Brooklyn Food Halls and Markets: A Guide

Brooklyn food halls are of three types: a giant indoor hall in City Point in Downtown Brooklyn, a curated market on the DUMBO waterfront, and Smorgasburg, an outdoor weekend market that moves between a waterfront park and Prospect Park. Each suits a different mood.

What are the main Brooklyn food halls?

DeKalb Market Hall, in City Point in Downtown Brooklyn, is one of the larger indoor food halls in the country, with around forty food vendors under one roof according to spring coverage. Time Out Market, in DUMBO, occupies the Empire Stores building at 55 Water Street, with restaurants chosen by the magazine's editors, bars and a rooftop. Smorgasburg is the outdoor option.

Because the three are so different, many visitors try more than one.

What is DeKalb Market Hall like?

DeKalb Market Hall is a permanent, climate-controlled hall, so it works in any weather. Its vendors cover a wide range of cuisines, and the list has changed since it opened, so check the current lineup. Early coverage mentioned a famous Manhattan deli and a Brooklyn restaurant among its first vendors.

It is a good choice for a rainy day, a family with mixed tastes or a group that cannot agree. Seating is shared, and the hall is large enough that you can usually find a table.

What is Time Out Market DUMBO?

Time Out Market DUMBO is a curated hall, where Time Out editors select the vendors. It is smaller than DeKalb, and a recent guide describes it as free to enter, with a rooftop. A fancier concept than most food halls, it appeals to visitors who want a sample of the city's cooking in one place.

Check the Time Out website for the current vendor list and plan to confirm before you travel.

What is Brooklyn Smorgasburg?

Brooklyn Smorgasburg is a weekly outdoor market that grew out of the Brooklyn Flea. Check its own page for the current locations and days. It is one of the best-known outdoor food markets in the country.

Because it is outdoors, it runs in warm months, and the season has an end. Check the official site for the current schedule.

Is there a Brooklyn weekend food market for families?

Smorgasburg is a good choice for families on a nice day, with open space, lots of options and room to sit on a lawn. Bring a blanket and wipes. Lines at the most popular stands can be long, so split up and have each person wait at a different stall.

Indoor halls are better for cold or wet days. DeKalb has plenty of seating, and the DUMBO market's rooftop is a pleasant place to eat when the weather is mild.

Think about what you want to eat before you pick. A hall suits you if you want variety, and an outdoor market suits you if you want one or two specialties and an easy afternoon. If you have a dietary need, a hall is safer, since many stalls label their dishes and the staff can answer questions. If you have a child who eats only plain food, an outdoor market, with its simple pizza, fries and ice cream, may be less stressful than a hall with a hundred unfamiliar choices.

How do you choose among them?

Pick based on weather and mood. For a rain-proof lunch with a crowd, choose DeKalb. For a polished sampler with a view, choose DUMBO. For a lazy weekend afternoon, choose Smorgasburg. If you only have time for one, check the weather first.

A food hall is a fine place to compare. Order one dish at each of three stalls and rank them honestly.

How to avoid the crowds

Go early. Midday on weekends is the busiest period at all three. Visit a weekday if the hall is open. Take the subway, since parking near the halls is difficult. Walk around once before buying anything.

Prices vary by stall, and menus change. Look at the board and share plates to stretch your money.

One more tip: a food hall is a good place to try a dish you would not order a full plate of. Ask for a half portion or a taste, split a plate with a friend and keep notes on what you liked. After a few visits you will know which counters are consistent and which are only good on a quiet day, and that knowledge is worth more than any list.

What else should you read around Brooklyn?

The best pizza slices in Brooklyn page covers a quick lunch, the Williamsburg Brooklyn restaurants guide covers sit-down dining and the family friendly restaurants in Brooklyn page is useful for a table of children. The US guides page lists more cities.

For the rest of the state, start at the Food in New York State page.

How can Mosey help on a Brooklyn market day?

Between bites, the daily games in the Mosey app, Ladle, Origin and Ingredient, are a short way to learn where a dish comes from and what goes into it. Rate each stall's dish while the meal is fresh in your mind and the day becomes a record you can use next weekend.

A market meal is a series of small bites. Get the Mosey app, rate each stall for flavor and freshness, and build a Brooklyn list that tells your friends which counter to visit first.