Noma Founder to Open Grand Central Food Hall

It's not officially a done deal yet, but Claus Meyer, one of the founders of Copenhagen's genre-defining restaurant Noma, wants to open a Scandinavian food hall in Grand Central Terminal that would have a balcony cafe, a grab-and-go coffee parlor, and a fancy "100-seat Nordic brasserie."

This multifaceted Scandinavian dining complex would take over the landmarked Vanderbilt Hall space inside the station, which is where the annual holiday markets take place. Meyer and his team were the highest bidders of the 15 groups that sent in proposals for the space, and right now they're the frontrunners. Jeff Rosen, the head of real estate for the MTA, tells Flo Fab: "It just so happened that the highest rent proposal was also of the highest quality."

Meyer tells the Times: "Nordic cuisine is very much about capturing the local flavor...so I will have to find a way to bring my philosophy to the New York restaurant landscape." A chef has not been named yet, but if everything goes according to plan, the new complex will open in about two years from now with a 10-year lease. An MTA committee has already endorsed the plan, now it just needs the approval of the Metro North Railroad team and a finance committee. The final decision will be made next week.
· Grand Central Food Hall Proposal Nears Approval [NYT]