Rob Newton Extends His Smith Street Fiefdom with Black Walnut
Black Walnut may be a bit of a departure for Rob Newton, but it still hasn’t taken him past Smith Street.
Known for cozy, casual, independently-owned spaces—including Wilma Jean, Smith Canteen and Nightingale Nine—Newton is the latest local, influential restaurateur to jump into the hotel fray, taking the reins of both a 100-seat eatery and associated food and beverage programs, for the recently-erected Hilton Brooklyn. And fittingly positioned on the junction of Smith and Schermerhorn, which neatly bisects small-town Cobble Hill from metropolitan Downtown, Black Walnut just so happens to emblematize Newton’s personal career crossroads, merging his approachable, ingredient-focused, community-minded aesthetic, with a desire to reach a significantly larger audience.
Black Walnut at The Hilton Brooklyn, 140 Schermerhorn St., Boerum Hill
Photos by Maggie Shannon