Far from the boring cafeterias and food courts of yesterday's shopping malls, eclectic and adventurous food halls are popping up all over the South. A combination of food stalls, mini-restaurants and retail food vendors, they offer a convenient way to experience different meals and snacks in one place.

Eater notes that the food hall dining trend is especially picking up steam in the South, as nine developments are expected to open throughout the region by the end of 2017. Atlanta alone is on its way to opening its sixth food hall and there are more than 100 new food halls currently operating throughout the country. That number is expected to double by 2019, according to data from commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield as cited by the Wall Street Journal.

But what is so appealing about this new dining style? 

Food halls allow diners an affordable taste of local or foreign cuisine, and some celebrity chefs have even jumped on the bandwagon. People like to have options, and a food hall that offers everything from wine and barbecue to lobster and beer sounds like a good time. This new model also gives restaurateurs a chance to offer a taste of their food to customers without the burden and cost of opening a full restaurant. 

Here are some of the newest food halls to check out throughout the South: 

Alabama:
Pizitz Food Hall in Birmingham

Georgia
Ponce City Market in Atlanta
Krog Street Market in Atlanta
Main & Main at Colony Square
The Canteen in Atlanta
The Daily in Alpharetta

Kentucky
The Barn in Lexington

Louisiana
St. Roch Market in New Orleans
The Auction House Market in New Orleans

North Carolina
Morgan Street Food Hall & Market in Raleigh
Blue Dogwood Public Market in Chapel Hill
Durham Food Hall in Raleigh

Tennessee 
St. Roch Nashville in Nashville

South Carolina
Workshop in Charleston

Texas
Uptown Urban Market in Dallas
The Bottling Department in San Antonio
Fareground in Austin
Legacy Food Hall in Plano

Florida
La Centrale in Miami
Grandview Public Market in West Palm Beach