Grand Central Is Going Hard on a Plan to Be a Hip Dining Destination

Grand Central is doubling down on a plan in place to transform itself into a dining destination for a newer, hipper clientele. The transit hub is replacing five of its longtime food vendors with trendier restaurants and cafe — including a restaurant and whiskey bar from Oprah Winfrey’s former personal chef, the Post reports.

Heading in next year will be Soho French open-faced sandwich restaurant Tartinery, as well as Art Bird & Whiskey Bar from chef Art Smith, who formerly cooked for Oprah and has since turned into a TV chef. Art Bird is replacing Dishes, a grab-and-go spot, with a $4.1 million-per-year rent compared to Dishes’ $3.3 million offer.

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Meat Shines at Chez Ma Tante, Greenpoint’s French-Canadian Bistro

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If you were a fan of Greenpoint in the days when it was a bucolic Brooklyn backwater — before entire streets became paved with trendsetting boutiques and noisy cocktail bars — Chez Ma Tante (“My Aunt’s House”) may be your serene place.

Located at the corner of Calyer and Franklin near the East River’s Bushwick Inlet, the immediate neighborhood remains tree-shaded and slow moving. Houses with small gardens in front line the streets in neat rows. Pale flagstones cover the façade, while a sidewalk café with red umbrellas extends along the north side of the building.

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