Big Apple Bites: Market 57
The development of Hudson River Park has transformed much of Manhattan’s West Side waterfront into a serene green space for lounging, strolling, and biking. With the arrival of Market 57, the park has become an innovative dining destination as well.
Opened in April 2023 inside a former city sanitation facility that’s been repositioned as the cultural venue Pier 57, this 12,000-square-foot food hall has since attracted more than a million visitors—thanks to inventive vendors and a unique mission to promote equity and inclusion in the food industry.
A walk along Market 57’s wide, airy aisles, with plenty of seating for small and large groups, showcases its commitment to New York City’s independent food culture. Fifteen vendors operate in separate kiosks in the cavernous space. Some vendors will be familiar to visitors, as they have established brick-and-mortar shops throughout the cityscape.
Nom Wah, the century-old Chinatown dim sum spot, is one of Market 57’s most popular stations, said Claire Bernard, leasing manager at Jamestown, a developer of Pier 57. So is LoLo’s on the Water, an offshoot of the Harlem favorite LoLo’s Seafood Shack, which serves Caribbean-inspired coconut shrimp spring rolls and a fish fry plate with crispy pieces of cod. Bessou, which had a Noho storefront until recently, cooks up karaage-style fried chicken and sushi crispy rice.
A newcomer to the roster is Sahadi’s, the Brooklyn-based Middle Eastern grocery and restaurant famous for its spices, dips, and flatbreads. This is Sahadi’s second spinoff from its main location on Atlantic Avenue; the first outpost is in the food hall at Brooklyn’s Industry City. Sahadi’s at Market 57 is helmed by five employees and includes 15 seats at a bar area. House-made Lebanese-style frozen lemonade, shawarma wraps and bowls, Lebanese pressed “quesadillas,” and tahini brownies are all top sellers, said Christine Whelan, one of the co-owners of this family-run purveyor.
Other vendors are newer to the city’s food scene. Ammi offers homestyle Indian street food, including dosas and chicken and potato samosas. Mijo serves flavorful Mexican standbys like tacos and flautas. For fresh oysters, Mothershuckers shucks to order. Wash it all down with the lagers, IPAs, and hard ciders on tap at Harlem Hops, or savor the water views from the enormous windows with coffee from Bird & Branch, a roastery of beans sourced from around the globe.
All of this culinary innovation comes under the auspices of the James Beard Foundation, which curates the rotating mix of vendors and guides the development of the food hall. While the foundation is focused on the dining experience for visitors, it also has an expanded mission: promoting “Good Food for Good” by elevating the people who work behind the scenes and fostering a more equitable food industry.
To this end, the foundation maintains an educational space and show kitchen in the market and keeps a busy calendar of events with cutting-edge chefs, cooking demos, and other culinary arts programming. The foundation’s food equity aim is evident in its mix of vendors: almost all are BIPOC- or women-owned.
Market 57 serves “as an incubator for emerging chefs and entrepreneurs with a focus on BIPOC- and women-owned businesses that have been underrepresented in the culinary industry,” said Bernard.
The foundation’s mission was one of the selling points for Whelan. “Anything that promotes equality and mutual sharing in the food industry is a valuable thing to participate in,” she said. “Food is the great equalizer. Everyone eats and shares the world’s ingredients.”
Pier 57 features a two-acre rooftop park open to the public every day. Visitors can bring food and drinks from Market 57 and enjoy their eats surrounded by panoramic views of the Hudson River. The space is within walking distance of the Javits Center, Hudson Yards, Little Island, and the Whitney Museum, making it an ideal destination for visitors heading to and from these attractions.
There are other food halls in Manhattan. But Market 57 is the one with a deep culinary pedigree, a mission to move the food industry forward, and the prettiest views in town.