Each year, we ask Orange County Register readers to choose their favorite places to shop, dine, play and do business in OC.
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Here are the top picks for Best food hall:
1. Anaheim Packing District
440 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim; anaheimpackingdistrict.com
Adaptive reuse has become a popular trend in historic preservation to save landmark structures from bulldozers. Sometimes, delightful surprises arise within the old walls, such as the Anaheim Packing District which, according to Marketing Director Devon Reeves, “encompasses three historic preservation projects that have been thoughtfully restored and reimagined.”
The packing house portion of the larger district was a 1919 citrus packaging facility of the Anaheim Orange and Lemon Association reopened in 2014 as Orange County’s original food hall.
Featuring a diverse, international array of more than 30 independent culinary artisans, vendors and eateries, it extends across two levels and about 42,000 square feet.
Eating opportunities span the globe from Cajun to Indian, Mediterranean to soul food, There’s even a grilled cheese bar. Newer additions include higher end hot dogs and burgers and a Thai restaurant.
Also sweets from pastries, to donuts, to fruit bowls to ice cream.
For those looking to wind down from a weekday or gear up for the weekend, there are also unique gastropubs and cocktail bars and purveyors and creators of craft beers and wines and specialty foods.
All of which come together in a multicultural collective.
“Food has a unique way of bringing people together,” Reeves said. “Food halls embody that same spirit, creating a modern gathering place where diverse cuisines, cultural representation, and communal dining come together to foster community.”
2. Rodeo 39 Public Market
12885 Beach Blvd., Stanton; rodeopublicmarket.com/rodeo39
Described as a highly curated public space to eat, drink and shop, Rodeo 39 extends the food hall concept to include retail shopping and services, making it part mall, part foodie destination.
Opened in 2020, the market is laid out over 41,000 square feet of indoor-outdoor space with three dining patios. The majority of the space is devoted to dining and socializing.
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There are 18 food and drink providers, ranging from burgers to desserts to a wide spectrum of Asian food eateries, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Pacific Islander and Vietnamese cuisines.
There is a craft brewery, coffee brewer and Rodeo 39’s complete bar.
On the retail side are a couple of funky clothing stores, tattoo and nail shops, an arcade and even a photo booth.
In July, live music and trivia games were added to the entertainment menu.
Rodeo also operates the Rodeo River Street food hall at River Street Marketplace in San Juan Capistrano and the Rodeo 72 Public Market in Whittier.
3. 4th Street Market
201 E. 4th St., Santa Ana; 4thstreetmarket.com
Sparked by the redevelopment of Downtown Santa Ana, the 4th Street Market was created in 2015 as a launch pad for diverse and creative chefs, culinary artisans and aspiring entrepreneurs. Unveiled with great fanfare, more than 10 years later it continues to incubate creativity, innovation and talent on the cutting edge of cookery.
With its mission to help budding culinarians find their footing, the Market provides a leg up: “Beginning with the greatest challenge for most young chefs — startup costs — we offer retrofitted restaurant spaces,” the website states.
Currently there is a rotating lineup of more than a dozen providers serving breakfast, lunch and dinner alongside cocktails and desserts in a 30,000-square foot complex with ample seating.
The cuisine runs the gamut from street food to elevated international fare.
As a tourist exploring the market soon after it opened told the OC Register, “It’s like a hipster paradise.”
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