Grand opening of the remodeled atrium at the METRO Campus

The METRO Campus occupies a special position in the state capital thanks to its exceptional location at the intersection of Düsseldorf's Flingern, Düsseltal and Grafenberg districts. In the coming years, a new urban quarter will be built on the current METRO site, which will provide homes for around 4,000 people in the future. An essential part of the modern neighbourhood development is the integration of restaurants, which was taken into account in the concept from the very beginning. METRO is taking the opportunity to further develop the adjacent existing buildings and is creating space for innovative restaurant concepts on the newly designed site. The aim is to offer ambitious restaurateurs an attractive platform and to enrich the culinary diversity of the new district in the long term.

‘The new METRO Campus symbolizes our transformation into a pure wholesaler and is also a place for people to meet, exchange ideas and enjoy culinary delights,’ said Dr Steffen Greubel, CEO of METRO AG, at the opening. "At the campus, we want to bring to life who we are and how we want to be: pragmatic, focused on our core business and in open dialogue with people – whether they are employees, business partners or customers. With the new catering facilities in the atrium, we are symbolically and literally bringing gastronomy, as our core customer group, into the heart of our business. This is a strong sign of our commitment to the industry and strengthens METRO's identity internally and our modern employer profile externally."

With the completion of the atrium renovation directly in front of the main entrance to the company headquarters, METRO is also setting an architectural example for an open, modern corporate culture. The repurposed ground floor space has been handed over to the restaurateurs and some of it has already been opened. This marks the achievement of an important first milestone, which was celebrated in style yesterday. METRO joined forces with Thomas Bühner from the new fine dining restaurant ‘LA VIE’, which was awarded a Michelin star in record time after just a few weeks, top chef and president of Bocuse d'Or Germany Patrik Jaroš from the newly opened ‘485 Grad’, and the Buchmann brothers from ‘Casita Mexicana’, who are opening a young Mexican concept in the third new restaurant space. A total of seven new restaurants are expected to open on the METRO Campus by the end of 2026, reflecting the diversity of the industry: from high-calibre Michelin-starred cuisine to neighbourhood restaurants and a forward-looking fast-casual concept. This will contribute to Düsseldorf's profile as a gastronomic location and to the goal of establishing the state capital as a gastronomic capital.

Dr Stephan Keller, City Mayor of Düsseldorf and an active supporter of Düsseldorf's restaurant scene, also addressed the guests, emphasising the importance of the project for the city: "The new METRO Campus is a win for Düsseldorf. It shows how modern business locations are being reimagined today – open, lively and with a clear commitment to the urban community. The new and varied gastronomic concepts are a real added value for the neighbouring districts and a strong signal for the future of gastronomy in our city."

A special highlight of the evening was the appearance of internationally acclaimed bartender Linh Nguyen, who presented exclusive cocktail creations especially for the opening. The three new restaurants on the METRO Campus and the METRO chefs and their team provided the culinary delights.

Thomas Bühner's new restaurant ‘LA VIE’ has been welcoming guests since May. ‘485 Grad’ will open in mid-July, and the new Mexican concept is expected to open at the end of August. ‘Dritan Alsela,’ the fourth and long-established coffee institution in the METRO Atrium, invites visitors during its regular opening hours.