One food hall has earned a coveted spot on the national list for two years in a row.

Optimist Hall ranked eighth while The Market at 7th Street took ninth. Boston's High Street Place claimed the top spot.

When Barry Greene reached out about leasing space in Optimist Hall last year, the agent on the phone didn’t even pretend to seem interested, he said. “There was no ‘I’ll keep you in mind’ or ‘what’s ...