Hudson Yards: Star-studded food lineup opens in New York

The much-anticipated Hudson Yards project, a massive dining, shopping and office hub on the west side of Manhattan, opened most of its food concepts Friday, March 15.

The centerpiece of the destination dining and retail development is The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards, a 1 million square foot multi-level building anchored by New York’s first Neiman Marcus department store. It features new concepts by celebrity chefs as well as well-established crowd-favorite brands such as Shake Shack, Bouchon Bakery and Blue Bottle Coffee.

“We truly believe we have assembled a collection that will delight New Yorkers and visitors alike,” project executive Dean Shapiro said in a statement.

Here’s a closer look at the signature concepts:

Mercado Little Spain: This 35,000 square-foot Spanish food hall by Jose Andrés’ ThinkFoodGroup features three full service restaurants, several bars and more than a dozen food stalls serving a variety of tapas.  The three restaurants will feature menus dedicated to paella, seafood and classic Spanish comfort foods.

Pictured at Hudson Yards VIP Opening Reception, in TAK Room Kitchen

From left to right: Les Hiscoe, CEO, Shawmut Design and Construction; Chef Thomas Keller; Randy Shelly, vice president, hospitality, Shawmut Design and Construction

Related:Inside New York's Hudson Yards development

TAK Room: A retro-inspired upscale dining experience by Thomas Keller Restaurant Group

Kāwi:  A 5,000-square foot restaurant from David Chang’s Momofuku empire. Executive chef Eunjo “Jo” Park will serve a menu inspired by the Baegyansa Temple in Korea.

Peach Mart: A more casual Momofuku concept that features grab-and-go sandwiches and kimbap, a Korean rice and vegetable snack rolled in nori

Belcampo: A mix of full-service and fine-casual counter service from California concept Belcampo. This is the its first location outside of California where it has earned a reputation for its meat-focused menu. The restaurant serves proteins sourced directly from Belcampo's 20,000-acre farm in Northern California, which emphasizes heritage breed, grass-fed, grass-finished, and pasture-raised animals.

Estiatorio Milos: A Greek seafood dining experience from acclaimed chef Costas Spiliadis

Hudson Yards Grill: New York chef Michael Lomonaco helms this American restaurant featuring refined classics, premium cocktails and an approachable wine list. The restaurant was developed in partnership with Boston's Himmel Hospitality Group.

Queensyard:  The 11,000-square-foot space by the UK restaurant group D&D London is divided into four dining areas including The Kitchen, a casual restaurant with communal tables and a menu of classic British staples and shared plates; The Dining Room is a refined dining experience with plush wingback chairs and booths serving refined British supper dishes; The Bar features both modern and classic gin-based cocktails using house made syrups, infusions and seasonal, local ingredients; and the Queensyard Café serves morning breakfasts and grab-and-go lunches during the day and transitions into a wine bar at night.

Wild Ink: A restaurant and bar from London-based hospitality group, Rhubarb. Chef Peter Jin’s menu features Asian influences and techniques with global flavors and ingredients. The menu is divided into seven sections: Snacks, Dim Sum, Raw, Small Plates, Main Plates, Sides and Desserts.

Citarella Gourmet Market: A family-run seafood-centric gourmet market that also sells prime dry-aged meats, pastries, produce and cheeses. Citarella also has a shop selling a variety of fine vintage wines and artisanal spirits.

Kith Treats: Blended ice cream and cereal bar with customized creations and rotating specialty flavors

Maison Kaiser: An artisanal French boulangerie with breads, pastries, cakes baked on-site all day long. (Coming soon)

Zodiac Room at Neiman Marcus: This is a fine-dining restaurant within the luxury department store. The menu features a collection of favorites from the retailer’s 45 restaurants nationwide including popovers and strawberry butter, seasonal salads, sandwiches, sparkling wine and caviar.

Bar Stanley: A full-service bar serving favorite bites inspired by Neiman Marcus’ legendary executive Stanley Marcus

Cook & Merchants: This market inside Neiman Marcus is designed for shoppers looking for pre-made grab-and-go foods. It also features a coffee bar, a chocolate counter and a wine bar with local craft beers.

Teak Tearoom: This all-day cafe serves specialty teas by House of Waris, a light fare menu by Chef Adam Ross, baked goods from Bouchon Bakery and evening tequila from Casa Dragones.

The Drug Store: A cocktail bar featuring drinks crafted with all-natural ingredients and functional properties

Milos Wine Bar: Hand-selected Greek wines paired with shareable small plate foods. During the day, it is a Greek yogurt bar serving coffee and pastries for sit down or to-go customers.

More familiar boutique concepts and chains at Hudson Yards include Blue Bottle Coffee (craft coffee specializing in pour overs), Bluestone Lane (Australian-influenced coffee bar with seasonal vegetable and whole grain-forward menu) Bouchon Bakery (Thomas Keller’s traditional French boulangerie), Fuku (David Chang’s casual fried chicken eatery), Jack’s Stir Brew Coffee (two locations for this New York health and wellness coffee shop including a walk-up coffee bar) Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream, Shake Shack. The complex will also have candies, chocolates and baked goods by well-established New York confectioners and bakeries: Dylan’s Candy Bar, Li-Lac Chocolates and William Greenberg Desserts.

Contact Nancy Luna at [email protected]

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