What to Eat at Riverdale, Maryland’s Exciting New International Food Hall

Tierney Plumb is the editor of Eater DC, covering all things food and drink around the nation's capital.

Riverdale, Maryland scores a stylish new food hall next week packed with globe-trotting attractions for top-tier sushi, hot fried chicken sandwiches from a Top Chef winner, and hit Korean dishes from a NYC-based chef.

The anticipated Le Fantome food hall, situated at The Station at Riverdale Park Development (4501 Woodberry Street), opens on Monday, August 22 with three dedicated dine-in stalls, a full-service bar, and seasonal patio.

A ghost kitchen incubator, joining the mix on Monday, August 29, features familiar D.C. favorites like Fishscale in Shaw and Union Market’s Laoban Dumplings, along with satellite stalls for Indian street foods and comforting Nigerian cuisine.

Le Fantome’s ghost kitchen incubator invites D.C.-born Laoban Dumplings into the fold.

Fredrick, Maryland’s Mediterranean restaurant Greek Aroma debuts a ghost kitchen at Le Fantome.

The all-day, international lineup is curated by Hospitality HQ founding partner Akhtar Nawab — an award-winning chef and restaurateur behind Mexican hotspots Alta Calidad in New York and Otra Vez in New Orleans. His top-selling tacos appear in the ghost kitchen side of the equation at Le Fantome.

At the 35-seat bar, global wines and beers join a draft line dedicated to pours from Riverdale Park neighbor Denizens Brewing Co. Twists on classics include a “Brazo Mazo” (mezcal, apricot, chocolate bitters, orange twist) and “Guy on a Train” (rum, sherry, espresso liqueur, salt). Weekday happy hour (3 p.m. to 6 p.m.) includes deals on wine, beer, and certain cocktails.

The 8,500-square-foot food hall takes design cues from a chic French bistro.

The hybrid service model features both QR code-enabled menus and waiters circling the 83-seat hall. Hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Saturday for dine-in, delivery, and pre-ordered takeout. Located near the University of Maryland, Hyattsville, and Mount Rainier off the Route 1 corridor, Le Fantome augments Riverdale’s rising reputation as a dining attraction. Its mixed-use complex sits not too far from brisket standard-bearer 2Fifty Texas BBQ.

Here’s a look at each opening stall across Prince George’s County’s polished new food hall:

Mökbar

Esther Choi (and Nawab’s friend) adds a fourth casual outpost of her hit Korean eatery, marking its first location outside of NYC. Choi sends out made-to-order noodle and rice bowls, anju (shareable small snacks), bibimbap, chicken katsu curry, and crabby shrimp ramen. Choi maintains locations in Chelsea Market, Brooklyn, and Midtown.

Sonny & Sons

Top Chef: D.C. (Season 7) winner Kevin Sbraga finds a fast-casual home for his famed hot chicken, sides, and desserts. The stall, lovingly named after his father, sends out crispy chicken platters and sandwiches that cater to customers’ heat preferences. All-day offerings also include fluffy New Orleans beignets, Old Fashioned-flavored cake doughnuts, and crispy waffle fries with an array of sauces.

Horu Sushi

With over 20 years of experience, Taiwanese sushi master Chin “Steve” Liang focuses on fresh fish imported directly from Japan and Hawaii. Look for sashimi and specialty rolls in addition to ramen, poke bowls, and pan-Asian snacks. Liang opened his first restaurant venture inside Plano, Texas’s large Legacy Hall in 2019, followed by another in Nashville.

Seven ghost kitchens will join the mix on Monday, August 29. One stall will function as a rotating community kitchen run by a rising area chef.

Alta Calidad Taqueria

Hospitality HQ co-founder Akhtar Nawab brings a taste of Alta Calidad, his five-year-old Mexican mainstay in Brooklyn, down to Prince George’s County. Choose from made-to-order tacos, quesadillas, and sides like corn esquites and yucca fries. The Tom Colicchio protege also has ties to D.C.; Nawab formerly ran the kitchen at Shaw’s popular Table and he’s currently a partner at Mt. Vernon Triangle’s chic Bar Chinois.

Bombay Kitchen

An assortment of offerings at Bombay Kitchen.

Owned by decades-old Indian sweets and specialty foods company Rajbhog Foods in Jackson Heights, Queens, Bombay Kitchen centers around chaat (snacks), kathi rolls, and customizable bowls.

Dayo’s Kitchen

Former correctional officer-turned-caterer Ekundayo “Dayo” Ayeni exposes diners to her native Nigerian cuisine with rice and stew-based dishes, jollof rice, iyan ado (pounded yam), and egusi (a savory stew made with roasted melon seeds and leafy greens).

Fishscale

Prince George’s County native Henry “Brandon” Williams imports best sellers from his Shaw seafood carryout like crab burgers, fried fish sandwiches, platters, and sides.

Greek Aroma Mediterranean Grill

The Fredrick, Maryland standby, around since 2009, adds a ghost kitchen for its Mediterranean-leaning lineup of gyros, souvlaki sandwiches, homemade dips, and freshly-baked baklava.

Laoban Dumplings

The D.C.-born dumpling enterprise from owner Patrick Coyne and culinary director Tim Ma puts a modern spin on the Chinese staple with flavorful sauces for dunking. Look for one-off collaborations with their local chef friends.

Mr. Bake Sweets

Nicknamed “Mr. Bake,” Kareem Queeman operates a nostalgic Southern kitchen serving rotating sweets like cupcakes, blondies, brownies, banana pudding, and vegan and gluten-free desserts.

The sun-drenched food hall is splashed with black-and-white subway tiles, brass accents, and playful tributes to the “phantom” of Le Fantome.

Owned by Cafritz Enterprises, the project is led by Cushman & Wakefield, Hospitality HQ, and Colicchio Consulting. Philadelphia-based Eimer Design put together the look.