Queensyard has opened in Hudson Yards, the largest private real estate development in US history, which once complete will also also house restaurants from chef Thomas Keller, Momofuku's David Chang, and London catering company Rhubarb.
D&D says the 11,142 sq ft restaurant will bring “a flavour of London to New York”, with Owen Sullivan, a former executive head chef at Gordon Ramsay Group, overseeing the kitchen.
The menu includes venison scotch egg with Cumberland sauce; beef and bone marrow pies; and warm doughnuts with salted pecan caramel and raspberry ripple ice cream.
Queensyard is D&D’s third overall restaurant to open in New York, though its Guastavino’s site under the 59th Street Bridge has now converted to an events venue.
The group opened the first overseas outpost of its Bluebird concept in the Time Warner Centre by Central Park last autumn, but received a chilly reception from New York critics. Eater gave it a zero-star rating, while The New York Times titled its review “What if Brexit were a restaurant?”.
D&D currently operates 41 restaurants worldwide, including 36 in the UK. D&D CEO Des Gunewardena told BigHospitality last year the company would focus on expansion in the US and Europe if Brexit made it more difficult to open restaurants in the UK.
A growing number of UK hospitality brands have crossed the pond to open in New York over the last few years. Burger & Lobster and Wagamama have both launched since 2015, while Pret A Manger has been in the city since 2000.
Hawksmoor is also set to open its long-awaited New York restaurant later this year.