Long-awaited Franklin Street Social food hall to open this Sunday: Here's what to try
Lena Tzivekis
- The food hall features a variety of vendors offering dine-in and carryout options, including Thai, Latin, and American cuisine.
- Franklin Street Social aims to be a community hub, attracting tourism and supporting local businesses.
York County’s first food hall is ready to serve you.
Hosting its grand opening Sunday, Nov. 17 at 214 North Franklin Street in Red Lion, Franklin Street Social is ready to open its doors to the community, which has been eager to experience the first-of-its-kind local food fall for over a year.
And it’s more than just a place to eat.
“Not only is it bringing tourism, but there’s a big community to help support the businesses,” said co-owner Ethan Greer.
With Red Lion’s rich railroad history, the food hall, located in a historic furniture manufacturing building, took inspiration from modern city subways for its design, décor and signage.
Big on recycling materials, developer Jordan Illyes and restauranter Ethan Greer incorporated pieces of the local community and its history into the structure of the building.
Some of the tables are made from the basketball court from Spring Grove Area High School. Bent pieces of old railroad tracks are used to embellish the ceiling of the bar.
The customer service stations and business directory are designed to resemble a New York City subway.
And it differs from a regular market house. At Franklin Street Social, vendors offer meals for dine-in and carryout. Attendants are even present to collect dishes after a meal.
It's luxurious yet laid back, and it mirrors concepts you'll see in D.C., where globally focused food halls are becoming as much a part of the food scene as restaurants.
The bi-level space provides different experiences on each floor. Downstairs, the rail bar and lounge area complete with couches, pillows and a fireplace offer an intimate space. Perfect for a date night or an after work wind down.
And you have an abundance of dining options to choose from, some from Baltimore, recognizable York County favorites and even a few startups.
Here's what to try:
On the first floor, sit by the fire with a bowl including pho noodle soup from Noodle King, hoagies from Hefty Lefty’s, and flavors of the Middle East at Layali el Sham serving up hummus, tabbouleh, shawarma, falafel and baklava.
Upstairs you’ll find pastries, nationally recognized Thai cuisine, Latin dishes, steak dinners from Urban Steer, a kids play space, adult slide and more.
Thai Street, a Baltimore-based destination, is bringing traditional techniques to serve authentic Thai street food and regional specialties including Khao Soi, a curry noodle soup, or Khao kha mu, braised pork, and papaya salad.
A few stands away is 4 E's Latin cuisine, where rich flavors of the Dominican Republic and Cuba merge.
The modern techniques of preparation with traditional recipes by owners Eddy Rodriguez and Alberto Garcia Quesada are bursting with flavor.
Try the chicken empanada and ask for the avocado sauce. The warm empanada is packed full of a tender and juicy, mixture of marinated shredded chicken. Dipped in the cold avocado sauce, the contrast of flavors and temperatures is delightful.
Right next door you'll find Urban Steer, a brand new business, serving hand cut steaks, grilled to order and served with a variety of sides, chimichurri and grilled veggies. The meat is cooked to your preference and is full of flavor, especially with the zesty drizzle of chimichurri. Complete with a side of mashed potatoes, and a dinner roll, this meal is homey and comforting.
And a few steps away from your steak dinner leads you to Wild Batch Bistro. A second location for the Wrightsville-based bakery, treats including giant Cinnamon buns, French macarons, brownies, cookies, cream puffs and more are baked fresh in the tucked away corner stand.
Be sure to check out the adult slide during your stay, and no, you cannot slide down with a drink in your hand, but like the children, even adults are encouraged to have fun at this new, one-of-a-kind experience in York County.
Franklin Street Social will officially open for business Nov. 17 at noon. Check back on its website for future hours of operation.