Now Arriving: Luke's Lobster Grand Central Terminal
Today Luke’s Lobster announces they will be opening their newest location in New York City at the Dining Concourse of Grand Central Terminal – a world-class icon and heartbeat of the Greater NYC area, and the first new Luke’s Lobster location since the start of the Covid 19 pandemic. Luke’s Lobster Grand Central will open beginning Wednesday, July 20, 2022 and will feature a full bar and new beer collaboration from Peak Organic Brewing called Luke’s Light. The hours of operation will be 7 days a week, 10:00am - 10:00pm.
Luke’s Lobster Grand Central is an open concept design that will have 52 seats (some of which are original, wooden train station benches) and an additional 10 bar seats in the 1,200 square foot dining concourse location situated next to Tartinery in the center of the lower level. Both full service at the bar and counter-style ordering are available, whether staying seated or popping in-and-out on the commute.
Luke Holden, founder and CEO of Luke’s Lobster said, “We’re honored to share space in such an iconic landmark. I started the company here and spent almost a decade in NYC. Luke’s has become a place where New Yorkers go to celebrate the everyday – nailing a big presentation, learning about your college acceptance, ending your first day on the job or meeting friends for happy hour on a long weekend. Now in addition to that, we hope to simply be the start to the finish of the day – a good bite, sip or snack on the way home. A bright spot in the daily commute.”
FOOD + DRINK
Luke’s Grand Central menu will have the fan-favorite classic rolls featuring wild-caught lobster, crab, or shrimp in a toasted, buttered bun with mayo, lemon butter, and Luke’s secret seasoning. Seasonal specials will also rotate on the menu; now through November 2022 Luke’s partnered with NYC-based Asian pantry staple brand, Omsom, to create a Spicy Mala Lobster Roll with Omsom Mala sauce, Kewpie mayo, toasted sesame seeds and chives. Chowders, bisques and more will also be available – including DIY lobster roll kits for an easy dinner that can be whipped up fresh in five minutes at home after the commute.
Unique to Luke’s Grand Central (versus other Luke’s shacks) this location will have a full bar, cocktails to go, and a robust selection of wine, beers and hard ciders and seltzers in cans to go and on draft.
One of the specialty cocktails that will be available at Luke’s Grand Central is the Maine Blueberry Mojito. Luke’s Lobster partners with Wyman’s Family Farms to make this drink from the famous wild Maine blueberries. A variation on the classic mojito, this is a fresh, bright and crushable cocktail made with white rum, wild Maine blueberries, lime and mint. When ordered to-go it’s served in a compostable Wyman’s wild blueberry cup.
SPECIAL PARTNERSHIPS
Luke’s Lobster has partnered with other award-winning brands for this Grand Central location. Firstly, Peak Organic Brewing Company from Portland, Maine has brewed a “Luke’s Light” classic kolsch – the perfect crisp, refreshing commuter beverage.
Ben Conniff, Luke’s Lobster co-founder, chief innovation officer said, "There's a Pavlovian response that's universal to folks cracking open a beer at the end of a long day of work. For lobstermen, it's after you've unloaded your last trap, refueled, and tied up your boat. For NYC commuters, it's the moment you find your seat on the train. In both cases, the "psssfftt" sound of the beer cracking open tells your body and mind to relax: another day's haul is done. Luke's is proud to now be a part of that moment."
As part of Luke’s Lobster’s commitment to environmental and social corporate responsibility and sustainable practices, Luke’s has also partnered with fellow certified B Corporation® MiiR. Luke’s Grand Central will have reusable, Luke’s Lobster branded MiiR 16 oz tumblers for purchase with draft beer; each beer refill thereafter in your Luke’s MiiR will receive a $1 discount. While supplies last, Luke’s will also be selling special $25 cocktails in a MiiR 10 oz reusable and refillable lowball mug donated by MiiR. 100% of the profits from these drinks will be donated to Riverkeeper, a nonprofit that protects and restores the Hudson River from source to sea.
LUKE’S LOVES NYC
New York City and Luke’s Lobster have long ‘made the connection’ – Luke’s Lobster was born out of the dream of Maine native and third-generation lobsterman Luke Holden to bring the quality lobster rolls of his youth to NYC. After meeting business partner Ben Conniff on Craigslist (yes, Craigslist), the two twenty-somethings opened their first lobster shack in a 250 square foot space in NYC’s East Village in October 2009. More than a decade later Luke’s Lobster shacks can be found in ten states across the US, in Japan and Singapore, their seafood products are available at select grocery stores and shipped directly to consumers throughout the continental US.
As part of its mission to serve the best tasting seafood, sourced responsibly, Luke’s Lobster also built a state-of-the-art seafood facility in Saco, Maine, that allows the company to not only buy lobsters directly from fishermen at the dock but immediately steam, pick, and send them to its shacks to ensure perfect flavor and texture with every bite and transparent sourcing detail for its guests. In 2018, Luke & Ben furthered their growing seafood company’s commitment to sustainability and socially conscious business practices by becoming a certified B Corporation®, reflecting Luke’s Lobster’s deep devotion to each of its communities, its family of teammates, and the environment; Luke’s is now the highest scoring B Corp restaurant group and seafood company in the country.