Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/523050
Already dubbed the French version of Eataly, this new Manhattan food hall offers a bounty of Gallic cuisine, ranging from quick crepes and coffee to exclusive imports and fine-dining restaurants. BY ESTHER CRAIN Le District D esigned to evoke grand food halls like Le Bon Marche and the Galeries Lafayette in Paris, Le District pays homage to French food and culinary culture. Opening in stages over the past few months, the 30,000-square-foot space occupies a ground-floor section of the new luxury shopping destination Brookfield Place, located in New York's increas- ingly upscale Financial District. There's something for everyone at all price points: two cozy restaurants and a sleek bar; imported and domestic grocery items; fresh bread, meat, and fish; plus packaged dishes made on-site. Think of it as a quieter and more softly lit Eataly, with specialty food stations and casual seating surrounded by warm wood and stainless steel. "The French take food and dining seriously, and we were inspired to do the same," says Peter Poulakakos, a partner in the restaurant group HPH, which developed the concept. Le District is a study in contrasts: this enormous eatery and marketplace is intended to mimic the small-scale food shops of a French village. "We wanted to develop a food destination that mixed fine dining with takeout and more casual eat-in options, a place people could visit to eat, social- ize, and feel a sense of community," says Poulakakos. His team recreates the intimate experience of eating and shop- ping in France, but with everything under one roof. PHOTOS: JEFF THIBODEAU, LE DISTRICT 42 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE specialtyfood.com retailer profle