GRAND VIEW
What to eat, sip and enjoy at West Palm’s new food market.
An eclectic new food hall has transformed a oncestark, 14,000-square-foot warehouse in industrial West Palm Beach into a space awash in the aromas of a hot pizza, sizzling taco meats and freshly brewed coffee.
Grandview Public Market, the county’s first food hall, opened Feb. 13.
The transformation from warehouse to urban marketplace (formerly known as Grange Hall) came to an otherwise drab corner just southwest of downtown, the brainchild of Palm Beachers Chris and Kristen Schonwald-Vila.
The owners brought together a cluster of indie businesses and a New York restaurant group in hopes of creating a free-flowing community hub, a place where locals can grab breakfast, stop in for lunch, pick up some fresh produce or locally made charcuterie, maybe linger over coffee in the spacious “Living Room” or enjoy an evening of cocktails and authentic tacos.
Over the weekend, during a soft-opening phase, a buzz of locals did just that, meandering from station to station as cooks, bartenders and retailers worked out early kinks.
“We’re scratching our heads and saying, ‘Wow, this thing really came together,’” says Chris Vila. “Everybody’s just really passionate about what they’re doing in here.”
What they’re doing in the sprawling, mid-century warehouse is adding the anchor piece to a larger project known as The District, an area overhaul that’s creating a foodie, art and lifestyle destination in the warehouse zone just southwest of downtown West Palm. When completed, The District will include the Steam Horse craft beer brewery, a project by the master brewers behind Twisted Trunk and Tequesta Brewing Company.
The larger concept may include plenty of food and drink, but it goes beyond that. Attached to Grandview, for instance, there’s a barre fitness and cycling studio called Studios Etc. Fresh out of a class, gymgoers can step right into the food hall for a pressed juice or something more decadent (Hey, they worked off the calories). That’s the idea: an unconventional food/drink/lounge space that becomes part of locals’ daily lives.
To that end, Grandview’s owners have added comfy, communal areas to give the cavernous space a homey feel. The Loading Dock, the main outdoor terrace, is a breezy, lushly appointed space with picnic-style and café tables and rows of cushioned seating. A smaller terrace offers cushioned banquettes overlooking a vintage, abandoned rail spur.
Chief among the communal spaces is the Living Room, a 33-by-33-foot event space that houses a rotating art gallery. Presently, it showcases a series of Cuba images by photographer Bruce Gendelman.
“We envision this space as being for the community, for people to come together for events or to have a coffee – work out at the gym, come back and relax,” Kristen Schonwald-Vila told media visitors last week. “There’s free Wi-Fi. Spend some time at the market, meet up with a friend, have a meeting, whatever you need, all in an air-conditioned space.”
So, what to expect at Grandview? Here’s a mini guide of the market’s offerings.
Clare’s
This spot is all about chicken, be it roasted chicken, Moroccan spiced chicken, Korean fried chicken, Nashville hot chicken or Southern fried chicken. It is one of the three concepts brought to Grandview by the Three Kings Restaurant Group, a partnership that includes celebrity chef Dale Talde and partners David Massoni and John Bush.
The menu lists comfortfood sides (mac and cheese, buttermilk biscuit and such). There’s even a kids’ menu. And while there’s plenty of fatty fried chicken here, there’s also lighter salads and a chicken noodle soup.
Good bite: the Korean Fried Chicken, served on a potato roll with kimchi slaw. IF YOU GO Grandview Public Market
Where: 1401 Clare Ave., West Palm Beach Hours: 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. daily
Parking: There’s an onsite parking lot as well as plenty of street parking.
Zipitios
The husband-and-wife taco crew made locally famous during “Tacos and Hip Hop” nights on Clematis Street, Zipitios has blossomed into a full-fledged operation. Ricky and Niria Perez’ specialties here lean toward Mesoamerican (central Mexican and south into Central America), so expect more than tacos here. Expect pupusas. Those are the thicker, filled and grilled Salvadoran tortillas.
As for the tacos, the fillings are diverse – from traditional carne asada to gator. Add some “entraditas” (starter bites) and sweets (Mama’s Flan and Mexican ice pops) and it’s a party.
Good bite: Zipitios’ chicken tinga tacos. They pay tribute to Niria’s mom’s recipe from Mexico.
Celis Produce
Run by three West Palmborn and raised brothers – Alex, Felipe and Camilo Celis – Celis Produce built a local following with its South Dixie Highway store, mixing smoothies, selling fresh produce and operating an organic produce-delivery business.
At Grandview, expect coldpressed juices such as the Supa Dupa Green (kale, spinach, parsley, celery, cucumber, lemon), acai bowls, smoothies such as El Tropical (coconut water, banana, mango, pineapple, orange) and tonic shots like the Wake Me Up (ginger, apple, lemon, wheatgrass).
Good sip:
the Kale-aBunga juice, made from pressed kale, cucumber, apple, ginger and lemon.
Crema
This spot is riding a hot newish dessert trend: rolled ice cream. The treat is made in the style of Thai “stir-fried” ice cream, scraped into rolls upon a freezing metal plate. The icy rolls are studded with various flavors (salty caramel, birthday cake, s’mores and more), then dressed with a choice of toppings (from roasted marshmallow to rainbow sprinkles).
Good bite: Salty Caramel cup with peanut butter, pretzels and milk chocolate.
The Corner
The pizza is square. It has four corners, hence the name. Chef Dale Talde, who created the spot with his Three King partners, looked to the personal pizzas of his youth for inspiration. The crust takes two days to make, but the labor pays off in depth of flavor.
The Corner offers “red pies” and “white pies,” along with salads.
Good bite: The “Roni,” studded with pepperoni,
pickled chilies and honey.
Grace’s Fine Foods
Florida grass-fed beef and other meats are turned into sausages and charcuterie at proprietor Bradley Grace’s butcher-counter-type spot at Grandview. There’s always a hefty daily sandwich and house-made pickles.
Good bite: Pick up some curry and ginger ketchup – like everything else, it’s made in-house.
Rabbit Coffee
If you know Rabbit Coffee, you know it’s not shy. The locally roasted coffee is bold even in cold-brew form. In fact, the cold brew, which yields a smoother, naturally sweet sip, is perfect for sipping in the West Palm sun.
Order your coffee cold or hot to drink onsite, or in bags to brew at home – or opt for tea. Rabbit does terrific matcha tea.
Good sip: Cold brew, black. It’s that good.
Ramen Lab at The Incubator
Consider this an experiment within the larger experiment: a station where a local business or entrepreneur can showcase their goods. Grandview’s inaugural “incubator” concept is Ramen Lab. It may be new to West Palm, but the noodle house is hot in Boca Raton and is about to expand to Delray Beach. Ramen Lab’s energetic owner, Louis Grayson, also runs Poke Lab in an adjacent station.
Good bite: tonkotsu broth with ramen, seared, tender pork belly, scallions, mushroom and jammy egg.
Poké Lab Eatery
Ready for a poké bowl topped with flaming Cheetos? Step right up to the Poké Lab counter, where you can get that spicy concoction in a “pokerritos” (Wrapped in sushi rice and a roasted seaweed sheet).
Poké is served here over salad, over rice or wrapped as described above. There’s a small menu here, but know that you can build-your-own meal as well.
Good bite: Can’t beat the O.G., lightly marinated tuna chunks served with veggies. It’s clean, flavorful and delicious.
LRT Bar
Short for Little Red Truck, LRT Bar aims to be the kind of watering hole that brings you in again and again.
“We all grew up in the era of ‘Cheers’ and we want to have the kind of bar where everybody knows your name,” says David Massoni, a partner in the Three Kings group, which brought LRT to Grandview.
The indoor bar peers through a wide window onto the main outdoor terrace, where those outside can just walk up to the window and order a drink.
Good sip: a Seasonal Slush – because West Palm heat.
Olive Oil of the World
This shop is what happens when a hobby turns into a career. This is the domain of chef Rasheed Shihada, whose globetrotting mom, Ersilia Moreno, founded the company some years ago. A mainstay at local green markets, the olive oil enterprise has blossomed into a specialty condiment line that includes vinegars crafted by the chef himself.
Quinn
Quinn is the retail shop you want when you’re looking for stylish, sometimes hard-to-find gifts, fine paper products, fancy candles and jarred Brooklyn-made flavor essentials. It’s clear retailer Liz Quinn knows how to shop all the hip spots for her inventory.