Come Hungry: Cooklyn Opens In Brooklyn
Cooklyn Mac and Cheese
All photos by Michael Tulipan
Another hot opening alert for restaurant-blessed Vanderbilt Avenue—a Michael White protégé is now serving Mediterranean-influenced, New American fare at the borough-worshiping Cooklyn.
Granted, chef Anthony Theocaropoulos’ resume actually skews very, very Manhattan, including stints at Eataly’s La Pizza & La Pasta, as well as White’s Italian and French Rivera-inspired Ai Fiori (consulting pastry chef Brian Sullivan also hails from Ai Fiori, Osteria Morini, and Corton). But Theocaropoulos is totally gung-ho about his new neighborhood, Prospect Heights, and fully committed to celebrating as many local purveyors and artisans as possible, with a cheese plate sourced from Stinky Bklyn (served on slabs from Brooklyn Slate Company, naturally), along with bread from Brooklyn Bread Company, coffee from Toby’s Estate, vino from Red Hook Winery, and KelSo, Brooklyn Brewery, and Other Half beers on draft.
Sorted into small plates, pastas and entrees, we can only imagine the menu is meant to mirror Brooklyn’s famously multi culti make-up, running the gamut from Greek-style Lamb Buns with feta cream and pickled daikon, and Venison Wontons with mortadella and mustard, to Agnoletti with veal breast and butternut squash, and Duck Duck Cous—seared duck breast, duck confit and cous cous, paired with a fennel and pomegranate salad.
As for design, Cooklyn takes the standard salvaged wood aesthetic one further, with reclaimed white oak paneling from Prospect Heights’ own Scout + Gather, wall sconces from Roll and Hill in Red Hook, and artwork by a variety of local artists.
Though they’re currently only serving dinner, in the spirit of the borough, Cooklyn plans to start offering brunch ASAP. So prepare to rise and shine early in order to make a beeline for Vanderbilt, because—this being a très Brooklyn establishment—it just wouldn’t do if they actually took reservations.
659 Vanderbilt Avenue, Prospect Heights
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