A big new food hall replaces a big closed food hall in Williamsburg

By Scott Lynch

The new Williamsburg Market food hall, which opened Thursday on North 3rd Street just off Berry, is new in the sense that it’s not simply the reopening of what was once called the North 3rd Street Market, which occupied this same space. (North Street Market was itself open for just two years before shuttering due to the pandemic.)

There’s a new ownership team at work here, Moonrise Ventures, which is led by Cameron Schur — who also operates Writing on the Wall and the Orchard Room, a couple of party spots on the Lower East Side. There’s a new interior design, which Schur in a press release has described as “French country farmhouse meets Brooklyn industrial,” though the bones of the place, including those arched front windows and big wooden beams, will be familiar to anyone who lived around here in pre-pandemic times.

Big hall, little car (Scott Lynch)

Most important to you, a person looking for a place to eat and drink and hang out, there are 11 food vendors at Williamsburg Market, some of which are true A-listers, and all of which are open from at least noon to 10:00 p.m. (midnight on the weekends). If nothing else, North Brooklynites have a new late-night dining option, with lots of different choices and no reservations required.

Pepperoni Sicilian slices from Di Fara (Scott Lynch)

Last week’s scheduled opening was delayed because much of the equipment in the vendor stalls wasn’t operational (a publicist blamed “electrical issues”), and the vendor lineup has been shuffled a bit, but things now appear to be ready to go.

One of the biggest draws here is the Brooklyn debut of Chef Tami Treadwell’s famous Harlem Seafood Soul, serving shrimp and grits and fried fish poboys, among other hearty oceanic delights. And don’t miss Chef Bill Kim’s Chicago import Urbanbelly, starring spicy Korean rice cake soup, caramelized chicken dumplings, and an incredible bowl of coconut curry pho, packed with rice noodles and lively lemongrass ground chicken. This stall alone makes Williamsburg Market worth a special trip

Coconut curry pho from Urbanbelly (Scott Lynch)

Other notable vendors include Paper Plate for first-rate burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, and shakes; an outpost of the legendary Brooklyn pizza joint Di Fara (the only holdover vendor from the North 3rd Market days); the irresistibly Instagrammable Korean rice dogs and egg toasts of Oh K-Dog; and the Temakase Handroll Bar, with a full lineup of sushi rolls, all made to order and designed to be eaten immediately.

Chicken sandwich and cookies and cream milkshake from Paper Plate (Scott Lynch)

Cookbook author, Dos Caminos alum, and TV-famous chef Ivy Stark has two booths here, both versions of her operations in Dumbo: Mexology, with a menu anchored by tacos, and BKLYN Wild, slinging vegan comfort food like ice bowls.

Most of the stalls have some sort of counter space fronted by stools, but if you’re with a group — and food halls in general are great for groups — it’s better to grab a table in the main dining area or, if you’re lucky, one of the VIP-like circular banquettes.

Spicy tuna and blue crab hand rolls from Temakase (Scott Lynch)

“Williamsburg is such a cool, dynamic community,” said Schur, who lives just a few blocks away from the space. “I could not be more proud of giving a platform for the talented chefs that have come here, to show off their stuff in the community where I live. It’s a real privilege.”

Harlem in the hall (Scott Lynch)

Williamsburg Market is located at 103 North 3rd Street, between Berry Street and Wythe Avenue, and is currently open at 7 a.m. on weekdays, 8 a.m. weekends (though most vendors open at noon), until 10:00 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday, and midnight on Friday and Saturday.