The oldest inhabitants of Marseilles once knew the Buffalo Grill which sat enthroned between these four walls, before the restaurant deserted the Cours Estienne-d’Orves and left behind a vast abandoned premises. This summer, after months of work, the Old Port of Marseille welcomes in these empty premises the Grandes Halles, a vast complex which highlights the local gastronomy. 20 minutes come back to this project.
What is this project?
The Great Halls of the Old Port are made up of two distinct parts. On one side of Cours Estienne-d’Orves, in an area of 900 m², nestle a dozen shops, ten restaurants and a large wine cellar. The idea is to allow visitors to choose dishes directly from these stalls to be enjoyed on the terrace, which will have 400 seats. “In the center will be the large central bar, which is the largest counter in Marseille with 30 meters of linear space”, enthuses Julien Fabre, president of the Grandes Halles. “We wanted to create a micro-district in the neighborhood, with cobbled streets like in a Provençal village,” he adds. The space also includes a private club upstairs with a cigar bar. Only 50 people will be able to join this club, at a secret membership price.
On the other side of the course, in the former 1,100 m² naval arsenals, a large market with twelve local producers will be set up. This market will notably include a delicatessen, a cheese maker, a greengrocer, but also a Corsican delicatessen.
What exactly can we eat?
In the so-called “Food Hall” space, visitors will be able to find the pillars of Mediterranean cuisine, such as tapas, shellfish and other crustaceans, an Italian trattoria, Neapolitan pizzas cooked in an oven decorated with mosaics or even mezes, falafels and other Lebanese specialties. For those in a hurry, head to “a sandwich shop that will revisit the classics”, in the words of Julien Fabre. The space will even include sushi… but based on sustainable fishing from Mediterranean fish, we promise.
For lovers of sweets, pastries and artisanal Marseille ice creams will be available. The project leaders finally intend to offer various activities, such as a boom for children once a month, or a brunch.
Who carries the project?
The project was born during confinement in the mind of Laurent Battisti, a Marseille entrepreneur in the field of brewing and catering for more than 20 years at the origin of many institutions in the Marseille city in this area. “He said to me: ‘And if we made halls?’,” says Julien Fabre. As we had been drinking a little, I said yes. »
Julien Fabre, the president of the Grandes Halles, is for his part the manager of a Marseille communication agency. Both joined forces with Reza Zographos, entrepreneur and real estate developer, helped by Romain Larrieu, from the mass distribution, and whose father and grandfather ran a famous restaurant in the Estaque district of Marseille. In all, the project leaders hope to generate no less than 150 jobs in the long term, thanks to annual visits ranging between 500,000 and one million.
When does it open?
The opening of the “Food Hall” part is hoped for July 15th. The space will be accessible every day of the week, from 8 a.m. to midnight from Sunday to Wednesday and until 2 a.m. from Thursday to Saturday.
For the market part, work is still in progress, and the opening is announced for next fall.
How much does it cost ?
Such a project cost no less than 7 million euros. For future customers, the president of Les Grandes Halles promises a space accessible to all. “We have imposed, in our rules of procedure, that there is an entry offer allowing you to eat two dishes for less than seven euros, claims Julien Fabre. Afterwards, it can also go very high, because that’s also the halls. We want anyone to be able to access the halls, and at the same time we have to pay for the quality of the product and the work of the craftsman. We are not here to break the market. One is not more expensive than the others. What we want is for everyone to be able to mingle. See you in a few days to see if the aioli takes.