Openings: Seafood, Shawarma, and Shochu
This week’s installment of openings brings lots of new faces – about 20 new bars and restaurants across Brooklyn. Williamsburg is busy, with new coffee, beer, and Korean dishes. Also, say hello to a new ramen spot from a master of the dish, and a new place to smoke some hookah.
Bay Ridge
Pig Pig Cafe
7115 3rd Avenue, between 71st and 72nd streets.
This new bubble tea shop opened in Bay Ridge in December. The name of the restaurant informs the theme— the spot has stuffed pigs, ceramic pigs, and cups with pigs on them inside. You can enjoy their brown sugar pearl milk tea or milky strawberry tea to go or amongst the piggies.
Bed-Stuy
Bar Camillo
333 Tompkins Avenue, between Gates Avenue and Monroe Street.
This new Bed-Stuy spot opened recently from the people behind Locanda Vinci & Olii and Camillo. They’re specializing in Roman-style pizzas, as well as other Italian dishes. The spot will also have variations on the classic Negroni, and is named after the drink’s supposed creator, Count Camillo Negroni.
Sally’s
151 Tompkins Avenue, between Willoughby Avenue and Hart Street.
This new Caribbean bar opened in Bed-Stuy last month from the team behind Bushwick’s Sally Roots. The new spot serves Asian-influenced Caribbean food and drinks in a sunny and windowed building. Dumplings with oxtail short rib, steamed buns with pork or mushroom, and rice bowls are all on the menu.
Bushwick
Queen
247 Starr Street, between Irving and Wyckoff avenues.
This new Moroccan-Israeli bar opened recently in Bushwick from the co-founder of House of Yes, the iconic neighborhood nightclub. The spot serves dishes like charred beets, shawarma with pickled veggies, and sandwiches. A liquor license is hopefully coming this Spring, but in the meantime, they’re serving teas and coffee.
The Skilled Archer
313 Knickerbocker Avenue, between Hart Street and Dekalb Avenue.
Bushwick recently became home to The Skilled Archer, a new breakfast and lunch cafe. The spot is serving dishes like Belgian waffles with berry compote, harissa chicken sandwiches, and a turkey burger. You can also get freshly roasted coffee and other drinks here, in their big and sunny space.
Cobble Hill
Karazishi Botan
255 Smith Street, between Douglass and Degraw streets.
This new “ramen diner” comes to Cobble Hill from an Ippudo chef, Eater reports. The spot is chef Kanegae’s first solo spot, and will feature ramen dishes like Misopresso Botanical ramen, with miso soup base steamed with an espresso machine for creaminess. The spot will open on February 27th.
Coney Island
Taco Bell
On the corner of W. 12th Street, one block from the Cyclone Coaster.
Brooklyn Paper reported that a new Taco Bell, complete with booze and a dance floor, will be coming to Coney Island this summer. It’ll be open until 4:00am on the weekends, complete with music.
Crown Heights
Bleu Fin Bar and Grill
637 Nostrand Avenue, between Bergen Street and St. Marks Avenue.
Bleu Fin has lots of classic seafood on the menu. Guests can choose crawfish, clams, mussels, crab, or lobster for a boil, or try shrimp cocktail, salmon burgers, or fish fritters. On weekends, the spot is also open for brunch, with chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, and a 12-hour French toast. Wash everything down with a passion fruit mimosa, or some oysters on the half shell.
The Barlow
446 Park Place, between Flatbush and Classon avenues.
Enjoy a large draft beer list, cocktails, and interesting bar food like carrot cake cupcakes, spicy ramen, and hot dogs at The Barlow. The bar is fairly large, with both high and low-top seating and cozy blue chairs, as well as vinyl on deck for listening.
East Flatbush
CZEN Restaurant
4410 Avenue H, between Troy Avenue and E. 4th Street.
This new Caribbean Asian fashion restaurant opened in East Flatbush in December. The spot is serving sushi, garlic shrimp, glazed salmon, and is now open for brunch as well. They also have a happy hour Wednesday-Friday with $7 drinks and appetizers from 4:00-8:00 pm.
Flatlands
Veggie Castle Mini
2085 Flatbush Avenue, between Avenue P and Quentin Road.
This Queens’ favorite has come to Brooklyn with a new, slightly smaller location. The spot serves vegan dishes like their oyster mushroom burger, plant-based po’ boys, and Caribbean soul food. Veggie Castle Mini had its soft opening on January 27th.
Gravesend
Mera
282 Kings Highway, between W. 7th and W. 8th streets.
This Mediterranean spot opened recently, serving falafel, kebab, mocktails, and premium blend hookahs. The low-lit and cozy spot has brick walls and sits on a corner.
Prospect Lefferts Gardens
& Sons
447 Rogers Avenue, between Lefferts Avenue and Lincoln Road.
The Infatuation reported that this new PLG wine bar opened recently, with a sommelier formerly of Per Se and The French Laundry in Napa Valley. The spot specializes in American country ham (there are currently 10 ham selections on the menu) and cheese, and also serves pates and cured sausage.
Zanmi
1206 Nostrand Avenue, between Fenimore and Hawthorne Streets.
This new PLG restaurant opened this month, serving Haitian dishes. On the menu are things like petit pois (chicken in a creole sweet pea sauce), lambi bowls (broiled conch, diced veggies in a Haitian tomato sauce), and a mango soufflé with warm whiskey sauce. You can enjoy your food in their corner spot, with full windows and lots of space inside.
Sheepshead Bay
Kervan
1811 Emmons Avenue, between Sheepshead Bay Road and E. 19th Street.
This new Turkish restaurant is serving dishes like steamed mussels, cheese rolls, lahmacun (a ground lamb dish covered by a thin layer of dough), manti (a Turkish ravioli), and branzino. The spot also caters events and food is available for pick up and delivery.
Sunset Park
Wakuwaku
269 36th Street between 2ndand 3rd Avenues.
Wakuwaku is the newest spot in Sunset Park’s Japan Village. For now, they’re still working on the dinner program, but guests for lunch can expect teishoku, or set meal, that comes with rice, soup, and protein like pork cutlet or tempura. Guests will also be able to be in charge of their own cocktail fates, with a Lemon-Chuhai shochu cocktail that guests juice the lemons for at their own table.
Williamsburg
Copper Mug Coffee
131 N. 4th Street, between Bedford Avenue and Berry Street.
This Williamsburg coffee cafe just opened, serving breakfast items like avocado toast, croissants and other pastries, and drip Chemex coffees. The space is nicely decorated, with wooden tables and lots of art on the walls.
Dashi Brooklyn
119 Ingraham Street, between Knickerbocker and Porter avenues.
This Smorgasburg favorite has opened a new brick and mortar in East Williamsburg. Known for their Korean fried chicken, Dashi is serving similar favorites at the new spot, including dishes from their sister Pho Cup. Try their dashi short rib curry, fried chicken sandwiches, as well as coffees.
East Hae
98 N. 6th Street, 3rd Floor, between Berry Street and Wythe Avenue.
East Hae opened officially on February 13th, serving Korean dishes alongside cocktails. The spot features a rooftop and a wood-burning grill, as well, and is serving dishes like kimchi fried rice, fish ssam, oysters, and octopus kochi.
Randolph Beer
25 Kent Avenue, between N. 12th and N. 13th streets.
Randolph Beer is planning a new location in Williamsburg this fall. The spot is slated to serve self-service beer, and have a large gaming court with waterfront views. 18 beers will be served, as well as updated bar food classics like jackfruit BBQ sliders.