Brunch Beat: South Slope Eatery & Juicebar
With so many places in the neighborhood to grab a mimosa and a plate of eggs on the weekend, how can you decide which is the best spot to take your visiting in-laws or where you’ll want to sit quietly for a couple hours with the hair of the dog? The Park Slope Brunch Beat aims to guide you through the choices — we’ll break down the basics, share some special tips, and provide a quick scorecard to help you pick the best place for what you need next Saturday and Sunday.
The South Slope Eatery & Juicebar (486 5th Avenue, between 11th and 12th Streets) is located in a restaurant space that has undergone many an adjustment over the last years.
Those familiar with the space may remember the Park Slope Diner as well as the more recent Green Kitchen — which focused on a mixture of heathy options and more traditional diner food. Neither really found their footing.
In August 2015, a new owner took over the restaurant and renamed it the more à propos South Slope Eatery & Juicebar (SSEAJ). Owner Angelo tells us “we took some time to rethink what this place should be before we reopened.”
Building — or rather “re-building” — an identity for a restaurant recognized for its previous options is one of the most difficult tasks to accomplish in the restaurant business. We have seen a very successful example of this taking place with the recently opened Empanada Loca — which is a short walk away at 606 5th Avenue (between Prospect Avenue and 17th Street). Empanada Loca’s identity now stands on its own.
SSEAJ is both a Latin-inflected diner as well as a stop-off for juices and smoothies. It’s a quirky combination that works.
The space was relatively busy last Sunday, and the cold weather contributed to its very active delivery service (Not a bad low key breakfast-in-bed option for Valentine’s Day, either).
The attentive staff didn’t wait for us to ask before they set up a high-chair, and the environment has more of a “diner” feel than a juice bar atmosphere (I’m never a fan of having t.v.s in a restaurant, so that’s my one grouse).
The breakfast menu includes omelettes, pancake options galore, egg sandwiches (recommended), as well as oatmeal and yogurt.
The “Classic Egg Sandwich” ($7) includes turkey bacon and mozzarella on 7-grain toast. It’s a satisfying, basic sandwich without any fussiness. The same goes for the Basic Eggs & Sausages ($6.75).
The texture of the Challah French Toast ($5.25) was just fluffy and sweet enough.
And as you may note, the prices here are very fair.
The Kickstarter Juice ($5.50-$7.50 depending on what size you order) was the real treat. It’s a combination of orange, carrot, ginger, and cucumber. The cucumber really makes the juice refreshing — and is satisfying on its own for a light meal. You can also get the juices and smoothies to go at their front area.
The more Latin-inflected meals appear on the lunch and dinner menus. Angelo tells us they plan on a beer and wine license in the near future.
South Slope Eatery & Juicebar is a comfortable, satisfying place — and it steers clear of the fancy trappings common to brunch places nearby. It’s a go-to for the basics, and may quickly become an “ol’ faithful” of 5th Avenue.
Slope Brunch Beat Rundown: South Slope Eatery & Juicebar
Where: 486 5th Avenue (between 11th and 12th Streets)
Phone: 718-499-0005
Hours: Mondays-Saturdays, 7am-9pm; Sundays, 7am-7pm
Reservations: Not necessary.
Who To Bring: This is definitely a great family place. The clientele was an assortment of couples as well as 4-5 person families.
Kid Friendly? Yes. High chairs are available, and the wait staff is patient with the kids.
Gluten Free options? Yes. Angelo the owner, encourages you to speak with the wait staff.