Approachable, elevated comfort food for a good morning and better night.
The Granola Bar, a celebrated restaurant, café and grab-and-go destination with six existing locations in the suburbs of New York and Connecticut, opened for business in the heart of Manhattan’s Upper West Side this past January. Co-founded by powerhouses Julie Mountain and Dana Noorily (@granolygirls), The Granola Bar’s first New York City location will serve residents and visitors of the bustling Upper West Side neighborhood with elevated comfort food and drink. The Granola Bar welcomes guests to dine, drink and enjoy the space as a home-away-from-home steeped in community and rooted in friendship and connection.
Both former Manhattan residents, Julie Mountain and Dana Noorily, joined forces over a decade ago in Connecticut to create The Granola Bar with the focus on providing beautiful, feel-good comfort food options catering to guests from day to night. Since its Westport, Connecticut, flagship concept in 2013, The Granola Bar has gained a loyal following. Their commitment to creating a community-first, inclusive and friendly dining experience has earned them a reputation as pioneers in the industry.
“We are thrilled to bring The Granola Bar to New York City!” said Noorily “As we enter our next phase of growth and expansion, Julie and I are back in the city that we both called home many years ago. There’s so much excitement surrounding what is to come for The Granola Bar in the Big Apple, but there is also a comforting sense of familiarity with the people and place we love so much.”
The opening of The Granola Bar’s newest location marks a milestone for the company as it expands its footprint out of the suburbs. The New York City location is designed to offer a tranquil space for customers to indulge in their favorite dishes, enjoy a cocktail after work or grab a bite at the “grab and go” portion of the space dedicated to those who would like to pop in quickly anytime throughout the day. The Granola Bar also provides a space that can be reserved for events and parties, large or small, with catering services for off-site gatherings and office deliveries to come.
“The Granola Bar started with the goal of bringing the foods we love to our surrounding families and friends,” said Mountain. “This desire still lives on in every space we open today, and we are beyond excited to expand our community to the Upper West Side.”
The Menu – Good Morning Better Night
The day-to-night café and restaurant will offer an elevated vision of comfort food and drinks, with beer, wine and sangria offerings. The Granola Bar will be serving reimagined classics that, like everything The Granola Bar does, harkens back to the pillars of its original vision—easy, feel-good fare rooted in laughter, friendship and family. The new location will offer fan favorites like Nutella Lattes, Avocado Toast, Yogurt Parfaits made with The Granola Bar’s signature homemade granola during the day while introducing new specialty items:
- Tuna Tartar Mini Tacos – avocado, pineapple serrano chili dressing, salsa macha on a hard shell corn tortilla.
- The Bar Burger – Pat LaFrieda double smash patty, caramelized onions, gouda cheese, pepperherb aioli with fries.
- Truffle & Wild Mushroom Pappardelle – With sautéed cremini mushrooms in a creamy mushroom sauce topped with black truffle & fresh parmesan.
The Ambiance and Design
Conceptualized by Prabjeet Green of Colour and Color, The Granola Bar’s chic yet comfortable design embodies the atmosphere of the accompanying menu.
The Team
Co-founders Julie Mountain and Dana Noorily met in 2010 after years in the music and finance industries, respectively. They soon launched O.A.T.S. Granola after bonding over their shared passion for cooking. They rapidly went from selling at farmer’s markets to selling at Whole Foods and many other stores along the East Coast.
Two years later, they decided to base the operation in their hometown of Westport, CT, which allowed them to also create a café experience. The always-hungry ladies got together and wrote a menu of their dreams. They knew that in addition to delicious, modern, beautiful food — they wanted a space where their local community would feel happy and comfortable and have an experience beyond the food. The Granola Bar flagship in Westport opened its doors in December 2013.
As the business evolved and expanded, TGB Hospitality Group was formed and now includes six restaurants (in Westport, Stamford, Fairfield, Greenwich, Darien and Rye), a catering business, The Granola Bar food truck and restaurant consultancy. As Dana and Julie reached their 10-year anniversary this December, they are now ready more than ever to take the concept to the big city with even more growth plans in 2024.
In addition to Dana and Julie is JJ Henao, who joined The Granola Bar team in 2016 as a server at The Granola Bar in Greenwich, then worked his way up to regional manager for The Granola Bars in Connecticut. He, ultimately, took a small hiatus and returned to the company in May 2022. As Vice President of Operations, JJ focuses on menu development, vendor relations, technology innovation, operational efficiencies and growth across all our brands.
