IN VINO VITAE: Grand Vin Looks to Pump Life Back Into the Heart of Hoboken

Hoboken has its main drag and its flashy waterfront hotspots, but what makes dining out in this city truly unique is the eclectic charm to be found in the neighborhood restaurant.

After taking over operations from the beloved Three A’s, a newly renovated Grand Vin is set for its public opening TONIGHT on the corner of 5th and Grand—right in the heart of Hoboken.

“We’re extending an invitation to the community to see what we’re about,” says Grand Vin’s Dan Grey. “We have the same chef from Three A’s,” says Grey, “but we’ll be constantly revamping and enhancing our seasonal menu. We want it so you can come back in here five or six times and have five or six different experiences. We’re looking to bring something to Hoboken that Hoboken doesn’t have.”

Putting the “Vin” in Grand Vin is Dan Amatuzzi, the beverage director for Eataly in Manhattan, who serves as an adjunct professor at NYU with two published books on wine.

“I drink a lot of wine,” boasts Amatuzzi, “but I enjoy it one glass at a time.”

In addition to its crowd-pleasing menu, one significant draw to Grand Vin will be its ambitious wine, cocktail and beer initiatives, aiming to both educate and learn from an increasingly sophisticated Hoboken dining crowd.

“Our first program will be a study on the past, present and future of wine,” says Amatuzzi. “Thomas Jefferson was really America’s first wine enthusiast, so we’ll look at four or five wines that he really enjoyed. Then we’ll explore wines that are seeing a surge in popularity right now, before getting into some innovative, futuristic wines—such as quality tap wines and ‘brines’; a beer-wine hybrid like Dogfish Head’s Sixty-One, for example.”

Grand Vin takes its place at the center of Hoboken’s dining room table tonight. For more information, visit grandvinhoboken.com.