Text by KIERAN ZAJAC and MIYA WHITELEY
STATE STREET market
Photos by MIYA WHITELEY
LOS ALTOS FOOD HALL SERVES COMMUNITY
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UNLIGHT FILTERS through sky- grill restaurant; Bao Bèi, a Taiwanese and lights in the high ceilings of the spa- Korean street food crossover; Ostro, a seacious food hall, and multiple restau- food restaurant; Murdoch’s, a bar that serves rant stalls line the perimeter of the both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages building, providing visitors with portals to as well as small plates; and Tin Pot Creamaccess flavors and gastronomical traditions ery, a popular ice cream spot the Palo Alto from around the globe. High School community is familiar with. The expansive and welcoming space, The structural design of the market, State Street Market, officially opened on specifically the inclusion of multiple outSept. 7 and is the first food hall on the Pen- door spaces and an open interior, creates insula, according to Bon Appetit Manage- a community-oriented, family-friendly ment Company Executive Chef AJ Szenda. space. Located at 170 State St. in Los Altos, “People come here with their dogs and the venue is owned by they’ll sit out here Los Altos Community The whole idea is that on the patio … and Investments, but it is the kids are free to there will be somerun and managed by kind of have a good Bon Appetit Manage- thing for everyone time,” Szenda said. ment Company, a busi“I think it’s a great here.” ness based in Palo Alto. environment. And I Open Wednes— ALISON HARPER, project manager think that’s what Los day through Sunday, Altos community inthe hall currently features six restaurants vestments wanted to create, a great place for –– Grains and Greens, a salads and wraps families to come.” restaurant; Banks and Braes, a pizza and State Street Market also hopes to at-
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tract a teen audience, with plans to create a special drinks and food menu at the bar, Murdoch’s, available for students after school hours. It will include mocktails and combo food specials for under $10. “Most places wouldn’t be saying ‘How do I get more high school students to come in?’ but that’s actually something that we want,” said Alison Harper, project manager at Bon Appetit Management Company. “We are designing [an] afterschool special happy hour menu really so that everyone feels welcome here.” The hall offers both indoor and outdoor seating, and utilizes a unique, COVID-safe digital ordering system where customers can order food from any of the restaurants within the market. This can all be done from a single site on a customer’s mobile device. “What we’re really excited about is all the chef partners and the concepts and the variety in one place,” said Tessa Vitale, project manager at Bon Appetit Management Company. “We worked really hard with
