The new Central Station Grill opened its doors to the public in January. Formerly The Cotton District Grill, The Central Station Grill started construction at its new location on the corner of South Montgomery and Lampkin streets in 2009.
With its location change, The Grill has also undergone atmosphere changes, said Arma delaCruz Salazar, director of marketing for the Eat With Us Group.
“The Central Station Grill is much more modern in decor,” Salazar said. “It has a more intimate setting, yet you can still feel that you are right there in the middle of the action.”
In addition to the setting changes, patrons can expect to see a few menu changes, Salazar said.
“We have added about nine items that are sure to be Grill favorites such as the grouper sandwich and shrimp n’ grits,” Salazar said.
Other menu additions include a filet mignon, cowboy ribeye and salads with dinner. Some of these dinner additions are $6 to $8 more than entrees at The Cotton District Grill, but other than that, prices have remained about the same, Salazar said.
Even though some menu changes were made, The Central Station Grill still kept favorites from the old location, Pat Campeau, Central Station Grill’s managing partner said.
“We’ve still got the fried cheese and steak on a stick,” Campeau said. “Those things will never change.”
Though the Grill has undergone some changes, Campeau said patrons can rest easy with the knowledge that it is still the restaurant you loved in the Cotton District, Campeau said. Sports fans should know that the Central Station Grill is still a great place to drink and watch the game, just like in the Cotton District, he said.
“We’re still your favorite Cotton District Grill grown up a bit,” Campeau said. “Everybody is welcome.”
The Central Station Grill has many benefits over its previous location, Salazar said. In total, the new location can seat around 300 people.
“There are 10 flat screens in the bar and you can pretty much see a television from any seat at the bar,” Salazar said. “We also have a really cool lounge area on the south side of the bar.”
“It’s the perfect place for when you want to just have a drink and appetizer with a group of friends or if you are waiting on your table.”
In addition to more seating inside, there is also a considerable improvement in parking, with four to five times as much parking as The Cotton District Grill had, Campeau said. Not only is there more parking access, the location is still convenient to walk to, Salazar said.
“The best part is that with this new location, whether you are shopping on Lampkin Street, Main Street or in College Park, you can easily and safely walk to Central Station Grill,” she said. “Starkville is becoming a more pedestrian-friendly city and it is very easy to park and walk to Central Station Grill.”
Though there were concerns about losing the foot traffic of the Cotton District, Campeau said the move has not slowed down business at all.
“We get a lot more drive-up traffic now,” Campeau said. “We might have lost a little foot traffic, but we have more than made up for it in traffic.”
The restaurant, even though it is in a new location, can still be your go-to place any time, Salazar said. “Due to our look and menu, we can be your destination for any occasion-a quick bite, a guys’ night, a girls’ night, a lunch meeting or a special date,” she said.
Campeau encourages college students to come out and eat with the folks at The Central Station Grill.
“We still have the coldest beer in town and a great selection of beer,” he said.
“You can still watch any game that you might want to see. We’ve still got a good happy hour.”
Kimi Cosgrove, junior marketing major said College students agree that The Grill is better than ever.
“I thought the new Grill was so good that I went two nights in a row,” Cosgrove said. “I love the decor. I didn’t feel like I was in Starkville anymore.”
The Central Station Grill serves food Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Bar hours are Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The restaurant accepts reservations Monday through Thursday.
For more information about The Central Station Grill, visit its Web site at eatwithus.com/grill or call 323-6062.