After nearly a century, the Palm is shifting from family-operated hands to join Landry’s, the prolific restaurant group behind numerous Wine Spectator Restaurant Award–winning brands such as Mastro’s, Del Frisco’s and Morton’s steak houses. Landry’s announced March 11 that it had acquired all of the Palm’s locations, which include 18 Restaurant Award winners in major cities across the country.
“The Palm is one of the storied restaurant brands of America with iconic locations coast-to-coast. We are excited for them to join our family,” said James Kramer, vice president of beverage operations for Landry’s.
The restaurants will continue serving classic American cuisine and superior wine programs, which Kramer says will only grow stronger with more resources. “Wine is and always will be an integral part of the Palm dining experience,” he said, citing upcoming enhancements such as “adding more selections, reviewing glassware and preservation systems, and making the wine list easier to read."—Taylor McBride
New York’s Gotham Bar & Grill Closes Permanently
While many restaurants are hoping to weather the devastating COVID-19 crisis, Manhattan’s Gotham Bar & Grill will not reopen. The Best of Award of Excellence winner had its last service March 14, after 36 years in business and just six months after chef Victoria Blamey replaced longtime leader Alfred Portale.
Wine director Josh Lit said the dramatic reduction in diners resulting from the crisis was too much to withstand for the restaurant, which had already been struggling. “In this particular climate we were unable to go on,” he told Wine Spectator. Lit is working on figuring out what will happen with the restaurant’s 11,000-bottle wine collection highlighting Burgundy, California, Italy, Bordeaux and the Rhône. He plans to “take some time to reflect” before finding his next endeavor, but says he’s confident the New York restaurant industry “will come back even stronger.”
“I’m really happy for what we accomplished, and wouldn’t have been able to do it without our amazing team of sommeliers,” Lit said.—Collin Dreizen
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