Food Hall News
Uptown Dallas food hall unveils late-night hours and fun michelada bar
One of Dallas' original food halls has undergone a reboot with a new name, new managers, hours, vendors, and a totally new focus. So many new.
The venue formerly known as Uptown Urban Market is now called The Commons at Cedar Springs, and will celebrate its grand opening on March 3 with an amusingly dubbed event called Brunch the Pain Away.
The new sheriff in town is SBBC Hospitium, the management company headed by brothers Chris and Mark Beardon that owns clubs such as The Tipsy Alcheist as well as Ill Minster Pub, the bar that is part of the food hall.
"The Commons at Cedar Springs is a communal food hall, work space, and local hangout that's open to the public," Chris Beardon says. "We have comfortable seating, free wifi, TVs, elecrical outlets, and premium food and drink vendors."
Located on the ground floor of the Gables Villa Rosa apartment building, this space has seen a number of concepts come and go; it was once the sushi restaurant Naan.
Uptown Urban Market opened with a splash in late 2016, with food stalls from familiar names such as Tiffany Derry, La Duni, and Fireside Pies.
"Their approach was to have some higher end vendors, but I think it didn't fit the demographic of the area," Beardon says. "We were doing well with the Ill Minster Pub, and we didn't want to lose that, so we volunteered to take over the hall ourselves."
They've replaced the former food stands with a fresh new lineup that includes OMG Tacos, Totta Yama Sushi, Ampersand Coffee, and a new pizzeria concept called Slice-O Pizza.
"When we went looking for food concepts, we looked for young, enthusiastic vendors who really wanted to showcase what they do," he says.
Other big changes include longer hours and a remodel of the interior to give it more of a lounge feel. Stuffed couches and sexy lighting make it feel less clinical and more like a bar.
Their new extended hours run later — a smart offering in a neighborhood filled with bars and clubs.
"The OMG Tacos folks stay open until 3 am every night, and the pizza guy will stay open until 3 am on the weekends, and that's a big bonus," Beardon says. "There are so many people looking for a bite after the nearby clubs close at 2 am."
Ampersand was exactly the right coffee vendor because it already has experience serving day and night customers. "In the morning they'll be there for commuters or for people who want coffee and a breakfast taco, but they'll also do some fun adult coffee beverages," Beardon says.
There'll be dollar mimosas and a fun "michelada bar" where customers can buy a can of beer and create-their-own. "Every Saturday and Sunday, we'll set up a high-top table with all of the ingredients you can add yourself," he says.
They're also in talks with a "healthy option" that will fill the missing piece of salads and sandwiches to-go for lunch.
"Our main goal is to have something inviting for the neighborhood, for the young professionals and students that live and work in the area," he says.
Each water was chilled overnight prior to tasting.Photo by Eric Sandler