The two-story, converted warehouse on Park Street can’t yet be the crowded gathering space Hartford residents have been waiting for, but the Parkville Market is officially open.
Six vendors opened to pick-up orders Wednesday, passing mashed plantains, barbecue and other treats to customers through take-out windows. On Friday, the market officially opened its outdoor dining space.
Orders can be placed in person or online with the restaurants Mofongo, Gula Grill, Bombay Express, Disco Forno, The Portly Pig and Chompers, which will be joined later this summer by several other vendors.
The 20,000-square-foot food hall, owned by developer Carlos Mouta, opened one year late and — given restrictions under the coronavirus pandemic — without the fanfare usually afforded new developments in Hartford. It was partially overshadowed Wednesday by the return of outdoor seating at restaurants across Connecticut, the first step in the phased-in reopening of the state’s economy.
Director of Operations Chelsea Mouta, daughter of Carlos Mouta, said Parkville Market will hold a more traditional grand opening another time, when social distancing rules are more relaxed.
“It’s not the initial opening we hoped for but in the grand scheme of things we’re feeling really fortunate,” she said earlier this month.
Parkville Market is currently open in the evenings Wednesday through Friday, with longer hours on the weekends. The market asks groups to limit their parties to five people.
The city approved food licenses two weeks ago for a dozen vendors leasing space at the long-delayed market, Chelsea Mouta said. Another restaurant was moving into contracting and several kitchens will remain open for short-term, rotating vendors.
Opening later will be Ceviche Bowls, Lucky Taco, J’s Crab Shack and Que Chivo. There are also three bars in the two-story building.
Miguel Colon, owner of Peruvian restaurant Rockin Chicken in Hartford’s South End, is holding off on opening his new concept, Ceviche Bowls, at the market. It’s hard enough to run his existing business, where he doesn’t anticipate reopening the dining room for at least a year regardless of state regulations.
However, he said he doesn’t think the temporary model of takeout only will hurt the market in the long term. People will be looking for alternatives to sit-down restaurants and fine dining in particular, and a food hall is an obvious option.
“People still need to eat and they might not be able to afford going to very expensive places, so I think in the end, the market has a very good chance,” Colon said. “In three, four years, I think it’s going to be great.”
Rebecca Lurye can be reached at rlurye@courant.com.
