The Little Grand Market opened last week on Dublin Road in Grandview Heights and offers perfect views of the Columbus skyline as well as a variety of different food vendors.

Pablo Taura, owner of Pablo’s Havana Cafe, is one of many food vendors there serving traditional Caribbean island dishes such as tostones, ropa vieja and the classic and very popular Cubano.

Taura said the food hall concept was great for a business like his. It is the second stall he has opened there, the other being at Bridge Park North Market in Dublin.

“I love the food hall concept because you can come to one place and try a lot of different dishes. It’s very European because there are family seating areas, so you can interact with people,” said Taura.

Food halls are nothing new in Columbus. The Little Grand Market is the sixth food court/bar-restaurant in the Columbus area. The concept has a rich history dating back to the founding of the North Market downtown in the 19th century.

Others in Columbus include the Budd Dairy Food Hall in Italian Village, the East Market in the Trolley District, the Bubbly Food Hall in New Albany and the two North Market locations in Dublin and downtown.

Each has its own character, but each tends to be primarily locally owned restaurants and shops and has plenty of seating to enjoy the food and maybe a beer or two.

Restaurant marketing expert Brian Hipsher said there’s a reason food halls are so successful here, but he believes there’s a ceiling of about 5 or 6 total food halls that Columbus can support.

“Columbus is a foodie city, and there are a number of cities that can claim that kind of environment. But there’s definitely a strong food culture here. There are a lot of startups. Food halls are a wonderful way for a new restaurant tour to really have a physical location,” Hipsher said.

Hipsher said a food hall is basically an opportunity for a good business to grow between a food truck and a brick-and-mortar restaurant.

Hot Chicken Takeover opened a location in North Market and quickly took off until it was purchased by a national restaurant group. Los Agaves Taqueria in Little Grand Market owns a food truck in Clintonville.

Hipsher said startup costs are lower in food halls and that restaurants get a lot more exposure due to the nature of a food hall and the customer traffic that comes with it. He said some food halls also offer leases that give a restaurant more flexibility in moving in and out of space.

“You may get a chance or a chance depending on how aggressively you try to get them to your location or your booth there,” Hipsher said.

For all these reasons and because of the shared resources of a market hall, entering this business is less risky, Hipsher said, and restaurants are naturally more profitable.

“What makes a food hall unique is that it’s local. It’s definitely a lot hipper, there’s more variety. You know, the food is usually a little more upscale. Often there’s a central bar or something like that where you can get a beer with your drink if you want,” Hipsher said.

Food prices are higher because the type of food served is of a higher quality than what you would find in a traditional mall food court, he said.

Hipsher said to be successful and stay open, existing food halls should prioritize providing a unique experience.

“With Covid and a lot more hybrid work and remote work … we’re seeing that we may have to move some of these food halls to the suburbs. So that’s where you’re seeing some spread,” Hipsher said.

Taura said when the Little Grand Market opened last Friday, it was a blast as soon as the doors opened. It was also very busy during lunchtime on Friday.

“On its own, it’s the most special thing I’ve ever seen. It’s just so graceful. It’s beautiful. It’s spacious. There’s an indoor and an outdoor space, so it’s a real community,” Taura said.

Taura said he is an Ohio native who moved to Powell 20 years ago from the traditional Cuban enclave of Union City, New Jersey. He was born in Cuba and moved to the United States in 1967.

Taura said he works with other businesses in the Columbus area to get the ingredients for his recipes. He works with Auddino’s Italian Bakery to make Cuban bread and with another shop in town to make croquetas de jamón.

Taura said that since the Columbus area is full of travelers, many people are willing to try his food. He said the 212 Cubans who live in Columbus have all tried his food and keep coming back.

“They come in and say, ‘What’s better about your Cuban sandwich than the one I just had in Miami?’ And I give them a simple answer. It’s homemade. We use my grandmother’s and my mother’s recipes,” Taura said.

Tony Ingram stopped by Little Grand Market for lunch on Friday. Ingram is a retired firefighter and has visited some of the other food halls in town.

Ingram says food halls offer a wide variety of choices and feel like a safe restaurant. Ingram chose Los Agaves, but wants to try Seoul Food on the Go, a Korean street food vendor.

“It’s open. I like it outside with this park and everything. There’s a nice crowd here and you can relax. You don’t feel threatened,” Ingram said.

Ingram said he might come back for Ohio State football games or to relax. He hopes Little Grand Market can open a seafood restaurant soon.