Critic Robert Sietsema reviewed the food options inside the Renzo Piano-designed Jerome L. Greene Science Center at Columbia University and found some gems. The usual coffee and salad options are available here, but it’s the tapas bar Oliva from chef Franklin Becker that was a surprise find with its menu of small plates, including standouts like the grilled shrimp served with salsa verde.

Gotham West Market breezed onto the scene in late 2013, bringing some big-name chefs like Ivan Orkin and Seamus Mullen to Hell’s Kitchen. There’s been plenty of changeover in the years since, but the current lineup includes Italian spot Dell’anima, pizza place Corner Slice, and a Sushi on Jones and Don Wagyu mashup offering a 12-course omakase and katsu sandos.

After years in the works, Urban Hawker, fashioned in the style of Singaporean hawker markets, finally opened its doors in Manhattan in late 2022. The 17 stalls are curated by K.F. Seetoh, a colleague of Anthony Bourdain, who backed the idea in its nascent stages. In an early visit, Eater critic Robert Sietsema found “some of the most interesting” food court fare in the city. He recommends the Hainanese chicken rice, Malaysian lontong, and chicken with peanut sauce and roti.

One of Midtown’s newest food halls, the Hugh, boasts over 15 vendors. For some establishments, it’s the debut of their second location in the city, including Mah Ze Dahr, which sells some of the city’s best pastries; Kazunori, for sushi hand rolls; and Teranga, with West African lunch bowls.

Urbanspace at 570 Lex features plenty of seating in a sprawling, bi-level space in Midtown East. Standout choices include pies from food hall standby Roberta’s Pizza, stuffed buns from Bao by Kaya, and loaded toasts from Australian coffee shop Little Collins.

This stylish food hall in Long Island City has brought together a solid lineup of stalls run by some of the city’s buzziest chefs, including Lotus and Cleaver, a Cantonese barbecue bowl spot from the team behind Wayla and Kimika. Don’t miss acclaimed pastry chef Ghaya Oliveria’s all-day cafe, where she is turning out an expertly layered ham-and-cheese mille-feuille that recently caught the attention of Eater critic Ryan Sutton.

The queen bee of Manhattan food halls is undoubtedly Chelsea Market, which has been open for more than two decades. Head here for some of the best food hall vendors, though downsides include heavy tourist crowds and extremely limited seating. The original Los Tacos No. 1 stand started here and other favorites include Eat OffBeat, a fast-casual spot powered by refugees, and Chote Miya, an Indian street food spot from the owner of GupShup.

One of the city’s oldest food halls is now located across the street from its original location with a much larger footprint and many more options. The iconic Shopsins is still part of the lineup for those who want a wild, diner-esque meal, but there are also Thai, Scandinavian, Japanese, and award-winning Indian fare. Downstairs at Essex Crossing’s the Market Line, find an outpost of pierogi favorite Veselka and Peoples Wine bar from the Wildair team.

Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s massive restoration of the Tin Building, formerly home to the Fulton Fish Market, debuted this summer with six full-service restaurants, six fast-casual spots, four bars, and shops selling provisions from around the globe. Eater critic Robert Sietsema stopped by the maze-like food hall, narrowing down favorites to the dosas, wok-fried cumin lamb, and razor clams, among others.

Dekalb Market Hall debuted in June 2017 with an impressive roster of vendors that included Katz’s Delicatessen, Arepa Lady, and Ample Hills. As it goes, several stalls have already cycled through, but these days vendors like BK Jani, known for its Pakistani-style burger with mint chutney, and newcomer Baby’s Buns & Buckets serving Thai American comfort food, are some of the standouts worth queuing for before a movie upstairs or shopping at the Trader Joe’s.

Industry City has ushered in a new era for Sunset Park. There are nearly two dozen food vendors in the sprawling space, with vendors at every turn. Find vegan food at Renegades of Sunset, Jamaican bites at Reggae Town Cafe, and options ranging from ramen to sushi at the Japan Village supermarket.