It’s Mostly More-of-the-Same as Market Halls Rises from the Ashes in Canary Wharf

A game-changing food hall operator which looked to have been thoroughly seen-off by lockdown in July 2020 has announced it will rise from the ashes and return to big-money sites in central and east London. Market Halls, which was once responsible for the city’s hottest food hall, will reopen its site on Oxford Street and revive plans initially slated for 2019, to open in Canary Wharf in the heart of finance-land.

The new food market in Canary Wharf is scheduled to open in late March, while the Oxford Street venue, which was relatively young when Covid forced its closure in March 2020, will reopen on 10 March. Its Victoria Station site reopened in July 2021 has remained so ever since; the Fulham venue is now permanently closed.

The vendors which have been announced will arrive at the Canary Wharf location are are a mix of those which Market Halls have relied on in the past — Gopal’s Corner from Roti King (good), DF Tacos from Wahaca (not good), and Baoziinn (OK) — with the addition of some unimaginative others: Le Bab (kebab “with a twist” lads on the charge), Pasta Evangelists (pasta-through-the-post IRL affiliated to Giles Coren, the disgraced-but-still-in-situ Times newspaper critic), and (old-school tech pioneer) Inamo Sukoshi. It must not be forgotten that this is where hospitality is defined by the city’s largest and most lucrative All Bar One.

“Market Halls Canary Wharf Cargo opens at an exciting time, becoming the group’s third food market [...] as vibrant drinking and dining destinations and cornerstones of community culture,” the company, led by Andy Lewis-Pratt, reckons. “Having refurbished and rebuilt the successful Market Halls in Oxford Circus during forced closures as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the group’s markets will continue being city-leading destinations for food and drink lovers.”

About the Canary Wharf launch, Lewis-Pratt — who is no longer partnered with (former creative head) Simon Anderson — said, “we couldn’t be more excited to be opening two Market Halls locations which will bring this concept to Londoners who might not previously have been able to visit the existing Victoria site.

“We’re looking forward to diversifying our offering to bring a tailored approach reflecting exactly what our communities want to see from us.”

More vendors will be announced closer to the two openings.

Tuesday 1 March, 5:00 p.m.: This article has been amended to reflect that Giles Coren is no longer involved with Pasta Evangelists.