By Kendall Shepard
“I’ve been scared as shit for the past 6 months,” said Johno Morisano, owner of The Grey Market. He glanced around the crowded shop to make sure nobody had heard him, but no one could hear the comment over the noise of the room.
The Grey Market, located at 109 Jefferson St., quietly opened their doors Monday, Oct. 15, and the boom has been dramatic. The southern-styled bodega is the New York product of owner Johno Morisano and chef Mashama Bailey. The Grey Market is an extension of their first restaurant, The Grey, on 109 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
The updated menu is not much different from the menu presented at the Market’s opening. Before, the menu was more a-la-carte, with customers having to pick and choose entrees and sides. Now the menu is more traditional, with full meals. D
Some crowd favorites that have remained unchanged are the burgers, but others like the potatoes wedges have gotten a cheesy upgrade.
While the counter menu has changed, the rest of the Market has remained the same. The to-go fridge features daily salads and sandwiches for quick pick up. A freezer section offers frozen meals with instruction on how to heat up at home.
“We have vegan and gluten-free items available, and also things that are a part of the Keto diet. I guarantee that there is something gluten-free in that [pastry] case right there,” said Morisano.
Bread, bagels and pastries are available for pick up, along with coffee to-go. Items like grits and bread-and-butter pickles can be bought in bulk.
A couple of new features that Morisano has been working on for years have also found their home at the Market. Full meals of rotisserie chicken, sides, bread and wine are available for pickup every evening. The Grey Market also offers catering for breakfast, lunch and parties, as well as special desserts for events and holidays.
The Grey Market is unique to all the cafés and stops in downtown. While customers can choose from their menu of pastries and sandwiches, they also have the option of picking up to-go meals and onsite-made pantry items. The regular bodega items are also included: soap, lighters, chips and condoms.
Morisano wanted the Market to be a place for tourists to pick up any forgotten items, as well as the locals to be able to stop by and enjoy hand-made items.
“Under promise, overdeliver,” said Morisano.
