Here’s what’s going to cheer us through the long cold winter: buckets of comfort food. And you can find them (literally) at the new Essex Food Hall, a combination of five micro counter-service restaurants. Owner Colt Taylor has turned on a pandemic dime yet again and turned Los Charros Cantina into a veritable fancy(ish) food court. Find the aforementioned buckets filled with fried chicken (in three preparations: traditional, Nashville hot, and Korean) or slurp a vat of umami-rich Tonkatsu ramen with delightfully chewy noodles and slabs of pork belly. Whatever your fave comfort food is, you’ll find it here: pizza and meatballs from Proof, the yummiest Mac and Cheese to go with that chicken or a Wagyu burger at Joint, various noodle dishes and Bao buns at Umami Noodle Shop, plus your favorite tacos and Mexican street food are still on offer from Los Charros. For dessert, The Creamery Gelateria scoops up housemade gelato and will even sandwich it between freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. A full bar provides creative concoctions to match your meal, and socially distanced indoor seating is available. On your way out, check out the Market for groceries and prepared foods.

And just because I’ve completely thrown caution to the wind these days, I sipped a frozen hot chocolate with a homemade marshmallow while I waited for my ridiculous over-order. I took my hefty sacks home and had enough yummy grub to see me through the rainy weekend. Delivery available, too.