# Chef-Driven Food Halls The Understory is Located in Houston, Texas By Ell Smith | Published 2019-07-23 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-understory References: [houstoniamag](https://www.houstoniamag.com/articles/2019/6/25/understory-downtown-food-hall-open-flip-n-patties) & [understoryhouston](https://www.understoryhouston.com/) In addition to offering an eclectic collection of restaurants, food halls can serve as a gathering place, or a community hub, which is exactly what makes the opening of the Understory so exciting. Located underneath the [Bank of America Tower](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/free-dipping-sauces) development in Houston, Texas, this unique facility is set to serve "chef-driven concepts" that aim to entice the local community. As of now, the newly developed food hall has welcomed Flip ’n Patties and [Mona Fresh Italian Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/monas-dreamy-caesar) -- both of which offer a gourmet twist to its respective American and Italian cuisines. What's more is that according to Matt Damborsky, the executive vice president for [Skanska USA Commercial Development](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/1550-on-the-green), the company is, "exploring additional retail opportunities for this vibrant community hub in the coming months.” Image Credit: COURTESY SKANSKA ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.9/10 - Popularity: 26% | Activity: 23% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Chef-driven Food Halls:** Food halls that feature unique and high-quality cuisine options from well-known chefs can serve as community hubs. - **Gourmet Twist on American and Italian Cuisines:** Offering a twist on traditional cuisine options creates a unique and exciting dining experience for customers. - **Retail Opportunities in Community Hubs:** Food halls can provide a platform for future retail opportunities and serve as a gathering place for the local community. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Food and Beverage Industry:** Restaurants, food halls, and chefs can innovate by experimenting with new and creative cuisine options. - **Real Estate Development Industry:** Developers can create and promote community hubs that feature food halls as a way to attract new business and build a sense of community. - **Retail Industry:** Retailers can leverage community hubs and food halls to increase foot traffic and promote their products in a unique and exciting setting. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Eclectic Mall Food Halls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/queens-cross-food-hall.md) - [Industrial Food Hall Revivals](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pullman-market.md) - [Toronto-Based Food Emporiums](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/queens-cross.md) - [Premium Virtual Restaurants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kitchen-hub1.md) - [Crypto Chef NFTs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/crypto-food-hall.md) - [Plant-Powered Food Halls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/saluhall.md) - [Virtual Kitchen Gorcery Partnerships](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kitchen-hub-2.md) - [Renovated Vegas Food Halls](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/canteen-food-hall.md) - [Flavorful Toronto Restaurants](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/able-fare-social-table.md)