Simpsonville's new dining option opens. 'We fell in love with the food hall concept.'

With no formal culinary training, Thomas Wirthlin has turned cooking lessons from his mother and a stint at the former Boston Beanery Pelham Road into a passion for food, hosting and entertainment.

Since 2020, Wirthlin's food hall portfolio has been on the rise and now continues with the recent opening of City Market at Bridgeway Station at 616 Bridgeway Blvd.

The J.L. Mann graduate opened Warehouse at Vaughns in Simpsonville in 2020 and Warehouse at Midtown Laurens Road in Greenville in 2022.

What began as an idea during the pandemic came to reality as his event-hosting company, DineUpstate, brings more dining options that currently exist at his other establishments. Bridgeway Station, or 'The Castle', as he coins it, was the perfect opportunity to showcase his newest food venture.

"We wanted to get something closer to Mauldin and also the Simpsonville area on this side of town," Wirthlin said.

City Market's construction began in 2023

Construction began in 2023 for City Market's 9,500-square-foot indoor space, which has outdoor seating and an additional 5,000-square-foot rooftop bar. There are seven different food options in that space ranging from beers and burgers to pizza and dumplings, with the option to swap out tenants in a year or two to keep options fresh.

"Just trying to see what the neighborhood wants," he said.

"We fell in love with the food hall concept and not just a sit-down restaurant," he said. "Everyone can spread out and get a great variety of food. It's just about connecting with people, and we can offer a lot of stuff here with just a short drive."

Food, drink options at City Market at Bridgeway Station

City Market is open. Bridgeway Station officially opens in late April.

Bourbon Street Burger

The third location of their anchor will be a full-service restaurant offering burgers, chicken sandwiches and various other entrées including shrimp, grits, and more.

Bridgeway Pizza Company

Whole or pizza by the slice including specialty flavors and custom style pies; salads, paninis, pasta salads, plus grab-and-go desserts.

Hotto Noodle

An all-new concept to Greenville, this food tenant will feature edamame, ramen bowls, steamed dumplings, and more Asian bowl-style cuisine.

Boba Ocha Tea Company

With locations in Fountain Inn and Powdersville, this bubble tea and dessert shop should be no stranger to customers, offering specialty drinks and sweets for all to try.

Bula Bula Bowl

A healthy option with Mediterranean and Spanish influence in its cuisine as diners can build their bowl, with proteins over rice or quinoa.

Bridgeway Public House

A beer hub offering over 100 European beers and 20 craft beers on tap with televisions for sporting and special events.

Dip n' Dots

A dessert space dedicated to satisfying a sweet tooth with ice cream and various other candy flavors.

City Market at Bridgeway Station to offer catering, event space reservations

With more than 14,000 square feet in space, City Market plans to host weddings, corporate outings and various other mid-sized events in the main plaza, grass area and concert space at Bridgeway Station.

City Market hosted a celebration for Fat Tuesday, hosts a small concert series on special occasions and plans to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, plus more events throughout the year, leading up to Bridgeway Station's official opening in late April.

For more information, visit Dineupstate.com.

– A.J. Jackson covers the food & dining scene, along with arts, entertainment and downtown culture for The Greenville News. Contact him by email at [email protected], and follow him on X (formally Twitter) @ajhappened.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: City Market in Simpsonville opens. Bridgeway Station opening in April.