The 5 best food courts and food halls in metro Phoenix (2024)

Housed inside a collection of renovated shipping containers, The Churchill embodies the idea of multiple businesses coming together to improve an overall space. Some of the food and drink options include two bars, Freak Brothers Pizza, Hawaiian eatery Loco Style Grindz and burger and bagel joint Stoop Kid. They, along with a few shops and markets, all surround a central courtyard filled with picnic tables and lawn games. Customers move throughout the space, grabbing a beer from one spot, a co*cktail from another and a bite to eat from a third, perfect for a group of friends who can't collectively decide where they want to eat. While covered by a shared roof and fitted with large fans, The Churchill is an outdoor space, which is important to take into account in the summer.

Before H Mart moved in, Mesa had Mekong Plaza. This old shopping center was converted into a food and drink hub, operated and visited by the local Asian community. The plaza is anchored by Mekong Supermarket and Mekong Palace, a large dim sum restaurant. Inside the plaza, there is every level of dining option, from the central restaurant to smaller full-service cafes dotted around the edges, to a food court with different restaurant counters and a shared area of tables and chairs. Part of the fun here is to try a little bit of everything. Maybe grab a milk tea with boba to sip on while you look around. Order a tray of dumplings from Happy Bao's, try a couple of bites from some of the food court vendors and snag some ice cream on your way out. This shopping plaza has an old-school vibe and food you can't miss. Soon, the plaza will have even more spots to try, as a 35,000-square-foot expansion is currently under construction.

The Mercado De Los Cielos is really a mall inside a mall. Located in the West Valley off Thomas Road and 75th Avenue, shoppers will find the Desert Sky Mall. Drive around the back, and a sign painted the colors of the Mexican flag will come into view. Inside, little stands and tiny stores sell their wares. If you are looking for a haircut, a glittering quinceañera dress, a new pair of cowboy boots or a place to fix your watch, the Mercado has got you covered. But tucked in the corner is the most exciting part. A host of small restaurants serve a range of Mexican and fusion foods, including Mexican sushi, massively long folded quesadillas, bowls of menudo and plates of seafood. A bakery offers slices of milk-soaked tres leches cake and little cups of flan. A location of La Carreta De Lily, a Valley chain of dessert and snack shops, sells coconuts piled high with toppings, fruit cups drenched in chile and chamoy and other decadent desserts and snacks. Spanish music bumping, families laughing, kids playing, it's all part of the fun at this mall within a mall.