A refreshing collaboration of independent culinary experiences anchored by a central bar supplying creative libations and legendary classics. Auction House Market, located on 801 Magazine St., is a multi-vendor food hall, with a mix of new chefs and a few familiar local names serving food and drink under one roof. Very chic + minimalistic place to grab a few bites and drinks with friends or your loved ones! Best thing about this market is the variety of cultural foods available for your taste buds. Their vendors offer a wide range of cultural foods from Thai to cajun, seafood, sushi, French + South American + Indian influenced foods. Auction House is a great location as well if you are in the arts and museum area downtown. This is a unique place if you can’t quite decide what you want to eat as it’s an upscale food court, essentially. The best thing is that there is a bar in the center after you do decide what you want to grub on. The hardest part of visiting Auction House is just deciding where to begin!
We had a chance to ask a few of the vendors some questions that gave us a light on their passion and what they’re bringing to the Big Easy. Take a look below to see what they had to say!
Make sure to bookmark Auction House Market for your next visit!
COAST ROAST COFFEE
Local roaster and Coast Roast coffee shop owner, Kevin Pedeaux [opened his] second New Orleans shop in Auction House Market. Coast Roast’s St. Roch Market location has become the neighborhood gathering place, and is the backdrop for Kevin’s YouTube show, Coffee with Kevin. Kevin has been roasting for nearly a decade and has become known for the bold, heavy flavors found at Coast Roast. His time-honored roasting technique employs antique coffee roasters that have been used to roast New Orleans’ coffee beans for over 100 years. The Coast Roast menu for Auction House Market will feature the same full-bodied coffee beverages that put them on the map at St. Roch Market, including their line-up of classic drip, iced, and frozen coffees. Coast Roast will also sell bags of their specialty roasted coffee to brew at home. -Auction House Market
What’s something on your menu that folks should try?
We roast our own coffee blend then cold brew it. We make our own Vanilla syrup from real vanilla and use local cream.
When did you know it was your calling to open your business? Was there a sense of responsibility of bringing something to New Orleans that you felt hadn’t been offered yet?
I had been roasting coffee and supplying coffee shops for 6 years before St. Roch Market reopened and I decided to open up my first Coast Roast Coffee Shop. When the opportunity came up to do the coffee shop there it was a great opportunity for me because I’m a coffee roaster at heart. I could just focus on coffee and let the other chefs work on the food and complementary items. By having my own coffee shop I can feature coffees that are more old school flavors that I’m passionate about. The idea isn’t to make coffee taste new, but to make it taste like it used to taste, but better. Our antique coffee roasters bring that flavor back. I bought a lot of the coffee roasting equipment that came out of the old coffee roasting plant across the street from Auction House. So when the opportunity came to do another Coast Roast Coffee location in Auction it seemed like we were meant to be there.
Are there any nostalgic moments from your life that helped define your decision to open your business?
Coast Roast isn’t about following coffee trends. It’s about serving great coffee people want to drink every day. It’s about classic coffee flavors done well. It’s about preserving the coffee flavors and coffee shop culture of New Orleans. I’m a history buff and a news buff so I believe the shop being rooted in history, makes it the perfect place for people to come in and talk about the news of the day. It’s a fun juxtaposition I believe and it just works.
ELYSIAN SEAFOOD
Elysian Seafood was started in early 2015 as one of the first vendors in the newly renovated St. Roch Market in New Orleans. As the sole seafood and oyster bar, Elysian began providing the flavors of Gulf, as well as other seasonal dishes, to thousands of locals and visitors to New Orleans alike. When St. Roch Market expanded to Auction House Market in the Warehouse District and St. Roch Market Miami, Elysian was invited to serve its Gulf Coast cuisine there too. Elysian now offers a variety of regional oysters and seafood at all three locations. Come stop by, pull up a chair to our oyster bar, and enjoy the fresh flavors of Elysian Seafood! -Auction House Market
What’s something on your menu that folks should try?
Our most popular item ordered is our Louisiana Crab Cake, its popular because it is delicious! It is mostly Louisiana crab meat, not a lot of filler and has a rich sweet corn and charred scallion cream on it.
Was there a sense of responsibility of bringing something to New Orleans that you felt hadn’t been offered yet?
We had decided to start our business 6 years ago when we found out about the opportunity at the St. Roch Market. Our priority was to feature Louisiana Seafood in a unique and different way since we wanted to offer something other than fried seafood which is found all over New Orleans. We wanted to elevate it and do something different.
Any advice for future business owners wanting to open up in a Food Hall?
For future business owners opening in a Food Hall, the most important thing to consider when developing your concept is making sure it is not too obscure, and that it reaches a wide audience. The guests are varied in their backgrounds, and there are so many choices within the hall, that decision making can be difficult for them. So concepts that appeal to a broad base are more successful.
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EMPANOLA EMPANADAS
Owner, Jimena Urrutia
Empanola, headed by Patricio Garcia and Jimena Urrutia, first started at St. Roch Market and then expanded to Auction House Market. The empanada concept is inspired by the couple’s South American roots, with influence from New Orleans and French cuisine. Each flaky pastry is made by hand, and each flavor has its own, unique shape. Diners can enjoy their most popular offering of the New Orleans trio, featuring some of the city’s classic flavors reimagined in empanada form – crawfish étouffée, shrimp & cheese, and gumbo. -Auction House Market
Was there a sense of responsibility of bringing something to New Orleans that you felt hadn’t been offered yet?
When my husband and I arrived to New Orleans three years ago, it was only supposed to be a sabbatical year with our family. We ended up falling in love with New Orleans and of course its cuisine. Never failed that we always found each other in the Kitchen as we love to cook, so one night we decided to open an empanada spot in New Orleans. There truly was nothing like it. We felt we could merge local and our flavors and that’s why we have the only and best Crawfish etouffee and gumbo empanadas in town!
Diversity is what makes everyone unique. What does your personal story say about yourself and how is it reflected into your business?
Empanadas are part of everyday celebrations in our countries. My husband is from Chile and I am Argentinian. We of course always fight about which country has the best wine, food, and of course empanadas. This process of building Empanola has been wonderful as we have merged our traditional flavors, using French-inspired dough recipes to bring a unique proposal to our customers. Empanola is definitely an original proposal highlighting love-made empanadas
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HAPPYJAXX SALADS TOAST & TEA
HAPPYJAXX is the indulgent health food concept of Chef Patrick Kearney. Patrick began his culinary career at top-rated venue, Peristyle, where he worked alongside James Beard award winner Anne Kearney, who happens to be his sister. Patrick also worked with Chef John Harris of Lilette and Bouligny Tavern before moving to private chefing. Patrick’s concept is centered around healthy, vegetable-centric, craveable food. The menu boasts an impressive lineup of salads and inventive toasts, available all day, along with a selection of tea-based beverages. Come and satisfy your cravings. -Auction House Market
When did you know it was your calling to open your business?
I had been involved in the opening of seven restaurants but never a concept developed by myself from the ground up. There were multiple concepts on the drawing board for years that I had but I have known since I was 10 or so that working for myself was something I enjoyed. New Orleans is long on comfort food but still short on the recovery food. I felt that the healthy options sprouting in the city were lacking an element of comfort.
Any advice for future business owners wanting to open up in a Food Hall?
I have participated in seven openings within Auction House Market, with my own being #8. They are always hectic with more question than answers and this time was no different. My advice is to get detailed floor plans and specs so you can make the correct equipment purchasing decisions and save yourself from costly mistakes
What does your personal story say about yourself and how is it reflected into your business?
Most of my cooking experience is from fine dining where the focus is more on scratch cooking. This has helped the HAPPYJAXX menu to include dishes and dish components that meet strict diet guidelines (Paleo, keto, vegan) without sacrificing quality or uniqueness. In short— I can be playful with the recipes and the menu which is what I enjoy the most.
MAC & MOON
Mac & Moon is the retail concept of Karmacarons, a woman owned wholesale macaron company based in Lafayette, LA. Proudly selling teas made by Magnola Moon Collective, Mac & Moon owner Kristina Ostrom takes pride in meticulous local sourcing of ingredients and products. We are proud to serve Gluten free and vegan french macarons, cream tarts, rolled ice cream, milkshakes, and wild harvested herbal teas. -Auction House Market
What’s something on your menu that folks should try?
Our most popular offering is our vegan French macarons! They are our main offering displayed in our beautifully lit pastry case. People are attracted to the colors and variety of flavors. We have customers from far and wide come to enjoy them because they are vegan and gluten free!
Was there a sense of responsibility of bringing something to New Orleans that you felt hadn’t been offered yet?
I started my company in 2016 when I was working at a health based chain grocery store. I was a new mom (my oldest was 1.5 at the time) and I saw the need for high end, plant based desserts that wasn’t being filled. I set to create a recipe for a vegan macaron, and failed. Lots of times. When I finally got the recipe right, I knew my only option was to share it with the world! I started with pop ups and small vendor events- every event I did in New Orleans, truly validated my journey. Everyone loved them and there was a real desire to have my product available all the time. That’s when I set my intentions to open a shop in Nola!
What was it like opening up your “doors” the first day of business? Any advice or tidbits for future business owners wanting to open up in a Food Hall?
The first day of Auction House Market felt like a festival. Having experience traveling with my company to festivals set this feeling of impermanency. The first few weeks were so fun, light, and didn’t come with any outlandish issues. The real part for me was sustaining the energy and reconfiguring my thoughts and feelings on my company. When the reality that this was the real deal, it all started to hit me. How do I set a consistent feeling to my brand? I’ve come a long way this year and still fight these branding challenges every day, but I’m learning! And that’s what life is for.
Diversity is what makes everyone unique. What does your personal story say about yourself and how is it reflected into your business?
Looking at me, you may not pin me as a “business” or “type A” personality. I have traveled the world, lived in a car, in a tent, on people’s couches, in a hole in the wall studio apartment on the beach. I have a lot of experiences that allow me to align with different kinds of people. Being a (relatively) young “hippie” woman is challenging in the world of business. But I also grew up with and surrounded by very successful entrepreneurs and I’ve taken little pieces of that as I’ve moved through life. As a mom of 2, owner of 2 (soon to be 3!) companies, a homeowner, and friend to many, I can say honestly that living in a car with no income other than selling dream catchers and tarot readings changed the way I look at life. And now I feel that even though I never went to college or had any “proper” education, I am rich with knowledge and the ability to absorb and constantly grow and better myself and my companies. My true desire to persistently and sustainably grow is infinite.
Tava Indian Streetfood
Tava owner, Manish Patel is re-imagining the Indian dish, with new flavors and fillings. Tava’s crispy, savory creations will include vegetarian options like the Chaat Dosa made with garbanzo beans, and served with a tamarind and date chutney. Tava’s menu will also feature a variety of proteins, including lamb, topped with mango relish and mint yogurt sauce, and shrimp, topped with toasted coconut and a coconut cilantro sauce. All meats are marinated for at least 24 hours, are seasoned with house-made spices and topped with from-scratch chutneys. -Auction House Market
What’s your most popular dish and why?
Our most popular dish is Dosa. The presentation of the Dosa is a definitely a showstopper while delivering to the table. Also, this dish provides a gluten-free option that still has great texture and taste.
Was there a sense of responsibility of bringing something to New Orleans that you felt hadn’t been offered yet?
Ever since I was a kid, opening a restaurant was my dream. After many career changes, I finally decided to bite the bullet and open my own shop. I believe offering an Indian option that is out of the norm is important. Indian cuisine is so vast and different from region to region, I felt that it was my responsibility to highlight and educate the public about my food.
Any advice for future business owners wanting to open up in a Food Hall?
I’d like to tell them that hard work and not giving up pays off. Work as hard as you can for as long as you can, because no one else can or will work for your business like you, and the fruits of your labor will be the proof.
