Discover Willowbrook's Best-Kept Brunch Secrets
Foodie_NYC
I had a great dinner at Kalye (“Street” in Tagalog). It’s an amazing, affordable Filipino restaurant on Broome Street specializing in Filipino street food. Kalye, a small, unassuming restaurant, delivered an amazing parade of unique, delicious food based on the owner’s chef heritage, as seen on the restaurant’s page. “Our menu is full of Rob’s cherished family recipes, offering a variety of mouth-watering dishes that will make you feel like you’ve traveled straight to the Philippines. From our famous Ube Sliders to other traditional Filipino favorites, every bite is a celebration of our culture and love for good food. Whether you’re here to dine in, taking food to go, or having it delivered to your doorstep, Kalye makes enjoying Filipino food easy and convenient.” Totally enjoyable unique experience. Salamat, Chef 💖🙏🏼💖
Cheryl
this szechuan spot just opened in the lower east side, nyc. right by delancey you can satisfy your szechuan cravings with their gorgeous interior. each dish was delicious and had strong flavor. • thin sliced pork belly with chill garlic sauce • egg custard bun • tradition stewed pork belly cubes • superior dry fried crab szechuan style • stir-fried string beans with minced cabbage and garlic • wagyu beef black truffle fried rice • handmade brown sugar glutinous rice cake 📍Fan Szechuan 大宅门
Food Baby
One of the best restaurants to open this year! CHLOE is back in the SAME location where she originally opened By Chloe. Your best new lunch / quick dinner option in the area, so many things here are so good. The Butternut Nachos are a must to start, the Classic Burger is one of the best vegan burgers in town, and every salad is so good, especially the Quinoa Taco Salad. And all the cookies are a must for dessert! Will be here for lunch all the time. 👶🏽🥗 👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽👌🏽
Melanie Yu
Foxface Natural is a natural continuation of Foxface sandwiches. We're going wild and natural! During Halloween week 10/30-11/3 Foxface Natural will be offering a five course special wild game menu (with an optional blood & guts focus for Halloween).
Cheryl
This is the perfect spot to eat, drink, and watch a game! With their vintage decor, it makes the perfect cozy spot to catch up with friends. They also have trivia night on thursdays at 7:30pm at their park slope location. don’t miss out on their oysters especially during happy hour. the oysters were fresh and the honey garlic wings are a must! Happy hour is monday-thursday 3pm-7pm • pineapple sunset • oysters • honey garlic wings • bg’s famous burger • homemade guacamole • fried shrimp • bacon mac ‘n cheese 📍The Beer Garage
Foodie_NYC
Wow, I had a great evening at RAS, an Ethiopian-inspired vegan restaurant in New York’s West Village. RAS is led by chefs Romeo and Milka Regalli, who created an innovative, holistic, health-driven vegan menu inspired by their Ethiopian roots. The servings were flavorful, delicious, and filling. I loved the hamburger—one of the best I’ve had. Had I not known, I would have never guessed it was a non-meat deliciousness. The food was followed by great cocktails. The service was impeccable, and the vibe was incredible. The amazing experience truly reflected the restaurant’s mission statement as stated on their site: OUR MISSION Every plate is a canvas, every flavor a narrative. Beyond serving food, we craft memories. With each bite, feel our dedication to warmth and genuine connection, creating moments that linger long after the meal concludes.
Melanie Yu
In the heart of New York City resides Thirteen Water, a sushi bar that promises an intimate and casual dining experience. This gem offers a variety of sushi dishes that will leave your taste buds satisfied. With the option for reservations and catering services, Thirteen Water ensures a seamless dining experience for all. While dogs are not allowed, the friendly staff and delicious food make up for it. Whether you're a sushi aficionado or a novice, Thirteen Water is a must-try for any food lover in the Big Apple.
See also
Dining in Willowbrook: Explore Local Dining Experiences & Foodie Favorites Near NYC
New York Locals
La Flor, founded by Giancarlo Villa and Bri Heu, is Brooklyn’s newest pizza hotspot. 🍕 Opened in July 2024, La Flor is the culmination of Giancarlo’s 15+ years of experience at NYC favorites like Roberta’s and Upside. ✨ Known for its thin, crispy crust, La Flor offers creative pies like the Spicy Hawaiian, Pepperoni with housemade ranch, and a vegan Bruschetta slice, alongside the classics. 🌸 The pizzeria’s name, meaning “the flower,” is a nod to its proximity to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Giancarlo personally designed and built the interiors, channeling the charm of classic New York pizzerias and Italian cafes. All pies are baked in a rare vintage Frank Mastro oven, giving each slice a distinct flavor with perfect charring. Come grab a slice and experience the artistry behind La Flor! 🍕
Eater
Next Stop Vegan Next Stop Vegan, a Downtown Brooklyn restaurant, specializes in meat and dairy-free Dominican food that has garnered local fanfare (the business was recently the subject of a Righteous Eats video as well). The team recently also added a Greenpoint sibling.
Eater
Sunday C&C is located in the Bowery Market, a permanent home for this concept first launched at Smorgasburg. Owner Christian Torres is a one-man operation serving up Latin American vegan food with a rotating menu. When it opened it featured Venezuelan-style arepa that’s made with sweet corn, housemade cashew “mozzarella” with ssamjang, and vegan honey, but the menu regularly changes. The market is technically open-air, but covered and shaded for weather, and there are several tables for dine-in.
Melanie Yu
NYC Must Try: Foxface Natural 🦊 Foxface Natural is a continuation of NYC’s famous Foxface sandwich shop which served unconventional meats - camel, elk, hare and more. They change their menu every few days to weeks, but there are several that stay on longer, like the kangaroo tartare which I came to Foxface just to try! Must tries are definitely any dishes that has their super popular fluke (melts in your mouth!) as well. Also, all meats are sustainably sourced and from non-endangered species! This was the epitome of casual fine dining - absolutely amazing and I’d love to go back again! If these items are ever on the menu again, find my must-tries below. Pro tip - make a reservation! What I ordered: - Point Judith Squid - black aguachile, fermented tomatillo, crispy berkshire pork ear, pickled ramp - Tajarin Pasta - our sake cured mullet roe (karasumi) - [must-try] Kangaroo Tartare - warm spices, charred eggplant, sardinian flatbread - [must-try] Maine Uni - wood oven roasted seafood quenelles, nantua sauce (seafood) - Sweetbreads Schnitzel - melted leek, chestnut purée, fermented sourdough mustard
Time Out New York
Cadence, East Village What is it? A vegan soul food restaurant led by executive chef Shenarri Freeman. Cadence is part of Overthrow Hospitality’s group of NYC plant-based restaurants. Why we love it? Freeman’s menu is a list of hits like the rich, expertly-textured grits and excellent hearts of palm cakes. The southern-fried lasagna with pine nut ricotta, spinach and a red wine Beyond Meat bolognese is a can't-miss dish.
Eater
Son Del North In places like Los Angeles, it’s much easier to find burritos without rice: Not so much in New York. Son del North opened last month, a tiny takeout counter that’s already cementing itself as a welcomed addition to New York’s burrito scene, thanks in part to its homemade Sonora-style flour tortillas. The kitchen is under the direction of Annisha Garcia, from Tijuana, Mexico, who was the 2021 Chopped Grand Champion.
Time Out New York
Ugly Baby What is it? Booming on Smith Street in Carroll Gardens since 2017, Ugly Baby is a Thai restaurant that will test the limits of your heat tolerance. Fiery flavors abound in the “stay-away spicy Udon Thani’s duck salad," and orders of soothing tue ka ko will slake any palate flames. Why we love it? Ugly Baby’s use of spice is a master class in heat notable to aficionados and novices alike. Like a lot of the city's best no-reservations restaurants, the wait for tables can be long, and if you don't nab a spot close to 5pm, expect to linger for a while.
See alsoDiscover the Vibrant Local Community in Willowbrook Near NYC - Engage in Trending Discussions & Anonymous Posts
Eater
Son Del North In places like Los Angeles, it’s much easier to find burritos without rice: Not so much in New York. Son del North opened last month, a tiny takeout counter that’s already cementing itself as a welcomed addition to New York’s burrito scene, thanks in part to its homemade Sonora-style flour tortillas. The kitchen is under the direction of Annisha Garcia, from Tijuana, Mexico, who was the 2021 Chopped Grand Champion.
Eater
Kisa, short for kisa sikdang (also spelled gisa sikdang), or “driver’s restaurant,” is an homage to Korean diners that emerged in the ’80s catering to taxi drivers. The spot echoes kisas in Korea, with vintage TVs, wall-mounted fans, Korean calendars, and a coin-slot coffee machine. There’s only one dish on the menu — it comes on a tray with seasonally-changing banchan. All there is to do is pick a main: There’s jeyuk (spicy pork); bulgogi; and jingeo bokkeum (spicy squid). The team recently added lunch and reservations.
Eater
Il Totano The first Top Chef winner, Harold Dieterle, of the late Perilla and Kin Shop, teamed up with Alexandra Shapiro, of Flex Mussels and Hoexters, to open Il Totano, an 80-seat restaurant, hoping to capture the spirit of a 1970 Italian holiday vacation. Aged fish inspires the centerpiece of the menu and the space, which includes a dry-aging fridge in the dining room. In addition to crudo, the menu revives Perilla’s spicy duck meatballs. Don’t miss the pork cotolette, pounded thin and lightly fried, topped with bitter greens and whole anchovies.
Time Out New York
Gage & Tollner At once an emblem of Old New York and a relative newcomer, Gage & Tollner was revived well over a century after first opening at this location in 1892. A trio of Brooklyn hospitality pros, including chef Sohui Kim, reopened the august institution to quick acclaim in 2021. Why we love it? G&T’s landmarked interior, which hosted several unrelated businesses before its latest unveiling, is beautiful: enveloped in crimson velvet, gilded and appointed with towering mirrors to reflect all its splendor. The menus are terrific, too, abundant with steaks, chops, seafood towers, sensational fried chicken and best-in-class desserts. The recent addition of weekend lunch service makes the tough-to-book Brooklyn jewel a little bit easier to get into, and G&T recently started making its sensational pastries available for pre-order. Check out Sunken Harbor Club upstairs, too, if you get the chance.
Infatuation
Hometown Bar-B-Que You’re probably going to have to wait an hour in line to get this (mostly) Texas-style barbecue. Once you make it to the counter of this Red Hook institution, though, the brisket, giant beef rib, and the lamb belly bánh mi will all be incredible. If you’re with a group, add some brisket tacos and Jamaican jerk baby back ribs, neither of which are essential but are still pretty great. Plan to visit on a weekend and make a day out of it.
Secret NYC
A Fantastically Fungi-Focused Restaurant Has Opened In The East Village! Third Kingdom focuses on all fungi varieties–from chanterelle and lion’s mane to oyster and black pearl–and each plate is thoughtfully prepared and more delicious than the next. Ravi DeRossi, founder of Overthrow Hospitality and 2024 James Beard Award nominee for Outstanding Restaurateur, has officially unveiled Third Kingdom, a revolutionary new vegan all-mushroom restaurant. And though mushroom-focused desserts may not have been on your 2024 bingo card, their sweet offerings cannot be missed. Dessert options feature dishes such as Lava Cake with rosemary and porcini ice cream and a Candied Shiitake Chocolate Crumble.
Secret NYC
If you’re looking for a place to get delicious food without any of the over-the-top frills, we’ve got your spot: Thái Sơn! Though the name may be a bit misleading, Thái Sơn is a must-visit for the best Vietnamese staples. From bánh hỏi bò lụi (grilled beef lettuce wraps) to cá kho tộ (fish braised in a clay pot) you honestly can’t go wrong here.
See alsoLocal Networking Events & Trending Gatherings in Willowbrook Near NYC
ResX
No earthquake can shake our love for Au Cheval Diner! A diner-style bar & restaurant with a passion for burgers, fries & eggs. This spot is all about comfort food with a gourmet twist, offering juicy burgers, crispy fries, and perfectly cooked eggs that will satisfy any craving. 🍟🍳 We look forward to welcoming you.
New York City Dreamland
Rucola NYC: Rustic Italian-inspired restaurant in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. Inspired by the slow food movement in Piedmont, we seek to provide a farm to table experience by selecting the highest quality ingredients available in and around New York. Their food, wine, and cocktail menus change seasonally. They are a carbon neutral establishment.
New York City Dreamland
Saraghina Caffè NYC! Milanese-born Brooklyn restaurateur, Edoardo Mantelli, has long admired the Viennese-style cafes of fin-de-siècle Milan and the cultural influence they had on his native city. In Saraghina Caffè, he’s lovingly recreated the sense of grace and grandeur found in these beloved institutions, where heated exchanges about the origins of the Negroni were cooled by a refreshing Spritz (Campari, per favore, not Aperol). More than places to stop for a drink, these caffè were cultural hearts of their neighborhoods, where poets and artists would find their next inspiration while nibbling on well-aged prosciutto di Parma.
newyorkcity.explore
Italian pizzas, but with an American twist! 🤤 Nuovo York Pizza Pizza place New York style Coming from New York’s streets.. Indulge your taste buds with our wide range of handcrafted pizzas, each made with love and attention to detail. Whether you're craving a classic Margherita, a sizzling Pepperoni, or a gourmet combination of flavors, our menu has something to satisfy every palate.
Infatuation
Defonte’s NYC is the old school Italian sandwich shop blueprint. They serve big fat sandwiches with names like Italian Stallion and The Zio Vito, there's someone who drove in from Jersey standing in line next to you, and the person behind the counter might be a little peeved that you’re trying to order at 3:15pm, even though they close at 4pm. A visit to this cash-only spot in Red Hook is the best Saturday adventure, and if it’s nice out you can head down to Louis Valentino Jr. pier and eat there. The Order: Absolutely anything that has a layer of fried eggplant on it—which is most sandwiches here. But we like the Italian Stallion, with fried eggplant, fresh mozzarella, roasted red peppers, and a half inch thick layer of prosciutto. And yes, the macaroni salad is good.
New York City Dreamland
REYNA NYC is one of those restaurants that provides the best is the food!! There is absolutely no shortage in options of places to have a delicious meal, a refreshing cocktail, or an overall great experience in a beautiful space to enjoy the day/night.✨ Its Mediterranean brunch menu offers everything from Baklava French Toast to Short Rib Grilled Cheese. And don’t skip on the cocktail menu! REYNA has curated some very creative and intriguing brunch cocktails inspired by the vibrant cuisine across the Mediterranean to include on their list.🥘🥂 Step inside this new hot spot for a fun brunch outing with your friends, a solo drink at the bar, or a date night for a romantic dinner. You’ll leave with the urge of wanting to go back for more!🏙️💫
Time Out New York
Dog Day Afternoon NYC On the block where the Pacino film of the same name was filmed, Dog Day Afternoon is serving up Chicago-style hot dogs to hungry Brooklynites. Their Chicago dog is made with Vienna beef and served with fresh tomatoes, vinegar-y Sport peppers and a Kosher pickle—none of which you’ll find on a regular NYC dog.
See alsoDiscover the Best Cocktails in Willowbrook: Local Bars & Rooftop Nightlife Near NYC
The Restaurant Guide
Restaurant Le B. is located in the historic Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. One of only eleven restaurants in New York to be awarded a coveted Four Stars by Forbes. Restaurant Le B. has also received numerous Best New Restaurant accolades from Robb Report, Condé Nast, Financial Times. Esquire Magazine naming our bar program amongst the 50 best in America. Continental cuisine interpreted for the modern diner. Chef/Proprietor Angie Mar‘s award winning, hyper-inspirational cuisine celebrates the bounty of the land and sea, presented in dramatic table side preparations, intricate flavors, and forgotten pleasures mined from the history books. Set in a jewel-like dining room, Restaurant Le B. channels the remarkable energy and joie de vivre of Mar’s beloved, cult favourite restaurant, The Beatrice Inn, while showcasing her unwavering dedication to technique and hospitality. Seen through the unique lens of modern day, downtown New York City, her award winning team takes inspiration from a 100 year history, and the relentless pursuit of excellence.
The Restaurant Guide
Sailor NYC is a new neighborhood bistro opening in Fort Greene, helmed by Chef April Bloomfield, Gabriel Stulman and their team of wonderful colleagues. At the heart of the restaurant, a deep wine list ranges from easy drinkers, through classics and funkier selections. Tying it all together is the warm service that Happy Cooking Hospitality has become known for.
Discover the Best Local Brunch Spots in Willowbrook
Willowbrook, a charming locale not far from the hustle of NYC, offers unique brunch venues that even some seasoned New Yorkers might not know about. Whether you're a brunch enthusiast or new to the brunching scene, you're in for a treat with the array of local brunch spots just waiting to be discovered. Here we divulge some local secrets about the best places to enjoy a leisurely brunch, ensuring an unforgettable dining experience.
Rustic Charm at "The Willow Grove"
If you're searching for an unforgettable brunch escapade, look no further than "The Willow Grove" in Willowbrook. Known for its cozy atmosphere and rustic charm, this restaurant is a favorite among locals. Its menu boasts classic brunch staples fused with artisanal twists, utilizing local farm-to-table ingredients. Indulge in their must-try avocado toast topped with heirloom tomatoes or the fluffy buttermilk pancakes drizzled with seasonal fruit compote. Local regulars often rave about their exceptional craft cocktails that perfectly complement their entrées. Come and experience why "The Willow Grove" is a trending brunch spot and a beloved haven for foodies.
Foodie Favorites at "The Brunch Box"
"The Brunch Box" is a vibey spot that has rapidly become a must-visit destination for those in the know. The door is always open to an inclusive crowd of brunch lovers looking to experiment with bold and adventurous menu items. They're popularly known for their eggs Benedict served on a freshly baked sourdough, but also go ahead and surprise your taste buds with their unique fusion dishes, such as the spicy crab cake hash or the plant-based breakfast bowl. A favorite among Willowbrook's residents, it offers an extensive range of vegetarian and gluten-free options, making it an inclusive brunch destination. It's hailed as a local brunch spot where everyone's palate is catered for amidst a lively atmosphere.
"Maple & Oak" — A Sweet Escape
For those with a penchant for classic sweet and savory amalgamation, "Maple & Oak" is a delightful hidden gem. Nestled in the quieter part of Willowbrook, it's where locals go to enjoy a relaxed brunch ambiance with a side of culinary perfection. Experience their maple-glazed bacon waffle—a perfect balance of salty and sweet, or their signature cinnamon swirl French toast paired with their legendary lavender-infused mimosa. This restaurant gives your senses a treat and, with its artisanal coffee blends, makes brunch a highlight of your Willowbrook exploration.
Casual Vibes at "Café Willow"
No exploration of brunch in Willowbrook is complete without visiting "Café Willow." Known for its laid-back and casual vibe, it attracts weekenders longing for an unpretentious brunch outing. Gather with friends and savor their specialty brunch burger, or try the popular shakshuka, simmered with tomatoes and peppers until it's just right. The café places a keen emphasis on local insights, often updating their menu to reflect the latest culinary trends while maintaining classic comforts. It’s a testament to their commitment to offer both novelty and familiar flavors, making it a fixture in Willowbrook's brunch scene.
Get the Inside Scoop through Kikihub
Residents and visitors alike can utilize Kikihub to tap into authentic local opinions and brunch tips. Ever wondered where a resident foodie gets their breakfast fix? Or curious about the latest trending brunch spots before they become mainstream? Kikihub allows you to connect through our anonymous chat platform, offering firsthand advice and guarded secrets from the Willowbrook community. As the social platform centered on local insights, it's your go-to for discovering neighborhood favorites and untold dining experiences in the heart of Willowbrook.
