Food halls in Riverside and San Bernardino counties provide dining experiences from around the world with local atmosphere.

You can have fried bologna sandwiches in a cattle ranch cookhouse, espresso at a stagecoach stop or a Japanese souffle pancake in a citrus packinghouse.

The food hall scene is growing in the Inland Empire with the opening of Cravings at Eastvale last year and Redlands Public Market last month.

The Farmhouse Collective, a shopping center in a repurposed, 1950s motel, is on the way in Riverside. Its developers have announced a grand opening March 29. It will have eateries in the spirit of food halls, with former motel rooms housing what the project’s website calls “the best from local chefs, eateries, and retail outposts.”Food halls provide a different experience than food courts in malls, according to Jerry Tessier, president of Arteco Partners in Pomona, which opened and operates three in the Inland Empire: Riverside Food Lab, Vail Headquarters and Redlands Public Market.

Food courts are about speed and are often filled with national brands, he said, while food halls encourage local, chef-driven business and are places for people to linger and socialize. Many have long communal tables, live entertainment and arcades to keep children occupied.

Here are some food halls that provide those experiences.

Cravings at Eastvale

This place opened last year as part of a 200-acre mixed-use development that includes retail and logistics facilities.

Eats: Most of the vendors specialize in Asian foods. The newest is Handroll by Zeppin. Others include Dubo Tofu House, Nobibi (ice cream and frozen treats), Monkey King Brewing (smashburgers, karaage chicken, bao buns), Ostrea Oyster Bar, The Coop (Asian fried chicken and craft beer), Lanai Tiki (outdoor bar).

A large bank of Gacha Gacha vending machines dispenses toys inside capsules.

In The Station at Eastvale, 4926 Hamner Ave., Eastvale; eastvale.cravingsfoodhalls.com

Haven City Market

With over 80,000 square feet and more than 30 vendors, this is the Inland Empire’s biggest food hall.

It occupies a former JC Penney department store and has room enough for indoor and outdoor stages and an event center equipped with rows of Kawaii Klaw machines.

Eats: Among the more unusual choices are Sabaidee (Lao and Thai street food), Monday to Sunday Dessert Cafe (coffee, tea and scones) and Shokunin (omakase bar also coming to the Redlands Public Market). Others include Milo’s Hawaiian BBQ, Bar Daddy Burger Grill, Nonna’s Bistro, Poke Haven, Fire Wings, Lantern Vietnamese Cafe, On + On (Asian bowls) and Bushi by Jinya (ramen, hand-roll sushi and Japanese fried chicken). The Kroft, specializing in poutine and loaded fries, is on the way.

8443 Haven Ave., Rancho Cucamonga; havencitymarket.com

Redlands Public Market

This new food hall occupies a citrus packinghouse built in the 1900s. Nine years in development, it held its soft opening Feb. 21. Several tenants are still moving in. When completed, it will have 20-plus businesses plus a patio for live music.

Eats: Most of the tenants are expanding local restaurants and startups. They range from Philippine coffee at Tsoko Cafe to Indian fusion tacos and burritos at Taco Twist and Japanese cloud pancakes at Take Ur Seat. Others include Aice! (acai bowls), Baba’s Hot Chicken, Cornerstone BBQ, Crepes de Paris, Fufu’s Mideast Grill, Nava Sausage Co. and Hen & Heifer (burgers and comfort food).

Most dining is at communal tables, but Shokunin will open an omakase bar in the basement, and there will be a speakeasy as well. Entertainment includes an arcade with video games and skee-ball.

330 Third St., Redlands; redlandspublicmarket.com

Riverside Food Lab

Riverside’s first food hall opened Labor Day weekend in 2018. The 14,000-square-foot space is part of the Fox Performing Arts Center, built near a 1929 movie palace transformed into a live performance venue.

Eats: The 14 eateries include longtime tenants like Monty’s Good Burger (plant-based foods), Bricks & Birch (pizza), Mi Vida Gorda (tacos, tortas, bacon-wrapped dogs) and Beer Farm (craft beers). Also on hand are Baba’s Hot Chicken, Bolcupop (acai bowls, smoothies, juices), Fufus Mideast Grill, Maki Sushi & Cocktails and Soho Ramen.

The Food Lab has indoor and patio dining. The patio adjoins the Riverside Game Lab, an arcade that serves beer, wine and cocktails.

An adjoining garage has free parking for customers.

3605 Market St., Riverside; riversidefoodlab.com

Rodeo X Public Market

Rodeo X is part of New Haven Marketplace, a mixed-use retail center in south Ontario that includes housing.

The food hall opened in 2021. It currently has three tenants: a taproom called Brew Haven, Shootz (Hawaiian food) and Slice of Haven Pizzeria.

There are two other Rodeo Public Markets, in Stanton and San Luis Obispo.

3430 Ontario Ranch Road, Ontario; rodeopublicmarket.com

Vail Headquarters

Vail Headquarters is the birthplace of Temecula, according to historian Rebecca Farnbach. It is the place where a man named Louis Wolf and his wife, Ramona, opened a trading post in 1867. Later it became a Butterfield stagecoach stop and then part of an 87,500-acre cattle ranch owned by Walter Vail.

Farnbach and the Vail Ranch Restoration Association worked for decades to keep ranch buildings from being destroyed, and succeeded in saving the 4 acres that Vail Headquarters occupies. It is surrounded by modern retail, including Walmart and Kohl’s.

Arteco Partners came on board to transform the land into a “living historic park,” which opened in 2016.

Eats: The Cookhouse Food Hall at Vail HQ is in a building built between 1867 and 1914 that was originally the Wolfs’ home and later became the Vail Ranch cookhouse. Today it houses several eateries, including Bulgogi and Ramen (dumplings and bibimbap), La Isla Cevicheria (fish and shrimp in tacos, burritos and quesadillas), the Smok’d Hog (barbecue and Southern favorites such as fried bologna sandwiches and pimento grilled cheese on rye), Tiki Burger, and the Daisy Bar. There’s also a shop called Super Mix Mercantile.

There are more eateries throughout Vail HQ. The Press Espresso serves coffee and pastries inside the Wolf Store. Vail Pizzeria is one of the businesses in the bunkhouse, built around 1910 to house cowboys and ranch hands. The Local Provisions, in the 1910 foreman’s house, serves such items as Korean pork tacos, lobster triple grilled cheese sandwiches and PB&J Burgers.

More libations can be found at Bare Knuckle Brewing Co. and Marshall Stuart Fine Wines.

32117 Temecula Parkway, Temecula; vailhq.com/the-cookhouse