With the debut this summer of Granby Station on the 100 block of Granby Street in Downtown Norfolk, Coastal Virginia will have its first food hall. Hooray! But if you’ve yet to experience this fast-casual, big-city trend, you might wonder, “How’s it different from a typical mall’s ho-hum food court?”
For starters, courts usually comprise Goliath-esque chains while halls feature local, independent, small businesses run by passionate culinarians eschewing conveyor-belt, factory food for artisanal fare that mirrors their region’s cultural and ethnic diversity. Among 14 food stalls and a craft cocktail bar in this one-level, 10,000-square-foot space (seating 175 plus 50 on the patio) are Filipino and Indian street food, barbecue, poutine, vegan specialties and more.
And while food is the focus, it’s not just about chowing down. Communal seating encourages connections between customers in support of Granby Station’s mission: “Bring people together through the power of food.”
Marisa Marsey
Marisa Marsey is a food, beverage and travel writer whose awards include 1st place Food Writing from the Virginia Press Association. A Johnson & Wales University representative, she has sipped Château d'Yquem '75 with Jean-Louis Palladin, sherpa-ed for Edna Lewis and savored interviews with Wolfgang Puck and Patrick O’Connell.
