Another Gourmet Grocer Grows Downtown

South of 14th Street has its fair share of new gourmet grocers—a space that’s heating up so much it’s been described as a “war.” By now, you’ve heard all of their names—downtown spots like Bonberi Mart, Meadow Lane, and Happier Grocery—iterations on longtime stalwarts like Citarella, Butterfield Market, and Dean & DeLuca (which seems to be mounting a comeback and is the subject of a trademark battle) for a new generation of shoppers with an Erewhon-like price tolerance and stocked with the sort of products I recently saw at the Fancy Food Show.

After years of working in fine dining, Austin Johnson exited One White Street last year after what he characterized as disputes with his partners, in part over wanting to expand its companion spot, Rigor Hill Market, the gourmet grocer he opened in Tribeca next to the restaurant in 2021. The market began as a necessity while One White Street’s opening hit delays, first as a sidewalk farm stand using produce from the restaurant’s namesake Rigor Hill farm and later growing into a prepared foods destination also known for its hot chocolate. “I was sort of coming to a crossroads: My wife was pregnant, and I just wanted to take a step away.” He added, “Rigor Hill Market could truly only expand just as quickly as the farm could expand.” Now, he is trying again with different backers and set-up: “I like the pro forma, I like the profit margins, and it’s really just that I like cooking that way,” he said of moving away from Michelin-chasing tweezer-food, after having worked at spots like Seattle fine dining restaurant Canlis and Eleven Madison Park, where he has spoken about being fired from.