One-stop dining destinations have been around forever and often appeal to families or groups of friends who have different food preferences. Instead of just one restaurant with limited choices, these elevated cafeterias try to offer something for everyone.
One of the newer players is Sundry Food Hall that opened its newest branch in Bonifacio Global City earlier this month.
Founder Jai Reyes is a former basketball player and current commissioner of basketball for the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). He and his wife, co-founder Josephine Kamiyama, opened the first Sundry during the pandemic.
“It was initially a cloud kitchen for a number of food brands that my wife was familiar with as she used to work in the leasing department of Megaworld,” Reyes told The Sunday Times Magazine at the sidelines during the Dec. 16 opening.
Kamiyama was already aware which food brands were popular with Filipinos. Since she already had their contact details, it was easy for her to reach out to them with her plan of putting together a list of merchants.
“The pandemic put a stop to all in-person events and activities which included all contact sports. When Joyce told me of her plans, I said I would support her all the way,” Reyes recounted.
What started as cloud kitchens where people could call in their orders and pay only one delivery fee have since evolved to include post-pandemic dining spots.
“Sundry Food Hall was built around how people actually eat today especially [when they dine] in groups. With our BGC branch, we wanted to create a place where friends and families can sit together, mini and match their favorite brands, and enjoy the experience without compromise,” Reyes said in a statement.
There are now seven operational locations, namely Espana, Taft, Pasig, Commonwealth, Makati, Paranaque, and BGC but only three offer dine-in. The new space at GSC Corporate Tower is a narrow one with one side lined with food stalls including CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice, 24 Chicken, Wann Mann, Bangkok Station, Potato Corner, Big Al’s Cookie Jar, Hearts & Bells, Merry Moo, and Louie’s Buko. On the opposite side is a long couch and tables that can be reconfigured to seat small groups with more tables and chairs in the middle.
During the press preview, we sampled some of the different stalls’ offerings including chilled buko juice and milk teas, two types of flavored fried chicken, dumplings and noodle soups. There was also mango sticky rice with the rice tinted a vivid pink, and the quintessential Thai noodle dish of Pad Thai with mung beans, peanuts and sliced chilies.
The merchant mix is not the same at all Sundry locations although there are several that figure prominently in several branches. These are the ones that have consistently delivered since the start.
Have they ever had to let go of certain merchants and replace them with others?
“Yes, of course,” Reyes admitted. “There were some that we found out were not yet ready so we didn’t renew them when their contract ended.
“From starting as a cloud kitchen to opening more dine-in food halls, our goal has always been to make great food more accessible and enjoyable,” Kamiyama said in a statement.
“The BGC branch reflects how we’re elevating that experience by bringing comfort, convenience and variety together in one space. Sundry Food Hll focuses on creating spaces where people can come together over their favorite food. As we expand, we’re excited to bring that same Sundry experience to more neighborhoods both in and beyond Metro Manila,” she ended.
