In an interview with Grub Street, restaurateur Stephen Starr (whose El Vez just opened) confirmed something first written about here: that Keith McNally (of Balthazar, Pastis, et al) is indeed opening a restaurant in the hotel under construction at 5 Beekman/Temple Court—and then Starr dropped a new bombshell: “You have that big hotel in the Wall Street area opening with Keith McNally and Tom Colicchio. It’s happening.” The Colicchio part is new—he’s the chef, well-known from TV, behind Craft, Colicchio & Sons, and Wichcraft.

And then there’s this: “You see down in the Financial District, on Wall Street, there are also great spaces available right now. Magnificent, unique spaces you could never get in other parts of Manhattan. I am contemplating taking one of them. The question is, How vital is this area going to be down there?

Could FiDi finally be on the verge of getting good restaurants?

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