Puck Food Hall
The word is out and Puck Food Hall is the place to be. Whether you are seeking tacos, salad, or coffee (soon to be a Dr Bean’s storefront), this place has you covered all within one roof. Yes, you may recognize this location as the South Main Market, a very similar food hall that never really quite had the traffic it needed. Well, with the more cohesive branding and the addition of several fantastic new stations, this place was recently reborn into the perfect spot for Downtown workers’ lunch breaks, happy hours, and even afternoon gelato dates.
When walking into the space, it is almost impossible to not be overwhelmed by the options available to you. If you want pizza, DoughJo Pizza has got you covered. If you’re more into Mexican-style food, Venga is the place to go. Even if you just want a salad, Radical has a wide range of locally sourced options. Yes, this place is a bit higher end than many other “fast casual” style restaurants in Memphis, but its focus on using fresh and locally sourced ingredients justifies the extra few dollars expense.
Although I haven’t had a chance to try all of the stalls here yet, I would definitely recommend the ones I have gotten a chance to try. Venga is certainly a must-taste with its super fresh and flavorful tacos. It can sometimes be hard to find a good veggie taco in Memphis, but Venga’s veggie taco is certainly top-notch. I also cannot get enough of the salads at Radical. In particular, the chopped quinoa salad with tofu that I got at my latest visit is one of the best salads I’ve had in the Memphis area. Yes, I feel as though I have barely scraped the surface of the food at Puck, but I am excited to come back for all of the yummy things that each vendor has to offer.
This place really is a huge step for the Memphis restaurant scene. It gives the city a space to enjoy all different foods at one time and, in turn, it gives local chefs the ability to have their food featured without the stress that comes with having a stand-alone storefront. Plus, the whole food hall partnered with the 275 Food Project and each stand commits to having at least 10 percent of their menu come from local farms in addition to having at least one seasonal, rotating dish. I feel as though this place is one of the first of an emerging wave of a new culinary scene in Memphis: one that prioritizes locally sourced ingredients and highlights the creativity of the chefs themselves. So, this weekend, be sure to experience all that Puck Food has to offer. From the atmosphere to the menus to the taste, it is certain to not disappoint.
