The Lower East Side hip and homegrown Canal Street Market (265 Canal Street, at Lafayette Street) closed at the end of last year: It was the 2023 celebrated revamp of what many declared they wanted to support but ultimately did not. “Once sad, the market is back and better than ever,” former Eater critic Robert Sietsema declared.
On Instagram, Canal Street Market announced the closure about a month ago. “Eight years ago, we embarked on a mission to support small businesses, with the vibrant community of Chinatown as our backdrop,” they wrote on Instagram. “It’s been an incredible journey watching so many restaurants, retailers, and entrepreneurs launch as pop-ups or first-time stores — and flourish beyond our walls.”
“End of an era,” posted a commenter in response. Eater has reached out to owner Philip Chong for more information.
In 2016, Chong first set up Canal Street Market in the 12,000-square-foot building that his family owns. It included a makers’ market side and a food court with stalls from perennial dim sum favorite Nom Wah, West Coast bubble tea Boba Guys, Ippudo spin-off Kuro Obi, and ice creamery Davey’s. “What was the problem?” Sietsema asked about the early version. “Was its proximity to Chinatown a deterrent, since similar foods were available nearby, often at lower prices? Or did no one want to linger on the block, a hurry-through pedestrian spillway?”
With the 2023 update, there were 10 new food stalls and updated decor that included paper lanterns and tiny lights. In that iteration, there was both a Joe’s Steam Rice Roll and Joe’s Noodles and Rice, the latter of which took over the Nom Wah space. Filipino street food vendor Mucho Sarap (related to So Sarap) sold tacos, Lower East Side sushi bar Matsunori opened a location, and a Thai variation of Hainanese chicken staked a space at Betong. There was also a slice option and a chocolatier.
A year later, at the end of 2024, it shuttered with little fanfare. “I wish I could say I was a regular — I was not, but I always intended to be,” writes Tribeca Citizen this week.
The closing of Canal Street Market points to the fate of many of the city’s food halls, with the shutter of Citizens Market Hall in early 2025 in Manhattan West at 33rd Street and Ninth Avenue; Gotham West closing last November after 11 years; the Market Line closing last April; and Williamsburg Food Hall closing in 2023. Other food halls are trying to restructure, such as restaurateur and founder of the old BR Guest (remember Blue Water Grill?) Steve Hanson who has come back to steer what had been Urbanspace Vanderbilt. The company he runs with Alex Gaudelet, dubbed Hospitality Firm, has taken over the late Anthony Bourdain-endorsed Singaporean Urban Hawker, Midtown East’s Vanderbilt Market, Midtown’s Lexington Market, and what they’re calling 6 ½ Market, also in Midtown.
There are a handful of food halls that still have legs: The deep-pocketed Wonder — the hybrid food hall delivery option from Walmart e-commerce Marc Lore — keeps expanding. Wonder opened its first locations in 2023 and has already rolled out nearly 40 around the country. They’re the first of 100 expected to open by the end of 2025. After spending $60 million on recipes and restaurant concepts from partner chefs like Marcus Samuelsson and José Andrés, it describes itself as “a new kind of food hall — iconic chefs and top restaurants.”
In Manhattan, there’s also coin-cake destination Speedy Korea Grill, a bi-level food court that drew lines down the block when it opened in 2023. The James Beard food hall in Chelsea, Market 57 remains vibrant, with dynamic programming and great views. Then there’s the always-crowded Chelsea Market that opened in the late 1990s, among others.
Some Flushing food halls also seem to have life, such as the 1990-era Golden Mall which was renovated (and will open another location in Manhattan); Flushing’s New York Food Court which opened in 2014; and the splashy Tangram Mall.
Not far from Canal Street Market, Broadway Food Court has just opened — which bills itself as offering “Asian food” — at 447 Broadway at Howard Street. The website is half-finished and it has little Instagram presence, but the vendors there will include options for tea, ice cream, coffee, salad pancakes, ramen, dim sum, poke, mochi doughnuts, and apparently, Häagen Dazs.
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