Everything to Know About Valerie's Upcoming Changes at Grand Central Market

Valerie Confections, one of the first in the new wave of Grand Central Market tenants to help anchor the Downtown food hall, is set to go under the knife. The longtime coffee, pastry, and dessert stop near the northern side of the market came to life in 2013 during the initial first wave that included Horse Thief, Sticky Rice, G&B Coffee, and Eggslut, but now hopes to revitalize its position with a new layout and expanded offerings.

Beginning in early July, Valerie at GCM — which celebrates three years on site this weekend — will shutter for roughly a week in order to fix things up. Co-owner Stan Weightman Jr. (along with namesake Valerie Gordon) plan to personally retouch the layout to more closely match their Echo Park location, which means larger displays for cakes, desserts, and chocolate. There will also be expanded shelving for pure retail like dried goods to be taken away.

Expect dinner fare like braised pork shoulder

Valerie will also begin updating their menu to reflect the current mood of the market, which means the usual coffee and pastry alongside heartier fare. Grand Central Market is moving into evening mode full-force, so expect dinner fare like braised pork shoulder, plus lunchtime tartines and salads. Furthermore, the stall hopes to add beer and wine in the very near future.

In all, expect to see the menu to gradually change between now and July. Once the shop goes into redo mode in early July, things should take a week or so before the unveiling later that month.