A local businesswoman's vision for the building she and her husband owned for decades has finally debuted.
At the end of June, Nga Vu, Shawn Tran and their family opened City Market, a food hall emphasizing Asian cuisine, in the building that housed the Beauty Plus store for 20 years.
While this is a family operation, Vu said the concept had to reflect the community near the market's location, at 1101 Elysian Fields Ave.
The food hall is white so the decor, with bikes, plants and fruit, can shine. Vu selected the decor as a nod to what's important to her neighbors in the community.
Food vendors in the hall serve pho, sushi, hibachi dishes, Vietnamese desserts, banh mi, wings, po-boys, boiled seafood, burgers and cakes. Most food items are priced below $20, aside from items people can order for large parties.
"Make it affordable, and the people will come here more often," Vu said.
Zoe's Cakes, an extension of Zoe Bakery in Covington, serves coffee and baked goods freshly made in the food hall.
Angie Taylor lines up cakes in the Zoe's Bakery section at City Market in New Orleans, Thursday, June 27, 2024.
Vu and her family run their own stand here, serving po-boys and boiled seafood.
Kim Son Express has pho and vermicelli noodles that may be familiar to people who have visited the main restaurant in Houston (it's not related to the former Kim Son that once operated in Gretna).
The people behind the local pop-up Nori Guys serve nori tacos and hibachi classics at their booth, Hibachi Grille booth.
Bywater Burgers and Wings is slinging its namesake dishes. And Kiko Sushi rolls out its sushi and poke menu.
With a booth centered around Vietnamese desserts, Vu said she hopes to entice people to try these sweet treats for the first time.
"If you don't introduce it, you're never going to know," Vu said.
City Market offers a variety of Asian products in New Orleans, Thursday, June 27, 2024.
Similarly, Vu has set up a small market with fresh fruits, broth and other essential items in Asian cuisine. She said she wants to provide the tools so that people can make what they try at her food hall at home and buy it already made in the hall.
Food halls have struggled to remain open in New Orleans, but Vu said her family is up for the challenge, especially with her decades of experience operating local businesses.
"Food is one of the hardest industries to stay alive in. You have to have a passion for it," she said.
City Market
1101 Elysian Fields Ave.
Monday to Sunday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
