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Six new food and retail stalls open this summer in an expanded portion of the central food hall at Ponce City Market, including from Vietnamese restaurant Vietvana and rotisserie chicken from Chai Pani and Botiwalla chef Meherwan Irani.
The expansion adds another 5,000 square feet to the first floor of the central food hall. Last year, Ponce City Market owner Jamestown announced a 500,000-square-foot expansion of the property with the addition of a 400-unit tower and 100,000-square-foot building featuring office, retail, and new restaurant stalls in the food hall, which could also include a location of billion-dollar salad chain Sweetgreen.
Owners Dinh Tran and Khanh Dang first opened Vietvana in Avondale Estates two years ago, followed by a location in Midtown last year prior to the start of the pandemic. Dishes on the menu at Vietvana reflect those found in the couple’s childhood cities of Hue and Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). Tran’s mother, Tina Nguyen, often assists in the kitchen at both locations and creates dishes based on family recipes. The Ponce City Market food stall for Vietvana will include ten bar seats and center its menu around phở and bánh mì.
Nani’s Rotisserie Chicken joins Irani’s grilled Indian street food and kebab stall Botiwalla at Ponce City Market, opening in the expanded portion of the central food hall. Irani first opened Nani’s Rotisserie Chicken last fall in Asheville’s Grove Arcade. The menu features rotisserie chicken rubbed with piri piri or Herbs de Provence from Irani’s spice company Spicewalla paired with sides like savory corn pudding, potatoes au gratin, and ancient grains salad.
In February, Slutty Vegan founder Aisha “Pinky” Cole opened Bar Vegan, a full-service vegan restaurant and cocktail bar located on the second floor of the central food hall. Cole also teamed up with Big Dave’s Cheesesteaks owner Derrick Hayes to open a counter-service restaurant called Dinkie’s inside Bar Vegan serving vegan versions of Big Dave’s cheesesteaks and egg rolls.
Cary Smith and Libby Hockenberry, who own plant shop the Victorian Atlanta between J.Crew and West Elm at Ponce City Market, are partnering with Bellwood Coffee to open a combined location together in East Atlanta Village this spring. Victorian Atlanta x Bellwood Coffee opens in May inside a renovated 100-year-old home near the Flatiron Bar.
