When it comes to restaurants, New York City has an abundance of options, but sometimes dining out with the family in NYC can be a bit tricky. If your kids have different palates or just hate sitting down to eat, a food hall might be a great option.
New York City has a number of food halls that are great for families to try. You can get your pick of different cuisines and sample a fun dessert, too. And since they have been popping up everywhere lately, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorites. Here are four great food halls in Manhattan to try with your family.
Chelsea Market
Many New Yorkers will tell you that this was the original food court destination in NYC. The 13,000 sq. ft. market has shops, events, and of course, food. It’s conveniently located in South Chelsea just a block north of the Meatpacking District. Over 6 million people visit the food hall annually making it the premiere destination for tourists and locals alike. Kids will love the wide variety of sweets and bakeshops including, Doughnuttery, L’Arte del Gelato, and Fat Witch brownie. There’s also plenty of other options for dining, such as Hale and Hearty Soups, Creamline, and Lobster Place, where you can spot diners eating whole lobsters on disposable plates, pretty much anywhere they can grab a seat. This is a great way to end the day after the tour of the High Line or a trip to the Whitney. Chelsea Market is located at 75 Ninth Ave., btw. 15th and 16th Streets. For more information visit chelseamarket.com.
City Kitchen
Located in the Row NYC hotel in Times Square this food court brings the best of NYC to one convenient location. A visit to City Kitchen is the ultimate NYC foodie experience and families can get a taste for Mexico at Gabriela’s Taqueria or try a yummy lobster roll from Luke’s Lobster. Whitman’s is also a great options for families as it serves traditional American fare such as burgers and fries. For dessert head over to Dough to try some unique flavors of donuts such as Hibiscus or Dulce de Leche or my kid’s favorite, the Nutella-filled donut. City Kitchen is located at 700 Eighth Ave., at 44th Street. For more information visit citykitchen.rownyc.com.
Eataly
This Italian food hall can get pretty packed, but it’s definitely worth a trip with older kids. The place feels like an amusement park for foodies and has different themed sections from gelato and desserts to various pasta stations. It also offers classes for kids such as its Kid’s Kitchen class where kids can learn to make desserts or their own pasta from scratch. The Family Class is a shorter, 30 minute class for kids ages 3-13 that not only teaches the art of Italian food, but the Italian language as well. If you enter on the Fifth Avenue side of the Flatiron location you can pop in for a delicious gelato (and a cappucino for mom) and avoid most of the crowds. Eataly Flatiron is located at 200 Fifth Ave. For more information visit eataly.com.
Hudson Eats
This food hall at Brookfield Place is a great family-friednly location, with lots of space for kids to run around and explore before settling in to eat. Kids will love chomping on burgers from P.J. Clarke’s or Umami Burger. Or grab some ribs at Mighty Quinn’s BBQ. For dessert hop over to Sprinkles for cupcakes. Work up an appetite by taking a trip to The Rink at Brookfield Place, which recently opened. Brookfield Place also has a rotating calendar of events including the Saturday Morning show that offers great entertainment for kids and takes place at 10am at the Food Hall. Hudson Eats is located at 230 Vesey St. For more information visit brookfieldplaceny.com
Main image via Eataly Flatiron’s Facebook page
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