Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa’s summer is about to get a lot cooler … literally.
The Atlantic City market leader will once again reinvest in its megaresort by offering three new additions this summer: the Borgata Beer Garden, Outdoor Pool and The Marketplace Eatery.
In partnership with restaurateur and real estate developer George Siganos, they will revolutionize the food court concept with The Marketplace Eatery, a multi-outlet, quick-serve complex in the former Cafeteria space below Borgata’s Poker Room and The Racebook that is expected to open July 1.
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Fresh, made-to-order eateries will replace the previous brands at The Cafeteria including Tony Luke’s, Fatburger and others.
“We fit a niche that is missing there and in all of Atlantic City,” Siganos says. “I travel all around the world, and it’s a trend to offer tastings and very interactive cuisine. It’s a unique concept because it will be beautiful, there will be plates and silverware, and we will serve them their food after they order. It’s a unique and upscale quick-service experience. We are revolutionizing and elevating the entire concept.”
Led by husband/wife chefs Joe and Jennifer Muldoon, The Marketplace will be anchored by a market specializing in fine cheeses, charcuterie, olive oil, wine, Lavazza Coffee bar and more.
Resembling an Italian market, guests will be able to sit down and order wine and cheese plates, customize gift baskets and even take home any of the fine, imported offerings available. More than 150 cheeses will be featured, and The Marketplace will even offer tasting classes and elegant wine dinners. Guests will also be able to place orders from the market and pick up their goods at checkout.
“It will be an amazing market with the best and freshest cheeses and meats and imported selections,” Joe Muldoon says. “We will literally offering nothing but the best. We will be making our own mozzarella and will even have classes to show people how to make it themselves. And I’m most excited about the wine dinners, where we’ll be able to literally offer a tour of our whole store from course to course.”
Other than the main market, there will be seven other quick-serve offerings. The only remaining outlet from The Cafeteria is Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, which will be joined by Chop & Toss Salad Company featuring signature salads, wraps and soups; Burgerville: Burgers, Shakes & Fries, offering fresh-pressed, 100-percent grass-fed, certified angus, hormone-free beef from Pat LaFrieda as well as onion rings, fries and milkshakes; Casa Taco Express, the first Casa Taco location outside of the original Tropicana location featuring Mexican cuisine such as tacos and quesadillas as well as made-to-order breakfast including Huevos Rancheros; Asian Fusion: Udon/Sushi & Traditional, with sushi, Chinese and noodles; Pizata: Pizza & Pasta, a made-to-order pizza and pasta stop that will offer guests the chance to pick toppings and make pizza to order and will also feature Talluto’s pasta; and The Original Philly Steaks and Subs, hoagies served on fresh-baked Formica Bros. Atlantic City bread and cheesesteaks offered with Whiz wit or witout.
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“There is literally something for everyone,” Jennifer Muldoon says. “We are excited to bring the iconic Casa Taco brand to Borgata. We will feature the best of the best ingredients like Pat LaFrieda meat. And there are some great twists that will keep people guessing.”
“The evolution of The Cafeteria into the upscale Marketplace Eatery supports Borgata’s commitment to provide the most diverse and innovative culinary experiences in the region,” adds Senior Vice President of Operations Joe Lupo. “We couldn’t be happier with our partnership with Siganos. We are always about offering upscale amenities for our guests and evolving our product, and this will do that.”
Capitalizing on the popularity of craft beer, Borgata Beer Garden will open July 1. Open daily, the canopied bar will offer more than 15 craft and domestic beers plus live music every Friday through Sunday. Located in the former Festival Park space adjacent to surface lot parking, there will be a variety of lawn games as well as unique events such as “Beer N Bites Happy Hour,” “Pig Roast Thursdays” and “Sunday Scotch and Cigars.”
Right next to the beer garden is the Outdoor Pool, a 3,200-square-foot, Roman-style pool expected to open in early July that will be accessible only to Borgata and Water Club hotel guests. Featuring more than 300 chase lounges, daybeds and cabanas, more than 1,000 guests will be able to enjoy the facility at a time.
Both the Outdoor Pool and Beer Garden will feature food from Executive Chef Tom Biglan such as watermelon salad with feta and micro greens, smashed brisket and short rib burger and chipotle chicken Caesar wrap. A special cocktail menu will also be offered.
“With the launch of Borgata Beer Garden and Outdoor Pool, we are thrilled to present our hotel guests with an excellent outdoor amenity, offered seven days a week, that effectively reinforces the resort as the summer destination in Atlantic City,” Lupo says. “We already had the infrastructure in place from last year’s Festival Park, and it’s really great to be able to offer a seven-day amenity outdoors for all Atlantic City guests .. and that’s where the Beer Garden decision came from. We wanted to make sure we had something new for people to experience.”