Downtown Landmark Underground Atlanta Becomes the Latest Location to Gain a Food Hall

Robert Montwaid, the co-founder of recently opened Chattahoochee Food Works in northwest Atlanta, plans to open another food hall next year at Underground Atlanta. The food hall serves as the anchor tenant for the downtown Atlanta landmark, now owned by Shaneel Lalani, the CEO of Billionaires Funding Group and video gaming company Lucky Fortune777.

Billed as a 28,000-square-foot “boutique food market”, the yet-named food hall will include 21 stalls and joins live music venue the Masquerade (reopening this summer) and Future Showbar, an LGBTQ-friendly restaurant, cabaret, and dance bar opening June 4.

Montwaid, who is also behind Gansevoort Market in New York City and Dayton’s Market in Minneapolis, plans to fill the Underground Atlanta food hall with stalls serving a mix of “local and international fare”, according to the press release.

His Chattahoochee Food Works partner, celebrity chef Andrew Zimmern, told Eater recently that Montaid spent weeks over the last year eating at Atlanta-area restaurants and speaking to a number of industry insiders as part of his research to help fill the stalls for that food hall.

“Atlanta has a thriving culinary scene with some of the country’s most notable restaurants and restaurateurs located here and there is an opportunity to bring that captivating and palate-pleasing experience to downtown,” Montwaid says in a prepared statement. “At Underground Atlanta, we plan to highlight the unique flavors found throughout the city and bring together a community of chefs to create a one-of-a-kind experience.”

Demolition for the food hall is already underway. More details, including renderings and a name, are expected to be released in the coming weeks.

Montwaid’s latest project adds to the growing collection of food halls found in and around Atlanta, including Politan Row at Colony Square and the Collective at Coda in Midtown, Krog Street Market, Ponce City Market, Marietta Square Market, and Halcyon in southern Forsyth County.

As for Future Showbar, owned by Keith Young, expect lunch and dinner served at the restaurant and weekly drag cabaret shows, dance parties, and other live performances throughout the week when it opens in early June.

“Future has been a long-time coming, with our original opening plans halted by the pandemic,” says Young. “This concept speaks true to the next generation of this historic site and the next phase for Downtown Atlanta.”

Also opening at Underground Atlanta is Yelle Beauty, a beauty company and shop specializing in vegan skincare products.

• Inside Chattahoochee Food Works, the Latest Food Hall to Open in Atlanta [EATL]
• Stalls Serving Hibachi Bowls and Birria Tacos Join the Colony Square Food Hall [EATL]