Wegmans launches new look, menu for Next Door; NYC location is next

For the past 15 years, Next Door by Wegmans has been known as for its outstanding sushi, but its menu has always served a variety of fare. Depending on when you visited over the years, you might have dined on dishes as diverse as mussels, beef tartare, butternut squash soup, Waldorf duck salad, risotto, a Bershire pork chop or even pizza.

Now, the grocery store chain has revamped the restaurant with a new look and an overhauled menu. Next up: a second location in the Astor Place Wegmans, an 87,500-square-foot operation covering two floors between East 8th and 9th streets in New York City's Greenwich Village.

The changes have been spearheaded by Oliver Lange, corporate executive chef, and Kazuya "Matsu" Matsuoka, director of restaurants. Before joining Wegmans, Lange spent a decade as corporate chef for the trendy, high-end Japanese restaurant Zuma. The Berlin native won the German reality cooking show, “Restaurant sucht Chef” in 2009, and has worked at Michelin-star restaurants.

Matsuoka started his 27-year culinary career in Japan followed by California and Canada, including at fine dining sushi restaurants. His latest project, Aburi Hana restaurant, became the first Canadian Michelin-star restaurant in 2022.

"We're here to refine the brand of Next Door and bring a new dining experience to Next Door," Lange said.

The new menu at Next Door

With the new menu, the restaurant has leaned almost exclusively into Japanese flavors with an emphasis on shared plates.

The cocktail menu, which changes seasonally, incorporates Japanese ingredients like Haku Japanese vodka, Hojicha tea, Roku Japanese gin, sake and hibiscus. The wine list includes more than 30 wines by the glass, as well as sakes, Japanese beers and Japanese whiskies.

Several popular sushi preparations have remained, but bento boxes are no more. Among the new sushi preparations are seared nigiri; you can watch the chefs sear the proteins with a blow torch at the sushi bar, and a chef visits the table to grate genuine wasabi as an accompaniment. If you haven't tried the ultra-tender, ultra-expensive Wagyu, order the Wagyu nigiri, enhanced by cashew black garlic miso ($15 apiece). Another luxurious preparation: scallops topped with brown butter and ribbons of truffle ($10 apiece).

The menu highlights meats, seafood and vegetables prepared on its Japanese Robata indoor grill, all served a la carte. The options include three steak preparations ($48 to $100 for the Wagyu from Japan) and crispy organic chicken ($39). A standout whole grilled branzino ($49) has a crispy crust and is served alongside three sauces: shiso chimichurri, sweet onion maple soy relish and brown butter enlivened with black garlic, miso and pickled sansho (a Japanese pepper).

Some dishes bring elements of showmanship. A delicious Japanese sweet potato ($15) arrives at the table nestled in a covered dish. The server sprinkles it with rock salt and mashes it with a black garlic-ponzu butter tableside. It is served alongside sweet potato chips that can serve as a vehicle for the mash or enjoyed separately.

A colorful raspberry yuzu pavlova ($13) on the new dessert menu is drizzled with raspberry juice at the table.

Some longtime customer favorites remain, including a burger with truffle fries ($28), pasta Bolognese ($26) and truffle mac n' cheese ($22).

The vibe at Next Door

The restaurant remodel was accomplished in phases so that the restaurant didn't have to close for a significant amount of time.

The décor now includes comfy gold furniture as well as greenery. The lighting has been changed; the atmosphere is a bit brighter and the sushi bar is highlighted. The changes are ongoing; the next step is revamping private dining rooms.

A spokesperson said the restaurant considered the finishes from the New York City location and used the same materials when possible.

The Astor Place restaurant is expected to open in early 2025. It will have large windows that look out onto the street, which will make it brighter than the Pittsford location, but "when you walk into the restaurant you'll know it's Next Door," Lange said.

If you go

Next Door by Wegmans is at 3220 Monroe Ave. in Pittsford. It is open 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 5 to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Takeout is available. Reserve online at wegmansnextdoor.com or call (585) 249-4575.

The restaurant is wheelchair accessible; the noise level is fairly loud.

Tracy Schuhmacher covers Rochester's food and drink scene. Notice something open or close in your neighborhood? Send tips to tracys@gannett.com .

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Wegmans launches new look, menu for Next Door; NYC location is next