9 Major Brooklyn Restaurant Openings to Watch for this Fall
As a restaurant rubbernecker, the reliably electrifying fall season is the only thing to mitigate our dismay about summer’s end. And the following high profile debuts seem a reasonably fair exchange for the loss of frozen drinks, beach days, tropical vacations and all-you-can-eat corn:
Brownsville Community Culinary Center: Culinary programs for the community have already kicked off at Claus Meyers’ Brownsville complex, but the countdown continues for his public-facing restaurant, which will likely offer three-course, $22 prixe fixes, and after-church Sunday suppers, prepared and served by local residents.
69 Belmont Ave., Brownsville
Hometown Fried Chicken: Billy Durney has been floating this opening for ages now, but fall may finally prove the charm for his Hometown follow-up. Following a protracted contretemps with project expeditor, Scott Schnall (who had been prohibited from working in the city), a stop work order leveled at the Van Brunt location has recently been lifted, meaning that Durney can continue buildout on his 35-seat fried chicken shack—a highly anticipated sister act to his celebrated smoked meat spot.
329 Van Brunt St., Red Hook
General Debs: Kevin and Deb Adey have parlayed the success of their Michelin star-awarded Faro into this celebration of Sichuan noodle culture. In answer to the dearth of quality Chinese food in Bushwick, chef Kevin has been honing his skills during days off and during family meals, in order to produce applaudable zhajiangmian, dan dan mian, mapo tofu and dumplings, crafted from pasture-raised proteins and organic, locally-sourced vegetables.
24 Irving Ave., Bushwick
Brooklyn Cider House: Having also experienced permitting problems for over a year, build-out has officially begun on this Basque-inspired cidery, an apple-centric answer to Brooklyn’s proliferation of local breweries, using heirlooms sourced from their own 8,000-tree orchard in New Paltz.
1100 Flushing Ave., Bushwick
Joe Campanale Franny’s Replacement: There will probably still be pizza and pasta at 348 Flatbush Ave., but in the shocker of the year, it won’t be coming from neighborhood trailblazer, Franny’s. Though it’s been floated that they may reopen in some way, somewhere else, sometime in the future, Francine Stephens and Andrew Steinberg recently made the gutting announcement that they’re shuttering their influential resto, and will be relinquishing their location to Manhattan wine guru Joe Campanale (L’Artusi, Dell’anima, Anfora), who will maintain the Italian fare throughline, while placing a fittingly greater emphasis on vino.
348 Flatbush Ave., Park Slope
Salvation Taco Brooklyn: Though Taste Talks has occasionally lured her across the bridge for festivals, this Williamsburg outpost will mark the first time April Bloomfield’s actually had a presence in Brooklyn. As in Midtown, her internationally-influenced Mexican cantina will inhabit the modernist Pod hotel, serving chorizo handpies, Chinese sausage sticky rice tamales and curried cauliflower tacos, as well as a distinct menu on the roof.
247 Metropolitan Ave., Williamsburg
Grand Republic Cocktail Club: Step directly from boat to bar at this 1000-square foot drinkery, situated directly next to the Greenpoint ferry dock. Christened after the largest wooden ship ever built, Grand Republic continues the maritime theme with Salty Dogs, Navy Grog and the bourbon-spiked Admiral Schley’s Punch, while tipping its cap to contemporary mixology via experimental tipples like a Cold Brew Negroni, a Black Rice Gin & Celery Tonic, and a syrup-infused Chicken & Waffle Sazerac.
19 Greenpoint Ave., Greenpoint
Paulie Gee’s Slice Shop: It’s all about the whole, wood-burning pies at the Greenpoint original, but Paulie Gee is throwing the public a bone, with his first dedicated slice shop. Located in a former Franklin Avenue garage, the grab-and-go outlet will specialize in classic New York triangles, culled from gas-fueled Baker’s Pride ovens. Thanks to a petition filed to CB1 by hundreds of area residents, though, don’t get your heart set on an accompanying liquor license.
110 Franklin Ave., Greenpoint
Marcus Samuelsson Restaurant: Slice shops on residential streets seem small potatoes in the face of the neighborhood’s ever-growing glut of glassy high-rises; especially since one of the world’s most recognizable food celebs is readying to move in. Turns out Marcus Samuelsson is trading the A train to Harlem for the G to Greenpoint, having leased the waterfront-adjacent, 4,000-square foot ground floor of a luxury India Avenue tower, though he hasn’t yet committed to a name, timeline or concept.
21 India St., Greenpoint
