Park Slope Brunch Beat: Backyard
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.
After being cooped up inside during a very long and particularly cold winter, everyone’s craving outdoor space, and for those seeking a cool little sanctuary with their weekend brunch, it’s hard not to think of the aptly named Backyard.
If you can patiently wait to snag a table in the backyard during brunch — and don’t go in thinking there won’t, at least, be a wait during the peak chowdown time around noon on a nice day, when you’ll be standing out on 5th Avenue with other hungry folks waiting for your turn — you’ll be pleasantly rewarded. Though the cozy indoor space, with a few tables and a long bar, is a fine spot for a cocktail and some small bites in the winter, this really is all about its namesake. The steep stairs may be a concern for families with small children or older parents, but if you can easily negotiate them, the backyard is the sort of Brooklyn oasis that’s so leafy and removed from traffic and city chaos that you almost don’t care what the food is like or how much it’s going to cost.
Thankfully, that’s not much of a concern here, where the brunch menu has a wide and creative selection and is priced comparatively to other places in the neighborhood. To start, the straightforward Bloody Mary isn’t too spicy or strong, and the coffee will get the job done, but there’s also a long list of house cocktails ($12 each) for those looking for something beyond the typical brunch drinks — the Grape Gatsby, with gin, lemon, lavender, and prosecco, for instance, is just the kind of summery cocktail made for outdoor dining.
The food is just as interesting, with a twist on the traditional brunch dishes that you might be used to. Want eggs? Cool, you got ’em, they’ll just come atop a pile of sweet and regular potatoes with a heaping pile of guacamole and pickled jalapeños on the side in their Green Eggs ($10).
Love the hangover cures of Pork Slope, but looking for something slightly more refined? Try the Phat Stax ($12), a pancake or French toast sandwich with fried eggs, bacon, cheese, and potatoes. It’s the most lovely version of something so ludicrous — which may give it a disadvantage of sorts, because as decadent as it is, it feels a bit like it’s missing something. Maybe if the cheese were melted, providing an ooey-gooey element, it would take this over the edge to something you wake up craving, but still, as it is now, it’s perfectly enjoyable in the sunshine of their backyard.
The main dishes aren’t diner-sized, so you may be able to fit in a side. If you’ve got a group, try the plate of kolaches ($8), a Czech pastry that you won’t find in too many places in the area. For something a bit lighter but pretty irresistible, get the garlic-cheese grits ($4), which have a great creamy texture and are rich and flavorful (and which also come with the Mississippi Queen, $12, topped with sloppy Joe and fried eggs).
If the wait for a backyard table is too long that you end up heading elsewhere, but you’re looking to extend your brunch into the afternoon, you may consider returning for post-brunch cocktails. There’s that sweet spot between brunch and dinner service, from 4-5pm, where sipping a drink in the sun is just the right thing to be doing on a weekend afternoon.
Park Slope Brunch Beat Rundown: BACKYARD
Where: 388 5th Avenue, between 6th & 7th Streets
Phone: 347-227-8018
Brunch Hours: Saturdays & Sundays, 10am-4pm
Reservations: Available for large groups.
Outdoor Seating: Yes, a fairly spacious area that gets shady in the summer — though be warned, it’s down a steep staircase.
Who To Bring: Friends who like a creative cocktail; parents (or in-laws) you’re looking to impress, but you still want to keep it casual.
Best Time To Visit: They open on the earlier side for the area, so if you get their at 10am, you’ll probably be able to grab a seat in the backyard; otherwise, be prepared to wait.
Best Bites: The unique cocktails ($12 each) offer a departure from the standard mimosas and Bloody Marys; the Phat Stax ($12) is perfect for someone who can’t decide between savory bacon and eggs and cheese or sweet pancakes or French toast, combining them all into a surprisingly refined sandwich; you could easily eat multiple orders of the garlic-cheese grits ($4) and leave happy.