7 Of Our Favorite Restaurants That Opened This Year In and Around Park Slope
PARK SLOPE – So many great restaurants opened up in and around Park Slope in 2017. Some became instant neighborhood favorites while some sadly never caught on and shuttered.
Below is a list of seven of our favorite spots that opened up this year. What’s your favorite new eatery of 2017? Let us know in the comments.
Taheni Mediterranean Grill, 224 4th Avenue (at Union Street)
This friendly, family-owned business serves up delicious and generous portions of Mediterranean classics including hummus, tabouleh, baba-ghanoush, falafel, and shawarma, all prepared using Mama’s family recipes and often cooked by Mama herself.
Cooks & Captains, 254 5th Avenue (CLOSED)
Opened in the former Grand Central Oyster Bar in March, Cooks & Captains was a welcome addition to 5th Avenue with Chef Tristen Epps’ fresh and innovative menu and the staff’s exceptional customer service. Unfortunately the Best Restaurant Group decided to shut it down and replaced it with Negril BK which debuted earlier this month.
The new venue serves Caribbean cuisine by Chef Kingsley John (formerly of Red Rooster Harlem and Daniel) and features a speakeasy-like Rum Shop. We look forward to visiting the new spot in the new year.
Kizuna Nikkei, 318 5th Avenue (CLOSED)
Opened in the former Carnem Prime Steakhouse earlier this year, this Japanese/Peruvian fusion eatery promised to serve “the latest gastronomic sensation that hit Europe’s culinary capitals” with a menu offering Cold Tastings, Hot Tastings, Sushi and Sashimi, and Makimono (Rolls). Park Slope may not have been ready for this culinary trend import as the eatery shuttered after just a few months.
Taiki, 134 Nevins Street (between Dean & Bergen Streets), Boerum Hill
Making its debut in Boerum Hill this past April was this neighborhood gem serving stellar sushi prepared by Chef Taiki who previously worked at Manhattan’s BondST. If possible, grab a seat at the bar and watch the chef artfully prepare and plate each fresh and delicate piece of sushi—it’s an experience!
Pinsa Lab, 86 5th Avenue (between St Marks Place and Warren Street)
Debuting over the summer, this new eatery serves Roman pinsa—a lighter, healthier version of pizza made with an airy crust topped with authentic ingredients imported from Italy. The personal-sized pinsas are prepared fresh daily with veggie and vegan options available.
Le French Tart, 579 5th Avenue (at 16th Street)
This charming boulangerie is like a little piece of Paris in South Slope. Launched this past spring by the husband and wife team of Laurent and Esperanza Chavenet, the bakery serves a wide assortment of fresh baked goods and sells various French products including assorted sweets, cookies, crackers, olive oils, sauces, jams, cheeses, charcuterie, pâtés, and more.
Nargis Bar & Grill, 155 5th Avenue (between Douglass & Degraw Streets)
After a decade in Sheepshead Bay, this Uzbek favorite finally opened an outpost in Park Slope—proving good things come to those who wait. The cozy restaurant serves delicious, generously-sized Russian and Uzbek specialties including kebabs, manti (dumplings), and plov (rice pilaf with chunks of lamb), as well as a variety of salads and veggie dishes.