When selecting vendors for Time Out Market Union Square, the answer was clear: “bringing the best of the city under one roof,” spokesperson Jessica Bendig told WSN. Where Urbanspace Union Square once stood, this food hall is now filled with seven food vendors created by both familiar faces and rising-star restaurateurs, who bring dishes from all over the globe like elevated American bar food and classic Thai to Mexican and Indian street food. 

Since opening in September between Palladium Hall and University Hall, the market’s food stalls, coffee counter and bar offer nearly 100 dishes. Time Out also launched a discount program on Nov. 1, which gives students who sign up for its loyalty program 10% off each order. Sorting through a selection this robust to find the right thing to eat can be a daunting task — however, like almost any restaurant, each location has a few well-priced standouts among costly counterparts.

Kebabwala 

From the minds behind New York City favorites like Semma and Dhamaka, Kebabwala is Unapologetic Foods’ venture into the flavors of Delhi night markets. Offering a variety of kebabs like chicken tikka ($7.50), paneer ($9.50), beef ribeye ($13.50) and lamb seekh ($11.50), each skewer is stacked with five pieces of meat and thick slices of onions and peppers. The meat is charred and crusted on the outside with a juicy inside. The portion does feel small for the price point, kebabs can also be ordered over saffron rice for an additional $5, which comes with kachumber salad and sweet roasted peppers for a heartier meal. Though the beef ribeye was incredibly tender, the chicken tikka still gives you more bang for your buck.

Taqueria El Chato

Following its locations in the West Village and Greenpoint, this stand is Taqueria El Chato’s first venture into the food hall space. Co-owner Chris Reyes offers seven different varieties of tacos to the menu with the goal of replicating the casual nature of Mexican street food.

“We wanted it to be somewhere where people could come, grab a taco and go,” Reyes told WSN. “It’s affordable, it’s delicious and it’s fresh.”

Each taco is served on a corn tortilla, piled high with the chosen protein, diced onions and cilantro. For an extra kick, the taqueria has a selection of toppings including salsa roja, salsa verde and charred peppers to be added to each customer’s liking. The pastor taco ($5) was particularly flavorful, filled with tender pork cut straight from the shish which was nicely complemented by the spicy, acidic punch of salsa verde.

Kam Rai Thai 

Kam Rai Thai is the newest addition to the running list of East Village Thai favorites. Chef Dhanapol Marprasert and Jiraporn Tisopa — the “partners in crime” behind this operation and two other Thai restaurants — bring a balanced selection of Thai favorites to Union Square. 

“We want to represent street food in Thailand,” Tisopa said in an interview with WSN. “We are authentic Thai food and our flavor is delicious.”

 The Northern Thai Sausage ($16) and Hat Yai Fried Chicken ($16) made Chef Dhanapol a finalist in the World Food Championship, while classic Thai staples like the fluffy crab meat fried rice ($20) and pad thai ($17) with peanut sauce are quick, don’t-miss bites of Thai that are both affordable and packed with flavor. 

Paninoteca by Anthony 

Voted the best sandwich shop in Staten Island, Anthony’s Paninoteca expands to Manhattan with a smaller menu. Anthony Valois, a former Wall Street trader turned sandwich connoisseur, focuses on bringing fresh, high-quality Italian ingredients to the market. While most items from the Staten Island location didn’t make it to Union Square, award-winning selections include the roast beef sandwich with gooey mozzarella, sauteed onions and rich gravy, named The Time Out N.Y. ($16) — which The New York Times described as one of the 57 sandwiches that defined New York City — and the Capri, a caprese salad in sandwich form, are menu staples. 

Fornino 

The only vendor that is located at both the Union Square and Dumbo Time Out locations, Fornino aims to master the art and science of pizza. In addition to staples like classic margherita and vodka sauce and sausage, chef Michael Ayoub also offers a seasonal pizza which features fresh produce from the Union Square Greenmarket. The pies stand out for their crust, which is equally fluffy on the inside and crispy on the bottom. Aside from pizza, the Flame Roasted Chicken Sandwich ($16) is a major highlight — Ayoub marinates the chicken in 16 varieties of herbs, spices and oils, sandwiches it in a whole pizza dough, roasts it to order and tops it with burrata, arugula and balsamic glaze. It may not be a traditional chicken bake, but it is undoubtedly one of the tastiest items on the menu. 

Lori Jayne 

What started as a small kitchen inside of a bar and event space in Bushwick is now a stall at Time Out Market and stays true to its classic American bar food roots. As the only burger joint in the food hall, Chef and owner Sam Braverman seeks to elevate American classics. 

“We aren’t reinventing the wheel,” Braverman told WSN. “It’s just about doing things to a very high quality and trying to give [customers] my idealized version of food.” 

Braverman’s promise is exactly what the vendor delivers. The menu offers dishes like the Buffalo 2.0 Chicken Sando ($12) and the LJ Grilled Cheese ($7) — but the real standout is the LJ Burger ($10) cooked medium-rare until juicy and flavorful, served on a potato bun with pickles. For a bite with a smokier and sweet kick, ask for a side of the “almost award-winning chili,” which adds even more depth of flavor to an already delicious burger. 

Patty Palace

While Chef Kwame Onwuachi is renowned for Tatiana, which was named the best restaurant in New York City by The New York Times in 2023, the James Beard award-winning chef brings a traditional Jamaican dish to the market with an elevated flair. The vendor is aptly named Patty Palace for its juicy, flavorful patties, wrapped in a flaky pastry and filled with ground beef, curry chicken or jerk mushrooms that diners will be talking about for weeks to come. The filling is seasoned with onion and garlic, and if that wasn’t enough flavor, the patty is placed inside fluffy coco bread and topped with coleslaw, BBQ sauce and a green aioli — all of which cut through the rich patty and create an explosion of flavor. 

Contact Dylan Henschen at [email protected].