PONCE CITY MARKET DEBUTS MARKET EAST IN THE CENTRAL FOOD HALL

Posted by Liz and John Attaway, 5/29/25

Boom Boom Bao, Lime Tiger & Uwu Asian Dessert Co. to join Umbrella Bar & VIỆTVANA in the Central Food Hall’s Newly Redesigned Wing, Now Featuring Five Asian Culinary Concepts

Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony to Take Place on Thursday, June 5 at 4:30pm Followed by a Grand Opening Event from 5-9pm 

Ponce City Market is celebrating the grand opening of Market East, a newly redesigned wing inside the acclaimed Central Food Hall, on Thursday, June 5. With colorful, layered, and humble design drawing inspiration from small pedestrian streets and food market culture, Market East is located on the first floor with entrances across from The Roof’s Ticket Booth in The Courtyard and through the existing Central Food Hall by Collier Candy Co.

To mark the occasion, Ponce City Market and VIỆTVANA will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4:30pm on opening day. From 5-9pm, the public is invited to a grand opening celebration featuring samplings from the new stalls, music from a DJ, live art, and performances by traditional lion and dragon dancers.

Market East’s opening will debut three new pan-Asian dining concepts created by Dinh Tran and Khanh Dang, the husband-wife team behind VIỆTVANA. Together with VIỆTVANA and Umbrella Bar, these new eateries complete Market East, offering an expanded range of Asian culinary experiences.

“We’re thrilled to debut Market East and introduce a dynamic space where visitors can further immerse themselves in the rich flavors and culture of Asian cuisine,” said Adam Schwegman, director and head of retail leasing at Jamestown. “It’s always rewarding to see our tenants’ creative visions come to life, and we’re looking forward to expanding our partnership with the Vietvana team.”

The new concepts include:

• Boom Boom Bao – a Vietnamese bao and dim sum restaurant specializing in steamed bao buns (“baozi”) and dumplings served in a traditional grab-and-go format. The menu features up to 10 different stuffings made fresh daily with the stall divided into two sections: one for bao and another for dim sum. Boom Boom Bao also offers a cold vegetables and herbs station, a rice and vermicelli carb station, Thai-inspired dishes, and protein stations with BBQ chicken, pork, pork chops, and vermicelli noodle salad. It will be open for breakfast and lunch daily.
  
• Lime Tiger – a customizable bento box concept focused on Southeast Asian street food open for lunch and dinner service. The “build your own bento box” approach allows people to build their own tray with rice, a protein like rotating fish or pork options, a garnish, and special seasonings and sauces from the most popular and traditional flavors of Asia. The Lime Tiger team will help guide diners on optimal flavor pairings, making the dishes more customizable than traditional pho restaurants. The decor and branding play on food carts from across Southeast Asia, and in describing the name, the owners say Lime Tiger is a celebration of what unifies these diverse cultures. 

“Limes because they add brightness to every dish, and tigers because of their beauty and agility,” Tran says.

• Uwu Asian Dessert Co. (pronounced “oh-woo”) – features Japanese-inspired sweet treats, desserts, and milk teas to evoke that euphoric “first taste” feeling. Customers can select from 12 different tea options brewed fresh using a machine similar to an espresso maker. The menu also features specialty waffles that are crispier and fluffier than traditional American recipes and Vietnamese shaved ice, made with a special “snowflake ice” technique that creates a light, creamy texture with sweetness primarily coming from toppings rather than the ice itself. The brand is a mix of cute and craft in an unapologetically Japanese pop art style, with a nod to the concept of kawaii, meaning cute or endearing in Japanese.

“Our goal has always been to introduce people to the depth and joy of Asian cuisine in a way that feels accessible and exciting,” said Tran. “Each of these new concepts is rooted in the street food traditions we grew up with and love. With Boom Boom Bao, Lime Tiger, and Uwu, we’re creating spaces where food is not just about flavor, but also about culture, connection, and curiosity. We’re grateful for the opportunity to share more of Asia’s incredible diversity with Atlanta.”

Along with the new additions, VIỆTVANA will continue offering its signature and delectable phở, house-made noodles and fresh bánh mì sandwiches, expanding its menu with new soup flavors including curry and spicy soups. Umbrella Bar also continues to provide a lively taste of traditional Korean food with a twist.