Photo courtesy Ten Hope BK
11 great places for outdoor brunch
Summer (and the world) may be coming to an end. Might as well try one of these excellent spots while the weather still permits
Summer may be winding down, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to eat outside well into fall. And one of the best ways to take advantage of warm weather (unseasonable or not) is through a good meal and cocktails at one of the borough’s many restaurant gardens, scenic terraces, or quaint sidewalk cafés. The world may be ending, but we can still brunch.
Thanks to the city’s Open Restaurants Program, open-air dining became ubiquitous, lending a uniquely European flair to already-charming neighborhood blocks. On top of that, local spots with backyards and rooftop decks have made the most of what they have, becoming a leafy oasis from the bustle of the city.
Nibble on chilaquiles under a magical plant-covered lattice in Gowanus, stop to smell the flowers while waiting for an order of eggs Benedict with a homemade biscuit in Carroll Gardens, or settle into a couch to feast on sweet plantain pancakes in Williamsburg. This is fine.
Heading out for an elaborate brunch is practically a rite of passage for New Yorkers — and these spots take Bennies and Bloodies to new levels by adding in the ambiance of outdoor dining.
Here are 11 great places in Brooklyn to grab brunch outdoors before we’re all pushed inside again.
Kitchen at Cobble Hill
Address: 254 Court St.; Cobble Hill
Phone: (347) 599-1887
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Get comfy on one of the velvet forest green couches or sit underneath the tent surrounded by a colorful bouquet of pink flowers at this Cobble Hill restaurant. Order a plate of crispy latkes and lox or a shakshuka with tomato-pepper harissa sauce and warm zaatar pita as you embrace the energy of Court Street on a busy weekend morning. Craving something sweet? Try the cronut and pancake for a sugar bomb that will destroy any hangover.
Olmsted
Address: 659 Vanderbilt Ave.; Prospect Heights
Phone: (718) 552-2610
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Brunch is taken to the next level at this inventive eatery with dishes like BEC egg rolls, sourdough waffles with milk ice cream, and fro-yo brunchified with pistachio granola and peaches. Grab a seat in the backyard where rows and rows of plants take center stage — which makes sense considering the restaurant was named for Frederick Law Olmsted, the landscape wizard behind Prospect Park. Take a look around the garden, some of your food may come directly from it.
Sunday in Brooklyn
Address: 348 Wythe Ave.; Williamsburg
Phone: (347) 222-6722
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Williamsburg on a weekend is full of energy and one of the best ways to take it in is with a stack of giant pancakes covered in hazelnut maple praline and brown butter from a private sidewalk booth that’s both cool and Covid-safe. For those who want to feel even more in the center of the action, grab a table along the side of the restaurant and sit facing out, Parisian-style.
Claro
Address: 284 Third Ave.; Gowanus
Phone: (347) 721-3126
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Take a seat in the shade underneath the plant-covered trellis in the backyard of this Oaxacan restaurant and order up a three-course brunch with chilaquiles, chocolate mole cake, and more. Take your brunch up a notch with a curated mezcal pairing. Between courses, watch tortillas being pressed and listen for the crackle of tostadas cooking on the wood-fired comal.
Colonie
Address: 127 Atlantic Ave.; Brooklyn Heights
Phone: (718) 855-7500
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This sidewalk setup is the place to be on weekend mornings as crowds gather to try the cacio e pepe scramble, French toast with whipped mascarpone, and Turkish eggs with brown butter and yogurt. Sit underneath the corrugated metal overhang on a sunny weekend and get ready for some quality people watching on Atlantic Avenue.
Gran Electrica
Address: 5 Front St.; Dumbo,
Phone: (718) 852-2700
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Feast on huevos rancheros, tamales with eggs, chilaquiles—and, if you’re feeling adventurous, the tongue tacos—in the covered backyard of this Dumbo Mexican restaurant. The garden feels quintessentially Brooklyn, with exposed brick and plants growing up the walls with fans for better air circulation (and to keep you cool on hot late-summer days). Top off your brunch with a bloody Maria with pueblo viejo blanco, jalapeño, and spicy celery salt, or order up a Mexican Coke.
Court Street Tavern
Address: 449 Court Street; Carroll Gardens
Phone: (929) 298-0321
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This outdoor setup feels like stepping into a magical garden—that just happens to be on the street and serve a mean brunch. Multicolored flowers overflow from the awning, hanging over tables, while green grass on the floor and facade brings a romantic vibe. Order the eggs Benedict with a homemade biscuit and pork and fennel sausage patty, or try the smoked salmon scramble with crème fraîche and everything bagel spices. Take time to smell the flowers, so to speak, by ordering a mimosa brunch kit to build your own cocktails.
Aurora
Address: 70 Grand St.; Williamsburg
Phone: (718) 388-5100
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Surround yourself with walls of green at this Italian spot in Williamsburg that boasts a large covered terrace that feels like stepping into a secret garden. La dolce vita continues with dishes like eggs Benedict with prosciutto and burrata, brioche panino, and tonnarelli cacio e pepe.
Ten Hope BK
Address: 10 Hope St.; Williamsburg
Phone: (347) 916-0951
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Order a shakshuka flatbread with feta or share a mezze platter for the table at this Mediterranean-inspired spot with a large, shaded backyard. Take a seat at one of the many tables or settle into a comfortable couch to lounge away the day as you sip mimosas.
Fornino Brooklyn Bridge Park
Address: Pier 6 Brooklyn Bridge Park; Brooklyn Heights
Phone: (718) 422-1107
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Brunch doesn’t always have to mean eggs, sometimes you just need a great slice of pizza to soak up the excesses of the night before. Take in unobstructed views of the New York City skyline at this rooftop terrace while feasting on pizza made in a wood-burning oven. Up early? Sit downstairs on the ground-level terrace and order a bacon, egg and cheese sammy with fontina, parmesan, and pecorino, served before noon.
Kokomo
Address: 65 Kent Ave.; Williamsburg
Phone: (347) 799-1312
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Aruba, Jamaica, ooh you wanna take a … seat on one of the sectional couches and relax beneath dreamy curtains at the sidewalk setup of this Caribbean restaurant. Feast on island-inspired dishes like sweet plantain pancakes, chicken and waffles with sorrel scotch bonnet sauce and coconut whipped cream, and the callaloo egg frittata. And take advantage of summer Fridays with their end-of-the-work-week brunch special of bottomless mimosas. Get there fast and then take it slow.
