A first look at Todd English’s Food Hall in The Plaza hotel

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Todd English himself prepares a flatbread pizza on opening day
Todd English himself prepares a flatbread pizza on opening day

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As foodie hotel experts, we were eagerly awaiting the opening of Todd English’s new fancy “food court” in the bottom of The Plaza hotel. So we swung by the opening day on Friday to check it out for ourselves, and snap some photos to share with our fellow food-loving friends.

The Plaza Food Hall by Todd English — as it’s formally known — is a classy affair with eight different sit-down stations (though you can also call ahead to place an order for pick-up). The focal point of the space is The Ocean Grill & Oyster Bar, the biggest of the stations, where seafood is displayed on the counter and patrons can enjoy raw bar offerings or fresh fish grilled to order. There’s also a sushi station, a dumpling station, a wine bar station serving tapas, a charcuterie station, a flatbread pizza station (for which Mr. English is known), and a grill station serving burgers, steak, and chicken. There’s a bakery station full of sweets and pastries, and an area selling pre-made sandwiches and salads. 18 more photos after the jump

The space is decorated with tables piled high with baskets of fresh produce or Italian specialty items, all of which are available for purchase. The fresh seafood on display at The Ocean Grill is available for purchase, too, and the grill station will have a butcher who can prepare meat for patrons to take home. There’s a market area lined with additional food items and cooking wares — think mini Williams-Sonoma — that will be used for cooking demos eventually, and various walls of the Food Hall are stocked with even more culinary goodies like jam, tea, and flavored olive oils.

The Food Hall is shaping up to be a subterranean wonderland for food lovers.

The bakery and sweets counter at the front of The Plaza's Food Hall

The bakery and sweets counter at the front of The Plaza’s Food Hall

Todd English prepares the dough for a flatbread pizza

Todd English prepares the dough for a flatbread pizza

Todd English slices a tomato!

Todd English slices a tomato!

The bakery includes Curly Cakes cupcakes, a joint venture between English and his 16-year-old daughter Isabelle

The bakery includes Curly Cakes cupcakes, a joint venture between English and his 16-year-old daughter Isabelle

The entrance to The Plaza's Food Hall

The entrance to The Plaza’s Food Hall

The Plaza's Food Hall by Todd English, with the wine bar on the left side and The Ocean Grill and Raw Bar on the right side. The space was designed by Jeffrey Beers International.

The Plaza’s Food Hall by Todd English, with the wine bar on the left side and The Ocean Grill and Raw Bar on the right side. The space was designed by Jeffrey Beers International.

A shot of the Food Hall, with the wine bar on the right

A shot of the Food Hall, with the wine bar on the right

Murray's Cheese Shop provides more than 30 artisanal cheese for the charcuterie station

Murray’s Cheese Shop provides more than 30 artisanal cheese for the charcuterie station

The Grill station cooks up burgers, sliders, rotisserie chickens, chorizo, steaks, and more. The butcher here can give you cuts of meat to take home.

The Grill station cooks up burgers, sliders, rotisserie chickens, chorizo, steaks, and more. The butcher here can give you cuts of meat to take home.

The fresh produce on display is not only for decoration -- it's actually for sale.

The fresh produce on display is not only for decoration — it’s actually for sale.

Oranges, grapes, apples, pears, and blackberries on sale at the Food Hall.

Oranges, grapes, apples, pears, and blackberries on sale at the Food Hall.

The Ocean Grill & Oyster Bar serves grilled fish using the fresh catch-of-the-day

The Ocean Grill & Oyster Bar serves grilled fish using the fresh catch-of-the-day

Fresh fish is displayed right on the counter of The Ocean Grill & Oyster Bar. Patrons can buy it raw to cook at home, or have it made to order as they relax in their barstools.

Fresh fish is displayed right on the counter of The Ocean Grill & Oyster Bar. Patrons can buy it raw to cook at home, or have it made to order as they relax in their barstools.

Purple Puruvian potatoes

Purple Puruvian potatoes

Specialty items like olives oils, vinegars, and coffees (and so much more) are on sale throughout the Food Hall, in addition to the designated area called The Market

Specialty items like olives oils, vinegars, and coffees (and so much more) are on sale throughout the Food Hall, in addition to the designated area called The Market

Workers in Midtown can take their food to go or call in an advanced order. Pre-made salads and sandwiches are also on offer.

Workers in Midtown can take their food to go or call in an advanced order. Pre-made salads and sandwiches are also on offer.

Produce for sale

Produce for sale

Asparagus, squash, scallions, and tomatoes are all among the fresh produce for sale that decorates the Food Hall

Asparagus, squash, scallions, and tomatoes are all among the fresh produce for sale that decorates the Food Hall

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