Brunch in New York

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DuMont is the go-to spot for brunch in the upwardly mobile Lorimer stop section of Williamsburg, which during a earlier era was considered East Williamsburg (the pioneering DuMont opened a decade ago, before anyone really wanted to live there). These days, it’s a secondary main drag to the Bedford stop and the crowds are about interchangeable, though Dumont is less likely to draw curious Manhattanites. Read the rest of this entry »

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Buttermilk Channel came highly recommended it to us, and we have to say: the recommenders were right. This is simply the best-value brunch we have been lucky to eat in New York. Why the name? Buttermilk Channel is the mile-long tidal strait that runs between Brooklyn and Governor’s Island. When the area was still farmland, dairy farmers would cross it by boat to sell milk in Manhattan markets. Smith Street (where the restaurant is located) was defined by this channel, just a few blocks west. Read the rest of this entry »

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For such a great neighborhood, Brooklyn Heights has always been curiously devoid of truly great places in which to dine. Subtract the Grimaldi’s pizza joint under the bridge and the River Café and ice cream place on the river—probably those all belong to DUMBO geographically, anyway—and what do you have left? Jack the Horse Tavern? Okay. We’ll give you that one. A bakery or two? But that’s about it. That’s what makes Colonie, new as of February 2011, such an interesting and daring entry in the Great Brooklyn Resto Sweepstakes. They’ve gone all-in with brunch offerings like foie gras (!) doughnuts, Long Island white wine on tap, and oysters on the half-shell. Hard to tell if this place will survive the brutally competitive BK dining scene, but it’s certainly not gun-shy. Read the rest of this entry »

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There’s nothing quite as pleasing to the psyche on a weekend morning in spring as a casual outdoor brunch. And Benchmark in Park Slope — with its spacious outdoor dining area, a menu of hearty but tastefully prepared twists on American classics, and welcoming service — is a perfect choice for such an experience. This restaurant is tucked around the corner from Park Slope’s busy Fifth Avenue. Open for just over a year, the restaurant offers a creative New American menu, with a focus on locally-grown produce and pasture-raised animals.  Read the rest of this entry »

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If you did not try them here, you don’t know really the Eggs Rothko ! You have to come in this hip Williamsburg’s spot close to Bedford Avenue to order this dish :  an easy-cooked egg in a slice of Amy’s brioche and topped with Grafton cheddar. Served with broiled tomatoes and a side of meat (the best bacon we had in town !) or seasonal vegetables, it’s just fantastic and so cheap ($9). Maybe one of the best dishes we ordered in New York. Moreover, the rest of the menu is pretty varied ; the food always amazing.

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The Brooklyn location of Bubby’s is situated on an enviable – and no doubt wildly expensive – piece of real estate: An enormous, two level space overlooks Brooklyn Bridge Park and offers the neighborhood namesake view of the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges.  During the warmer months, pedestrians from outer boroughs like Manhattan trickle in; but during the winter, most of the brunch diners have traveled on foot (or in strollers) from a multi-million dollar condominium to the fringes of a neighborhood that relies on shadows thrown from pre-war construction and the errant abandoned loft to fancy itself an ‘artist’s’ community. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Lodge is one of the best spots in Williamsburg to ogle hungover hipsters in their bloodshot, flannel, unshaven Sunday best. Catering to hard-drinking late risers, brunch is served until 5 pm on Saturdays and Sundays and includes 2-for-1 Bloody Marys.

If you arrive before noon, expect to have the place almost completely to yourself. Otherwise, expect very slow, inattentive service – the staff is more interested in socializing amongst themselves than catering to your every whim. Read the rest of this entry »

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The name means hugs and kisses in Italian, but Baci & Abbracci is not your grandmother’s home-cooked Italian. On a slightly weathered stretch of hip South Williamsburg, it is mostly a destination for locals, but some Manhattan folks will cross the East River for the award-wining pizza.

Unfortunately, the brunch menu only offers a single pie, the Margherita Festiva ($12): a breakfast “spin” on the traditional fresh mozzarella, basil and tomato pizza; with eggs and your choice of breakfast meat. It is more substantial than it looks – chew slowly, or share. Read the rest of this entry »