandwiches; Opa's Express Greek restaurant; and Hebrew's Coffee shop.
The Boxyard
238 N. Fourth Ave., theboxyardtucson.com. Hours: 11 a.m. to midnight Sundays-Tuesdays, until 2 a.m. Thursdays-Saturdays.
In addition to its bar and restaurants, The Boxyard on North Fourth Avenue is known for its patio.
This is outdoor dining with a downtown twist. A trio of restaurants — Daddyburger, which serves a classic hamburger as a single or double; Nhu Lan Vietnamese, which specializes in authentic banh mi sandwiches alongside several Vietnamese entrees; and Los Perches Mexican restaurant — and a full-service bar.
Gibson Food Hall & Market
11 S. Sixth Ave., gibsonmarket.com. Hours: 7 a.m.-11 p.m. daily.
Tucson's newest food hall, Gibson Food Hall & Market, quietly opened downtown on July 10.
Tucson welcomed its newest food hall on July 10 at the old Johnny Gibson's Downtown Market. In addition to the restaurants — Don Ribs BBQ specializing in Sonoran-influenced barbecue; Kaiju Burger, which has a menu of wagyu smash burgers; Samurai Teppan Steak & Sushi, featuring a selection of sushi rolls and nigiri; and Barrio Bites Mexican food including half-pound Sonoran hot dogs — Gibson sells groceries including dairy products, frozen foods and dry goods.
MSA Annex
267 S. Avenida del Convento in the Mercado District, mercadodistrict.com/location/msa-annex. Hours: 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Sundays-Wednesdays, until 11 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays.
BŌS Burger at the MSA Annex specializes in American wagyu smash burgers.
Opened in May 2018, this was Tucson's first foray into the world of boxcar dining. The annex converted shipping containers into a cluster of shops and restaurants including Bōs Burger, which serves American wagyu smash burgers; Decibel Coffee Works; Hidden Hearth micro bakery; Kukai Japanese Kitchen; Rollies Mexican food; and Westbound bar and bottleshop.
Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@tucson.com. On Bluesky @Starburch
Cathalena E. Burch
Reporter
