Skift Take
Any restaurant opening from Union Square Hospitality Group is one to watch. Operations at Martina, which its chef calls "fine-casual," are a look at current industry trends set to go big.
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What Danny Meyer's Martina Means for Restaurants Everywhere
Restaurateur Danny Meyer opened his latest project, Martina, in New York City last week. The dine-in and take-out restaurant features a menu of photo-worthy pizzas and salads, and no item is over $13.
So what does a singular New York City restaurant opening have to do with the larger, nationwide industry? Plenty, when it comes from a superstar restaurateur and displays many of the characteristics of the modern, successful restaurant: 1: Small menu. Limited options mean increased speed, and Martina has just four starters, three salads, seven pizzas, and two desserts. 2. Order at the counter: Lines keep things orderly, and the association with register lines as a feature only of fast food restaurants has dissipated. (See: Sqirl in LA. Souvla in San Francisco.) 3. Custom to-go boxes. Thanks to the popularity of delivery and takeout, there’s been more innovation in to-go packaging. Martina is no exception; its custom-designed pizza boxes have vents on top for steam while still keeping the food hot.
“The idea that Martina could be a testing ground for a bigger company doesn’t sound outlandish,” reads E
