Passenger train company Amtrak, which has 10 stations in Connecticut, is adding new dining cars to its Northeast Corridor trains that offer first-class meal service, according to an announcement.
The company said it has launched a premium dining menu for passengers in Acela First Class traveling between Boston and Washington, D.C. The Northeast Corridor route includes stops in Hartford, Providence, New York City, Philadelphia and Newport News/Norfolk, Virginia.
The new menu, which is based on customer feedback, is the result of a partnership between Amtrak and STARR Restaurant Group, led by James Beard award-winning restaurateur Stephen Star.
“I’ve worked on some really cool projects outside the walls of our restaurants, but the opportunity to collaborate on a premium dining menu for Amtrak’s Acela First Class might be my favorite project thus far,” Starr said. “I’ve always loved train travel and I’m a frequent Acela First Class customer on the Philly to NYC segment, as are many of our guests. I’m excited to offer my fellow travelers restaurant-quality meals inspired by our popular restaurants in Philly and New York.”
The menu includes a rotating selection of new signature dishes from restaurants owned by STARR Restaurant Group along the Northeast Corridor. There is also an expanded offering of wine.
The announcement comes weeks after the Amtrak Food & Beverage Working Group sent recommendations to Congress following an analysis of the rail operator’s onboard service.
The group was created by Congress as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Joe Biden in November 2021, and includes a team of passenger advocates, onboard Amtrak employees, state partners and Amtrak management.
The group’s recommendations include more than a dozen items, “ranging from simple steps like clear ingredients lists and new efforts around waste control to comprehensive technology improvements such as using satellite-based internet connectivity to keep food items appropriately stocked and allow on-board purchases.”
