The city of St. Louis is looking for food vendors for 2 of its busiest government buildings

Interested vendors can submit their request for proposal through Sept. 19

The city of St. Louis has begun the process of bringing back food vendors to two of its busiest government buildings, City Hall and 1520 Market St., which hosts multiple city offices. The Comptroller’s Office is currently seeking proposals from vendors, with the goal of bringing in multiple vendors at each space to create a food hall or cafeteria-style experience that’s reminiscent of those found on college campuses, according to a press release.

The city is open to multiple vendors, as well as considering one operator capable of delivering a food court experience with a variety of offerings, and proposals for creative concepts are encouraged. Per information found in the proposal, there are just over 1,000 city employees who work between the two buildings.

In addition to serving city employees, the food vendors would also be open to the public visiting City Hall and 1520 Market St. According to the city, several hundred residents come for jury duty at the Civil Courts Building each week.

At City Hall, the food service area will be located in the basement restaurant space that was most recently the home of Marco’s Cafe. At 1520 Market St., vendors will be in the mezzanine overlooking the first-floor lobby. Operating hours are tentatively slated to be from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., five days per week, and will be closed on all city holidays.

The deadline for submitting a proposal to the Comptroller’s Office is Thursday, Sept. 19, at 5 p.m. The tentative contract start date is Jan. 1, 2025. Interested vendors can find more details, including specifications on each food space, along with submission guidelines, on the city’s website.