Dekalb Market Hall at Brooklyn Downtown, New York

In essence, DeKalb Market Hall is Brooklyn’s answer to Chelsea Market—only a little smaller, a little scrappier, and absolutely determined to out-flavor the rest of the country. Tucked inside the City Point complex in Downtown Brooklyn, it’s a sprawling underground playground where local vendors, regional favorites, and global comfort foods form one big culinary block party. The hardest part of visiting is deciding where to start...

Craving jerk chicken that means business? Easy. Feeling the magnetic pull of soft, pillowy steam buns? You have it. Maybe pierogi and kielbasa that taste like someone’s Polish grandmother is judging your posture while she cooks? They’ve got that too. And that’s before you even see the rest of the roster. With more than forty food stalls operating under one roof, DeKalb is less a food hall and more a flavor arena.

You’ll wander past ramen stations, noodle counters, dessert alcoves, a BBQ joint, a creamery, a cheesebar, Hawaiian comfort food, burgers of all temperaments, and a bar serving craft beer on tap and in cans. They even installed a Katz’s Delicatessen satellite here—perfect for anyone who wants the sandwich without pilgrimage to their Lower East Side crazy-busy original location.

And the perks don’t stop at eating. DeKalb throws in a full Trader Joe’s for post-feast foraging, plus daily programming with a show kitchen and a live-music stage that keeps the place humming. The lighting is cozy, the scale is pleasantly roomy, and a mix of sit-down restaurants and communal seating gives you plenty of territory to settle in.

In short, the atmosphere hits just right, the food lineup refuses to quit, and every appetite—be it carnivore, vegetarian, vegan, or undecided—gets a seat at the table. So, drop in and roam freely; your taste buds will handle the rest...