The year’s biggest restaurant story — at least by square feet — hid in plain sight for six months.
The massive new Grand Brasserie will open next week in Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall, replacing City Winery. The huge construction project unfolded behind a curtain for months without an inch of media coverage — even though a Grand Brasserie sign was clearly visible on top of it.
The Rockwell Group-designed venue spans nearly 16,000 square feet. It’s the creation of Rick Blatstein, who recently sold his OTG eatery empire with 350 locations in US airport terminals and launched a new company called Vizz Group, according to MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan.
“Vizz Group comes to Grand Central with a depth of experience in developing and managing restaurants,” Donovan said.
When reached by The Post, Blatstein said he preferred not to share too many details until the Brasserie is fully up and running. But he said the menu will be a popular French format and the place would operate daily from 5:30 a.m. until 2 a.m. — the entire time the terminal is open.
The change of hands — and of design and cuisine — came as a surprise. City Winery opened at the terminal in early 2022 with much hype and had at least another year left on its lease when it closed early this year.
The MTA said City Winery asked the agency for permission to assign its operating agreement to Vizz. Gothamist reported in 2022 that the Winery would rent the space for at least three years with an option for two more years.
Its licensing fee was $500,000 and 8% of gross sales for the first year, rising to $1 million plus 10% of sales for the third year, Gothamist reported. However, it wasn’t known whether the terms for Blatstein’s deal are the same.
The western half of Vanderbilt was previously Great Northern Food Hall.
Meanwhile, as part of restoring the luster to Grand Central’s pandemic-stricken dining scene, the MTA said plans are on track for Cipriani to open Palladino’s Steak & Seafood restaurant on the main hall’s northwest balcony which was previously Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse.
