Houston’s New International Food Hall and Market Takes Shape in Highly-Anticipated New Barbara Jordan Post Office Development

The prospective menu of food options at POST Houston Market Hall is taking on an international flavor as developer Lovett Commercial is adding 11 additional restaurants to a food hall roster that is expected to ultimately surpass 30 restaurants and stores. Among the recently revealed new eateries taking shape in the former Barbara Jordan Post Office are Scandinavian, West African, Asian, South American and Caribbean spots.

“In an effort to create a destination that celebrates diversity through food, art and culture, we are committed to opening a property that offers businesses of all sizes opportunities to grow and showcase their product at POST Houston,” Frank Liu, president of Lovett Commercial, says in a statement. “Our vision from the start has been to create a one-of-a-kind cultural experience for Houstonians and the millions of visitors that come through our incredible city each year.”

The 11 new spots that have been confirmed:

Golfstrømmen Seafood Market

The first American restaurant from Chef Christopher Haatuft of Bergen Norway’s Lysverket restaurant. Once dubbed the “punk chef godfather of Neo-Fjordic cuisine,” Haatuft will bring not only a fresh seafood menu with his Nordic bent but will also sell fresh Gulf seafood. Of note, sustainability is  a core value for Haatuft and his market will sell and prepare only sustainably and ethically harvested seafood.

Saison Cellar

An international selection of top-tier wines will be on the table when Mark Bright, partner and wine director at San Francisco’s Michelin star Saison, opens his first location highlighting his expertise and wine world connections. Offerings will include cellar consultation and management, private sommelier tastings and guided wine tasting trips worldwide.

Hawker Street Food Bar

With Hawker 45 named one of Conde Nast’s 30 bet restaurants in Barcelona, Chef Laila Bazahm is set to introduce her first United States concept at Post Market. Look for Southeast Asian and Latin American hybrid street cuisine.

East Side King

Top Chef winner and James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southwest recipient Chef Paul Qui returns to Houston with another restaurant that is Austin’s go-to spot for Japanese street food. Meshis, buns and bentos? Yes.

Soy Pinoy

Chef Paul Qui continues his Houston culinary statement with this Filipino-flavored menu.

ChòpnBlok

Chef Ope Amosu debuts his first brick-and-mortar restaurant featuring West African inspired plates, prepared under a West African flavor profile, packaged in a local, contemporary fashion.

Andes Café

Expect the return of flavors from each of the seven South American regions linked together by the Andes mountain range when Chef David Guerrero reprises his popular restaurant that closed following a successful six-year run.

Thai Kun

Thai Changthong, a native of Bangkok, brings his Austin restaurant to Houston with a menu of Thai street food. Heads up: It was named one of Bon Appetit’s Best New Restaurants in American for 2014.

Blendin Coffee Club

From Sugar Land then to Allen Parkway and now to downtown Houston, biochemist-turned-roaster Weihong Zhang brings his popular coffee shop with its applauded array of 10 single origin coffees from around the world.

Abu Omar Halal

The chef’s namesake food truck — Houston’s first halal food truck — becomes a brick-and-mortar restaurant at Post Market when Halal expands his arsenal of Mediterranean fast casual foods. Since its launch, Halal’s empire has grown to a shop on Westheimer, one in Pearland and a fleet of food trucks and restaurants in Florida and Oklahoma.

Sweets with L&L

This cotton candy fan’s dream features the luscious, sticky, melty treat in 20 different flavors. Thank you, Tameia Frank Jones for creating such a sweet treat.

Previously revealed spots are: Salt & Time Butcher Shop, sister vendor The Butcher’s Burger, Lea Jane’s Hot Chicken, Taco Fuego, Gelu Italian Ice, and new restaurant SOUPreme featuring Vietnamese pho and bun bo hue (vermicelli beef soup).

Additional vendors will be added as the official opening date approaches. POST Houston, the new mixed-use development taking shape in the former Barbara Jordan Post Office building at 401 Franklin Street, is scheduled to open in November.