After an extensive multimillion-dollar overhaul, Birmingham's landmark Grand Trunk depot has traded train tickets for tomahawks and tagliatelle. The historic station is now home to Big Rock Italian Chophouse and a members-only cigar club, a full-scale transformation that still keeps the bones of the old depot front and center. Diners move through four distinct rooms, each designed with its own vibe, from date-night hideaways to a buzzy main dining room built for big celebrations.
Restored depot, four rooms
General Manager Tiffany Hull told ClickOnDetroit that the Eton Station room "reminds me of a train car," a nod to the building's transit roots, and said longtime regulars will find plenty of surprises in the makeover. Local coverage pegs the project between $12 million and $12.5 million, with early estimates landing at the higher end, as noted by Plate & Press. Hull added that the four rooms were laid out so guests can choose different scenery and atmospheres depending on the night.
Owners, size and cigar club
According to a press release from Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, roughly 11,000 square feet of the depot were converted into Big Rock Italian Chophouse and The Rock Cigar Club. The release lists around 360 seats across the main dining rooms, private spaces, and seasonal patios, and details a 2,357-square-foot cigar lounge with private lockers and state-of-the-art air filtration. Owners said the remodel brought in relocated bars, custom millwork, and restored leaded-glass windows in an effort to honor the station's original architecture while updating it for a high-end crowd.
Design praise and local reaction
The investment is already turning heads in the real estate and design world. DBusiness named Big Rock Best Redevelopment or Renovation at its 2025 Commercial Real Estate Awards, a nod to the scale of the overhaul and the attention to historic detail. Regional reviewers have also singled out both the space and the menu, with coverage describing a $12.5 million restoration and early favorites on the pasta and chops side of the lineup. That combination of showpiece interiors and a sprawling menu has helped the restaurant carve out a lane in Birmingham's already crowded dining scene.
Menu, hours and what to expect
The kitchen leans into the Italian chophouse concept, pairing handmade pastas and classic Italian-style preparations with a meat-heavy steakhouse program. Menus and reservation information are posted on the restaurant's official site, and the operation also pitches private dining, cigar-club events, and summer patio service as part of the draw. Weekend evenings can fill up quickly, so the team recommends booking ahead; see Big Rock Italian Chophouse for details.
What this means for downtown Birmingham
The depot’s rebirth adds another high-profile chapter to Birmingham's recent run of historic reuse projects, turning a once purely functional rail stop into a glossy civic living room for locals and visitors. Whether such a large footprint and a membership-focused cigar club can stay packed over the long haul will depend on steady traffic and critics staying on board as Big Rock works through its first full year in service. For now, the project is already being held up as a win for preservation-minded redevelopment in the region, with a side of steak and cigars.
