Worcester Regional Food Hub opens ‘permanent pop

Worcester Plaza, also known as the glass tower, at 446 Main St. (Noah Bombard, MassLive)

Worcester Regional Food Hub has opened its new Market Place, a place where a rotating cast of chefs will be able to sell their cuisine.

The Market Place, located on the ground floor of Worcester Plaza, also known as the city's "glass tower" skyscraper at 446 Main St., is holding a soft opening this week. WRFH Director Shon Rainford said the organization has a diverse group of entrepreneurs in the food business who will be participating in the program.

"They sell at farmers markets or events like pop-ups at breweries and other locations," Rainford said. "We obviously live in a seasonal environment, so what we’ve done is we’ve created an indoor, permanent pop-up location and we’re really excited about the opportunities it's going to create for our different entrepreneurs."

The restaurant will be open Monday through Saturday. Right now, hours will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., but once it is fully open, the market will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the week and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.

The Market Place will have a wide range of cuisines, Rainford said, thanks to the diverse backgrounds of its chefs. Just in its first few days, visitors can see the variety: on Wednesday, they served Salvadoran baked goods and Venezuelan arepas; on Thursday and Friday, they will move on to Puerto Rican cuisine; and on Saturday, they plan for a barbecue, complete with fried lobster tail and lobster mac and cheese.

"We have foods from all over the world that are representing the diverse group of people here in Worcester," Rainford said.

WRFH will soon have a page on its website where people can check online to see what is available to eat that day before they visit, he added.

The organization announced earlier this year that it would be expanding with new headquarters at Union Station, including retail space and six kitchens. Rainford said Wednesday that the $4.5 million project, expected to open next year, is still in the works, and that the new glass tower location is leased through the end of this year.

"This was an opportunity that presented itself and we jumped in," he said. "We’re really excited. We hope it works well for everyone and we can continue it."

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