18 hours ago
After 24 Years, Tom Colicchio Changes the Menu at His Iconic Restaurant
Plus, three new places to eat at Grand Central – and more intel Jun 24, 2025, 2:51 PM UTC
Ahead of the Flatiron restaurant's 25th anniversary next year, Craft (43 East 19th Street, at Park Avenue South) is segueing from a family-style menu to a la carte starting today, says chef and owner Tom Colicchio. The Bravo Top Chef judge who oversees his restaurant, along with nearby Vallata, says when he opened over two decades ago, he was still the chef at Gramercy Tavern. And unlike many restaurants at the time, his tastes were veering toward very simple, pared-down, seasonal dishes diners would share at the table. But lately, he has been a bit restless when it comes to the Craft menu. And he has paid attention to two things: One, he wants to be more creative. Two, post-pandemic, 'fewer people are sharing,' he says. He wants to be more responsive to customers in terms of changes in how they want to dine.
In addition to a la carte, the menu will include a daily tasting option. First course picks include fluke crudo along with dishes like ricotta agnolotti with peas, favas, and morels. For mains, there's a rabbit mortadella main course, along with items like roasted cod with razor clams and sea beans. He says a through line is that he's still focused on seasonal ingredients. Chef de cuisine Grayson Altenberg is steering the kitchen, while beverage director Cheron Cowan oversees the bar and wine selection. Prices are still a work in progress.
A trio of new restaurants is opening in Grand Central (89 East 42nd Street, at Park Avenue). A Penn Station mainstay for 20 years, Tracks Raw Bar & Grill is bringing its oysters and railroad memorabilia to the new Grand Central Madison terminal this summer. Palladino's Steak & Seafood is also closer to opening. The space comes from former NYPD officer-turned-Texas restaurateur Joseph Palladino and chef Sam Hazen, with design by Rockwell Group. And San Wei, a noodle and bubble tea shop with surprising pastrami in Elmhurst, will offer a menu of hand-pulled noodles and boba later this season.
Momofuku Noodle Bar in the East Village (171 First Avenue, at East 11th Street) is launching a dinner series called Noodle Nights, kicking off next month. The series of one-night collaborations pairs chef Pablo Vidal with neighborhood spots from Richard Ho of Ho Foods on July 15; Eric Sze of 886 on September 17; and Trigg Brown of Win Son on October 14 (there's no event in August). Each night features a bun, noodle bowl, and a wild card dish created by the guest chef and Vidal. Tickets for the first event are live on OpenTable.
