Osteria Centrale and Mercato Centrale will open this fall as Grand Central Terminal’s newest culinary destination in Midtown Manhattan. Designed by globally renowned architecture and design firm Rockwell Group, Osteria Centrale spans 6,960 square feet and will feature a 250-seat Italian Osteria experience daily, anchored by a dramatic oblong-shaped 50-seat central bar. To complement the Osteria and catered to commuters and visitors on-the-go, Mercato Centrale will debut as a gourmet market open daily, offering over 500 products and $1 La Colombe coffee from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. daily.
Osteria Centrale will offer a variety of culinary experiences from business lunches, a dedicated “apertivo hour,” dinner and late-night dining. The restaurant is located in the southwest corner of the Terminal and can be accessed via the Main Concourse Level, near the staircase up to 42nd Street. Most of the seating including banquettes are high-tops, allowing visitors to stop in for a spritz and an appetizer or stay for a complete meal. The Italian Osteria’s menu will be sophisticated and approachable with Cicchetti (small bites), insalati, antipasti, a mozzarella bar, tramezzini (Italian finger sandwiches), pasta, focaccia sandwiches, and mains including branzino al cartoccio baked in parchment, olives and capers, stufato di manzo with root vegetables and rosemary and more.
Mercato Centrale will debut as a gourmet market, located by the ramp in the Southwest corner of the Main Concourse Level of the Terminal which leads to 42nd Street. The to-go menu includes prepared sandwiches, salads, wraps, cured meats and cheese, snack boxes, baked goods, and yogurt parfaits for the road. Menu items include the Porchetta Breakfast Wrap with farm eggs, Fontina cheese, Porchetta, roasted tomatoes and baby spinach; Egg Salad Breakfast Wrap with Japanese egg salad, avocado, tomato and baby spinach; Tuna Italiano on schiacciata bread, tuna, black olives, capers, red onions, Calabrian mayo and Calabrian chili; Italian chopped salad with romaine lettuce, provolone cheese, Capocollo, and oregano vinaigrette; Charcuterie & cheese collection and yogurt parfaits (starting at $6.99).
In addition, Mercato Centrale will offer soft drinks, kombucha, beer, cocktails and wines on-the-go. Mercato will also feature a quick self-checkout for convenience, so guests can quickly purchase items for the train, office or home.
Partnering once again with the MTA and Grand Central Terminal, The Vizz Group owns and operates Osteria Centrale and Mercato Centrale, as well as the 400-seat Grand Brasserie, also designed by Rockwell Group, located in the Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall.
“We are thrilled to partner again with Vizz Group to bring celebration and community to Grand Central, one of my favorite places in New York,” said David Rockwell, founder and president, Rockwell Group. “Centrale was inspired by an Italian spritz garden: We wanted to transport busy commuters to an uplifting space where lingering, connecting, and catching up isn’t just encouraged, it’s embedded in the culture. Our design is defined by a colorful palette of amber, cherry red, and capri blue accentuated by bold, swirling patterns and textured materials like ribbed glass, porcelain tile, and leather upholstery. Meaningful details connect the restaurant and market to the history of New York and the Terminal itself, grounding visitors in the surrounding city.”
