Concord Hill
“Concord Hill on Graham Avenue in Williamsburg isn’t a secret, but all the same I feel like I’m shooting myself in the foot for sharing it because these days getting a table is a snap. Inventive American dishes combined with killer Bloody Mary’s — plus a divine spicy chicken sandwich that actually cures hangovers? This spot is Sunday morning magic.”
– Elizabeth Kiefer, Entertainment Writer
Concord Hill, 374 Graham Avenue (between Skillman Avenue and Conselyea Street), Brooklyn; 347-463-9322.
The Fat Radish
“The Fat Radish was doing avocado and egg toast before it was cool, which is only one of the reasons I love this place. Reasons two and three are the banana bread and the ambience (lots of light, and shockingly well-maintained foliage — all year long). And, they take reservations. Oh, if you ever find yourself on the Upper East Side, I also love The Fat Radish’s sister restaurant, The East Pole!
– Sydney Mondry, Editorial Intern
The Fat Radish, 17 Orchard Street (between Canal and Hester streets); 212-300-4053.
Aurora
“When I first went to Aurora, I sat outside in their beautiful garden (and didn’t have to wait the typical three hours). I had the most amazing prosciutto and burrata to share with the table. To my surprise, I saw a dish called Baccala Mantecato on the menu — a delicious salted cod dish with poached eggs, roasted tomatoes, and cheese that I had first tried while I was studying abroad in Florence, and hadn’t seen it on a menu anywhere since. Obviously, I ordered it, and it was absolutely amazing. This is definitely my favorite restaurant in Williamsburg.”
– Bianca Heyward, Editorial Intern
Aurora, 70 Grand Street (at Wythe Avenue), Brooklyn; 718-388-5100.
BLVD Bistro
“Yes the fried chicken is amazing; yes the mac and cheese has seven different types of cheese (and bacon!). All those things are wonderful. But what really makes this place absolutely amazing? The biscuits. They’re super-fluffy, incredibly buttery…these are the type of biscuits you scarf down immediately — waiting only to slather on some cane syrup sugar butter. Just watch out for the inevitable food coma!”
– Jessica Chou, Associate Editor, Digital Innovation
BLVD Bistro, 239 Malcolm X Boulevard (at West 122nd Street); 212-678-6200.
Buttermilk Channel
“It’s all in the name — buttermilk pancakes, need I say more? This country-chic restaurant serves up some mean fried chicken and waffles on a nightly basis, so you can just imagine how finger-lickin’ good their brunch must be. For some gourmet Southern fare with a pocket-friendly price, definitely float on over to Buttermilk Channel!”
– Elizabeth Buxton, Editorial Associate
Buttermilk Channel, 524 Court Street (at Huntington Street), Brooklyn; 718-852-8490.
Nights and Weekends
“This is my go-to neighborhood spot for the best Bloodys, delicious Mexican food, and vibe-y tunes. The huevos purgatorios and the coarse ground polenta are always winners, and if Bloody Marys aren’t your thing, the cocktail list will take care of that; my top picks are the margaritas and the ‘Mi Corazon’. Round that all off with a fun and friendly staff and outdoor seating, and you simply can’t go wrong.”
– Theresa Caffrey, Senior PM/Producer
Nights and Weekends, 1 Bedford Avenue (between Manhattan Avenue and Lorimer Street), Brooklyn; 718-383-5349.
Piccoli Trattoria
“While I normally wouldn’t think to go to a traditional Italian restaurant for lunch, this is my absolute favorite place in the city — although, I normally go for a treat-yourself dinner. I happened to walk past one day and noticed their breakfast menu (which is, essentially, standard brunch fare with an Italian influence). I was more than pleasantly surprised, especially since the prices on their weekend menu are pretty reasonable. Plus, brunch paninis? Yes, please.”
– Ana Colon, Editorial Assistant, Shopping
Piccoli Trattoria, 522 Sixth Avenue (at 14th Street), Brooklyn; 718-788-0066.
Sugar Freak
“I’m a Brooklyn girl, but if there’s one reason to leave my borough for brunch, it’s this place. Three words: Brunch. Beignet. Sliders. With praline bacon, y’all. Between the macaroni and cheese bread bowl and the fried shrimp po’ boys, there are infinite reasons to keep coming back.”
– Alison Ives, Editorial Assistant, Brand Experiences
Sugar Freak, 36-18 Thirtieth Avenue (at 37th Street), Queens; 718-726-5850.
Egg Shop
Three words: Bacon. Salt. Rim. Yes, I’m talking about Egg Shop’s Bloody Mary, which might just be the best in New York City (and trust me, I’ve tried tons). Food-wise, you really can’t go wrong at a cafe that celebrates one of the most ubiquitous items around: the egg. The bacon, egg, and cheese is a classy, delicious version of the deli favorite, and the side of fried chicken is, well, heaven in the form of breaded goodness. Warning: The wait can be lengthy, but if you roll in around 3 p.m. (late risers, rejoice!), you’ll have no problem grabbing a seat in this little slice of Nolita heaven.
– Erin Cunningham, New York Editor
Egg Shop, 151 Elizabeth Street (between Kenmare and Broome streets); 646-666-0810.
Dimes
“The secret’s totally out! My favorite neighborhood breakfast place is so packed on weekends that I make a point to wake up early just to snag a seat sans wait. I love that they have homemade almond milk – a very nice, very downtown touch!”
– Naomi Nevitt, Shopping and Market Director
Dimes, 49 Canal Street (between Orchard and Ludlow streets); 212-240-9410.
Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria
“Il Buco Alimentari is my favorite spot to brunch. The thing is, I could never reasonably afford going to this hot-spot on my own, unless my parents are in town, but the brunch (while expensive, I’m sure, by NYC standards) is an approachable way to get in on all the Italian goodness. I love the pastry (bombolone 4 lyfe), the pastas, and the fish sandwich…it’s all legitimately incredible. Sure, I can have ramen for dinner…but at least I’m having Il Buco for brunch.”
– Phillip Picardi, Senior Beauty Editor
Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria, 53 Great Jones Street (between Lafayette Street and Bowery); 212-837-2622.
Five Leaves
“I absolutely love Five Leaves. There’s always a wait, but if you go with a group of two, it’s never that bad (and their outdoor seating has a nice view of the park). Between you and me and the internet, I like to put my name in and then walk around the block to Peter Pan and pre-game on donuts. It makes the wait a lot more palatable.”
– David Kopach, Account Director
Five Leaves, 18 Bedford Avenue (at Lorimer Street), Brooklyn; 718-383-5345.
EJ’s Luncheonette
“Whoever put the B-R in brunch is my kinda lady. If it were socially and medically acceptable to order EJ’s jumbo flapjacks for breakfast (not brunch) every day, I would do that. Since it’s not, I take a Bloody Mary, scrambled eggs, toasted challah, and a mint cookies and cream milkshake to-go. EJ’s is the department store of diners — if they don’t make it, you don’t need it.”
– Nina Wolpow, Editorial Assistant
EJ’s Luncheonette, 1271 Third Avenue (at East 73rd Street); 212-472-0600.
Brucie
“This Court Street spot is my neighborhood go-to for spaghetti and meatballs at least one night a week, but the weekend brunch is also killer. The menu changes daily, but might include a pork belly and fried egg sandwich, or corn pancakes with bacon and coffee butter, which will make you believe in God.”
– Justine Goodman, Interim Editor
Brucie, 234 Court Street (at Baltic Street), Brooklyn; 347-987-4961.
Maysville
“I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE Maysville in Flatiron. It’s a southern restaurant that specializes in its bourbon collection. The chef is from Alabama, and I’ve now had just about every item on the brunch menu (crispy grits, beef tartare, quiche, etc.), and it’s all out of this world. The staff is also incredibly knowledgeable, which is helpful when trying to narrow things down from over 200-plus bourbons. And, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, the bacon bourbon Bloody Mary is outstanding.”
– Julia Finch, Photo Editor
Maysville, 17 West 26th Street (between Broadway and Sixth Avenue); 646-490-8240.
Jacob’s Pickles
“I’m having trouble typing out this sentence because I can’t stop thinking about how ridiculously good Jacob’s Pickles is. Oh, you like carrots? They’re pickled. Beets? Pickled. Bloody Marys? Huge, and they come with a deviled egg. Plus, they have cheesy grits for days. It’s a hangover dream.”
– Vanessa Golembewski, Features Writer
Jacob’s Pickles, 509 Amsterdam Avenue (between West 84th and 85th streets); 212-470-5566.
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