Hudson Yards Restaurants Opening Week: What to Know

The opening of the $25 billion Hudson Yards project on Manhattan’s west side is one of the biggest new developments to happen in New York in years, and with it, a slew of new restaurant options have debuted, too. Mostly confined to a seven-story mall called the Shops at Hudson Yards, the restaurants here include full-service spots from big names such as David Chang and Thomas Keller, as well as a sprawling Spanish food hall from José Andrés and the Adrià brothers.

It’s not without controversy. Architecture critics have been slamming the design, and dining wise, Eater critic Ryan Sutton has disparaged the line-up — noting that there’s a lack of diversity. Very few women-run establishments are on the premises, and despite the plethora of options in nearby Hell’s Kitchen, Hudson Yards has zero restaurants dedicated to such cuisines as Mexican, Latin American, Chinese, Japanese, or Middle Eastern. (There’s not even a fast-casual falafel place, or a Chipotle.)

Still, with so many celebrity chefs and so much money involved, people flocked to see the spectacle. Restaurants were booked up on opening day; hundreds lined up before the doors opened. Mercado Little Spain, though with just a few kiosks open, was swarmed, with people waiting a good hour on Friday.

Below, see a round-up of Eater NY’s coverage for opening week, from previews and photos of the most anticipated restaurants to a liveblog and photos of first-day madness.