The Most Anticipated Restaurants Opening in Brooklyn This Fall
Sourdough tortillas, Danish Rye, All-Day Italian, Maine Pizza and more!
Friends,
I want to stay firmly in summer mode, but Labor Day is behind us and we are in Fall Preview mode! (Though I do think the beach in September is the best.) Anyway, rather than focus on the entire city (which the wonderful folks at Eater NY will do quite well), I am digging into what’s opening in my beloved borough of Brooklyn.
I’ve already previewed Bar Ferdinando, the newest spot from Sal Lamboglia. But Brooklyn’s got a lot more coming this fall, from a new neighborhood Italian spot in DUMBO, to famous Maine pizzas in Park Slope, Danish Rye in Red Hook, Cuban burgers in Domino Park, all-day Australian brunch in Williamsburg, a new Barbuto in Brooklyn Bridge Park, a second spot from the MICHELIN-starred Francie team, and so much more!
Happy eating and dinner planning!
DUMBO
Ziggy's Roman Cafe
The headline here is “husband and wife duo open a desperately needed neighborhood joint for the residential community in Dumbo.” This family-friendly, all-day Italian restaurant comes from Igor Hadzismajlovic (co-founder of the cocktail bar Employees Only) and his wife Helen Zhang, a comms and PR professional who is taking a break to focus on this project. The couple is taking over the Main Street Landing space at 15 Main Street and plan to open in early October.
The restaurant, named for the couple’s five year old son, stars chef John Poiarkoff (former exec chef of Marta / USHG alum) who developed the menu alongside Rome pizza man Federico Crociani, who is beloved in downtown NYC circles for creating thin, irresistibly delicious Roman-style pizzas. The menu will feature a no-fuss, easy Italian menu of classic Roman dishes and some with playful twists. Think artichokes alla Romana, fried gnocchi, tonnarelli carbonara, hasselback eggplant parmigiana and more. In the dining room, Igor has tapping his lifelong friend Edo Ademovic (who ran the bar at Sunset Beach on Shelter Island for many years) to lead front of house.
“Igor and I dreamt up the concept because of our personal nightmarish experiences dining out with our young kids (now 5 and 7),” Helen told me. “We wanted to create a neighborhood spot where we could have great drinks and delicious food in our neighborhood of Dumbo, which is typically inundated with tourists.” I’m excited for this one!
Barbuto
Jonathan Waxman is set to open a Brooklyn Barbuto early September at the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, a restaurant space that has struggled to find its footing in the ten or so years since it has been open. Barbuto is such a good fit for the Brooklyn Heights and Bococa neighborhoods – easy, breezy, delicious, reliable – all the things you want from a restaurant that can work for a celebration as much as a weeknight scramble with the kids when there’s no time for cooking.
According to the press release, “the restaurant will offer indoor and outdoor as well as a “Barbuto Garden” bringing an Italian-inspired outdoor experience with small bites and a beer program featuring 16 rotating taps and more than 40 bottles and cans, including local Brooklyn favorites and international selections.” Follow along on Instagram at @barbutoBK.
PARK SLOPE
Il Leone
By now maybe you’ve heard about the Brooklyn arrival of il Leone, the beloved outdoor seasonal pizzeria on Peak Island in Maine from chef Ben Wexler-Waite. He will take over the old Bar Vinazio space at 158 7th Ave in Park Slope, shutting down a week early for the season to get a headstart on opening down here.
I’ve never been to his place but folks go crazy over his pies – all naturally leavened sourdough. One of his signatures is the "Isola' which is topped with wood fired Maine lobster. I’m in.
Chef/Owner @benjiwex grew up in Park Slope and is returning home to open his pizzeria in the neighborhood where he and his girlfriend Lizzie have been living in the off-season.
According to Ben, “the Brooklyn space will have an open kitchen and a large backyard and feature the same naturally leavened pies we have been serving the last 5 summers out of our trailer on Peaks Island. Our produce will continue to be sourced from small organic farms and farmers markets and we will continue to source the best quality Maine frutti di mare for our beloved Isola lobster pizza. We will also have natural and low-intervention wines primarily from Campania (the birthplace of pizza in Italy), Italian cocktails, spritzes and Maine beers.”
Ben plans to return to Peaks Island on a continued seasonal basis. “It’s hard to believe this small food business has been operating for 5 years now, started out of a wooded grove that was previously used as a Lion’s club parking lot.” Parking lots rule!
Vato
If you’ve been to Corima and had their sourdough tortillas you probably dream of them at night like I do. Now comes Vato, the new concept from the team behind the award-winning Michelin-starred Corima, opening this fall in Park Slope at 226 7th Avenue. The team includes Corima chef and owner Fidel Caballero, his wife/partner, Sofia Ostos, Corima's pastry chef, Erick Rocha, wine director Mariano Garay, and longtime collaborators Paco and Erica Alonso. During the day, Vato is a counter-service cafe, serving Chihuahuan-style burritos, Rocha’s Mexican-influenced pastries, single-origin coffee, as well as their signature sourdough flour tortillas by the dozen. Yes, you read right: flour tortillas by the dozen!!!! In the evening, the space transitions to a casual neighborhood restaurant, serving a menu inspired by Fidel’s time in the Basque Country, where he developed his own interpretation of Mexican gastronomy, paired with a robust natural wine list by Garay. Set in a bright, wood-and-concrete space with an open kitchen and expansive backyard patio. Say less!
Folk
Jay Kumar of Lore in Park Slope– named the Best Restaurant in Brooklyn by the NYC Hospitality Alliance, and MICHELIN Bib Gourmand – will open Folk, a cocktail bar at 689 6th Avenue (corner of 20th Street) in the former Brooklyn Pub space in Park Slope. The space is about 1000-square feet with a big windowed bar area that gets flooded with light. As with Lore, it will be beautifully curated by Jay’s wife Daria and designed with similarities so it reads warm and inviting, full of soft tones and rich textures. “It will make you feel at home,” said Jay.
They are planning a welcoming neighborhood cocktail-forward bar and restaurant with three sections of drinks (from $14 to $18) and an array of appealing small plates and snacks – from Indian flatbreads, to little pot pies from Jay’s time in the UK, and other modern American dishes that reflect local produce.
While the cocktails at Lore are named for legends like Frida Kahlo and Leonard Cohen, the list at Folk will be named for regular folks – guests who have become dear friends of the restaurant. “At Folk, the legendary people are the family of regulars who have made our community,” Jay said. “So you may end up seeing your name on the cocktail list.”
Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens/Columbia Waterfront
Bar Lumière
Bar Lumiere opened a while back in the former Act One space at 117 Columbia Waterfront and then sort of closed rather quickly. It will reopen in late September with a new team at the helm: Brooklyn Chef Steven Hubbell in the kitchen and Per Se sommelier Andre Mack at the bar.
The concept now reads “creative farm-to-table cuisine,” which tracks since Hubbell is a veteran of kitchens like St. Anselm, The Farm on Adderly, The Alderman and Junoon. His menu highlights will include a Scarlet Crab Doughnut with citrus sabayon, lemon verbena, cotija cheese, sweet pickled green chili; Shrimp Salad with tomato mousse, horseradish, champagne gelee; Crispy Pig’s Head terrine with preserved red chili gribiche, black mustard masala; Grilled Octopus with roasted bone marrow, pickled beef tongue, red wine reduction, cinnamon; a 30-day dry-aged Dry Aged Pork Chop with roasted tomatillo relish, ginger broth, peanut, cilantro; and a Lamb Mixed Grill with spearmint roasted leg, whiskey braised shank, kebab, yogurt, crispy okra, and grilled caraflex cabbage.
The wine list curated by Andre Mack, who was a sommelier at Thomas Keller’s Per Se and The French Laundry, as well as & SONS in Brooklyn, features an eclectic collection of wines from around the world. Cocktails will highlight local Brooklyn and New York State spirits.
Gertie and Trudie’s Tavern
Nate Adler and Rachel Jackson, the owners of Gertrude's in the former James space in Prospect Heights, are on a roll. The couple closed their popular Jewish diner-deli Gertie’s in Williamsburg and are in the process of reopening it in the former R&D space at 602 Vanderbilt Avenue in Prospect Heights. (R&D owners Ilene Rosen and Sara Dima will continue to operate their next-door home goods store, R&D Goods, which shares a backyard with Gertie’s.)
Nate says the new Gertie, which will open in November, is going to be a little different than the old one, more of a reimagining. It will be a counter service restaurant versus a sit down diner, with bagel-baking on premise and it's essentially a cross between Katz’s, Zabar’s and Russ & Daughters – a marriage of appetizing shop and deli. Nate’s culinary director Mike Cain will be doing all manner of hot-smoked fish – trout, salmon, whitefish and more, plus all the meats: brisket, pastrami and corned beef.
The other difference is that Gertie’s will have a full liquor license so you can grab a Borscht Bloody Mary over the counter and sit in the backyard with your lox bagel, which is amazing. The all-day cafe menu will also include rotating seasonal salads and sandwiches and more of an all day cafe situation. While Gertie’s will be open from early morning through lunch, it will close after early evening. They plan on pop-ups in the evening.
Nate and Rachel’s next project is another takeover of a beloved space – this one Buttermilk Channel which will become Trudie’s Tavern this winter. “It’s gonna be our version of Red Hook Tavern, Minetta Tavern, or Joe Beef in Montreal,” Nate told me. “We are going for a classic New York City tavern.” The focal point of the menu is a rotisserie turning out gorgeous chickens, alongside great burgers, and if you want more of a lavish experience, a raw bar, steak, and smoked seafood appetizing towers. They will also serve fried chicken-and-waffles, made with a matzo crust, in a nod to the Southern brunch served at Buttermilk Channel for decades at this Brooklyn address. There will be a kids menu too. “The ethos of the restaurant group is about trying to create the perfect neighborhood restaurant following in the footsteps of our predecessors at James, R&D, and Buttermilk,” Nate said.
WILLIAMSBURG
Frita Batidos
Frita Batidos, the Ann Arbor cult-favorite Cuban-inspired restaurant from Chef/Owner Eve Aronoff, will open its first New York City location in Domino Park this September at 320 Kent Ave. This beloved restaurant serves Cuban-inspired street food, with a menu centered around Eve's interpretations of “Fritas” - Cuban style burgers traditionally made with spicy chorizo, topped with shoestring fries on a soft egg bun, and “Batidos”—tropical milkshakes, traditionally made with fresh fruit, crushed ice and sweetened milk. Frita Batidos emphasizes fresh, high-quality, locally sourced ingredients, served with care in a welcoming atmosphere to create a community gathering place. The distinctive, airy space is designed by architect Neal Robinson, who has received several AIA Awards for his work with Frita Batidos in both Ann Arbor and Detroit, and features a mural by pioneer graffiti artist FEL3000ft.
Isla & Co.
Isla & Co, an all-day brunch restaurant with Australian-inspired fare and craft cocktails, will open in September at 66 Grand Street in Williamsburg. This is a fun concept for the work-from-home set – I love the idea of brunch being served all day every day, particularly with dishes like Kimchi Sambal Scramble, and Pulled Pork Hash, Green Caesar Salads, a Power Bowl, and Strawberry Cheesecake Waffles (!). After brunch is over at 4pm, dinner service starts up with Spicy Shrimp Vodka Rigatoni, Fish and Chips, Steak Frites, Aussie Chicken Parma, and Green Thai Curry. The restaurant owned by Parched Hospitality, which operates Hole in the Wall Coffee, has an impressive coffee program with two signature house blends, originating from Ethiopia and the Americas and roasted in Denver Colorado, are featured for espresso and drip extraction.
Other than coffee there will be an extensive wine list with a large focus on natural and organic wines, craft beers and signature cocktails like the Wizard of Aus (Starward Whiskey, lemon juice, sugar, egg white, Shiraz wine float), Isla Old Fashioned (bourbon, Amaro Montenegro, eucalyptus bitters), and The Taipan (Hiatus Tequila, spicy pepper, yuzu, agave, shiso) complement brunch cocktail staples such as mimosas and the house blend bloody mary.
Allegretto
The team behind Michelin-starred Francie Brooklyn – James Beard Semi-Finalist Chef/Owner Christopher Cipollone and Owner/Operator John Winterman – is gearing up to open Allegretto right next door at 132 Broadway. The restaurant's name also shares its inspiration with Francie – both drawn from Betty Smith's "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," with Allegretto named after Francie's music teacher in the beloved novel."
Allegretto promises reimagined Neapolitan pizza and Southern Italian sfize, fritti, and verdure cooked in a wood-fired oven. The menu will include snacky things like Fried Bucatini “aglio e oilio” with Hazelnut and Peperoncino, a big Little Gem Cesar with Colatura and Frico, and assorted wood fired pizzas with the likes of marinara; anchovies, black olives, and Sorrento lemon. Sharing a wall with Francie creates a unique opportunity to centralize operations between the restaurants, allowing for creative menu collaborations. Allegretto will become the central baking hub done by Pastry Chef Justin Binnie for both establishments, while the Francie team will be handling butchering, resulting in crossover dishes. At the bar, expect variations on Negronis and Spritzes, Tonics, Italian Vermouths, and Amaro and a curated wine list focusing on the wines of Southern Italy, with some on tap.
Designed by Glen Coben, the space will feature a cozy, intimate atmosphere based around the wood fired oven. Exposed brick, marble and wood are used to settle guests in and watch the action with a hidden garden backyard.
Lalaon
Lalaon, the largest Korean BBQ restaurant in Brooklyn, is set to open late September/Early October at 22 N. 6th Street, near Smorgasburg, with two levels and a large outdoor patio. The restaurant comes from wife and husband hospitality and design team Ju Young Oh and Min Sung Kang of Brooklyn-focused (and based) studiOH Hospitality who also own (and designed) the Korean restaurants Atti and Kuun. As you might expect, the menu will focus on fine BBQ with house-aged meats and traditional Korean cooking. The beverage program will focus on cocktails, wine and Korean soju and makgeolli (cloudy rice wine).
RED HOOK
Frø Bakehouse
There’s a singular focus to the menu at sisters Maya and Eva Ebbesen’s Red Hook Frø Bakehouse: Danish rye bread. Packaged in a box designed to fulfill your Scandinavian minimalist dreams, Frø’s Danish rye is rich, dark, and dense – made from whole rye berries, rye flour, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, with a heavy hit of pumpkin seeds on top. The bread is a pantry essential and a gateway into Scandinavian culture; it works as a canvas from breakfast (butter and salt), to lunch (creme fraiche, dill, smoked fish) to a cocktail party cheeseboard and dinnertime breadbasket.
After hours, the space will serve as a cultural hub, hosting creative events, dinners, pop-ups, art exhibitions, and more. You can buy the bread in the bakehouse, but Frø is also planning bread drops throughout the city (details coming soon) and will have retail & restaurant partners as well. Follow @eat.fro on socials and sign up for the mailing list at eatfro.com. Frø bakehouse is 185 Van Dyke in Red Hook, right next to Steve’s Key Lime Pie!
Frita’s is very close to my heart but also STOKED Gertie’s is finally back. Vato is exciting beyond
WHOA this list is EPIC Andrea!!! 🙏🏽💪🏽