Brian Nagele
You’ll find Greenpoint at the northern end of Brooklyn in New York City. Thanks to the large Polish population and incredible Polish cuisine, the locals call it Little Poland. While visitors may come to get a taste of Polish America, there is much more to do in this beautiful neighborhood.
From taking a stroll in McCarren Park or Newton Barge Park to browsing books at WORD, Greenpoint is a spot full of hidden gems. However, what draws most people to Greenpoint are the fantastic restaurants. While plenty of places offer Polish food, the neighborhood now offers all types of restaurants, including delectable brunch spots.
If you’re a traveler who likes to sleep in or eat your first meal a bit later in the day, brunch is the perfect meal for you. I prefer brunch because the menu variety is often more varied than a breakfast, lunch, or dinner menu.
As you find yourself exploring New York, be sure to keep this list handy so you know exactly where to go for the best brunch in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
Five Leaves
18 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Phone: 718-383-5345
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You’ll find our first restaurant on the list north of McCarren Park. Five Leaves Cafe is a New American/Aussie restaurant with a hint of Steampunk and a whole lot of flair. As a favorite hangout for hipsters and young adults, Five Leaves has a Brunch and an In-Betweeners menu guaranteed to satisfy.
It was hard to choose what to order here because everything looked incredible. I know I’ll have to go back for more because the Ricotta Pancakes with honeycomb butter, banana, strawberries, blueberries, and pure maple syrup were divine perfection.
The Blue Light Speak Cheesy
158 Green St, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Phone: 714-519-6374
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If you need any more convincing than the absolutely perfect name of this restaurant, I’m not sure how to help. The Blue Light Speak Cheesy is a grilled cheese and brunch pop-up just east of the East River in Greenpoint.
Their specialty grilled cheese sandwiches are incredible, and with daily specials like the double-decker breakfast taco, you’ll find something great here. I loved the Freaks and Greeks grilled cheese with dill Havarti, feta, garlic spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and balsamic reduction on levain bread.
Le Fond
105 Norman Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Phone: 718-389-6859
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Start your day with elegance and beauty at Le Fond, just east of the Nassau Avenue Metro Station. Named for the stock that forms the foundation for sauces in French cuisine, Le Fond represents the essential in a French kitchen.
Their menu is small yet mighty, with hor d’oeuvres, main dishes, and a cheese and dessert menu. Every dish here is incredibly scrumptious, but I was especially fond (pun intended) of the Tiger Prawns with roasted root vegetables, sweet runner beans, and clam sauce. Le Fond is the perfect place to start a relaxed and luxurious day in the city.
El Born
651 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Phone: 347-844-9295
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A few blocks east of the Bushwick Inlet, El Born brings a taste of Barcelona to New York. Inspired by fashion, art, and a spirit of restlessness, El Born’s menu ensures a delightful meal any time of day. Their Tapas selection is incredible, with bacon-wrapped dates and shishito peppers.
For brunch, I highly recommend the Paella De Peix. However, this isn’t a meal to be rushed. With tomato, nora pepper, saffron, squid ink sofrito, calamari, and the daily seafood selection in traditional rice, it takes about twenty minutes to cook this dish. It is worth every second of the wait.
Glasserie
95 Commercial St, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Phone: 718-389-0640
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When you find an old glass factory and need a project, a Mediterranean restaurant and bar just make sense, right? Glasserie opened in 2013 using designs from the original factory built in 1880 and created an incredible atmosphere not far from Newtown Creek and Pulaski Bridge.
The gorgeous building matches the incredible menu with style and flair. You’ll want to try the lamb, basmati, and fried eggs plate with a side of halva and Turkish delights. I also loved the mezze feast, which has olives, labneh, smoked eggplant, hummus, falafel, pickled cabbage, and horseradish beats.
Anella
222 Franklin St, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Phone: 718-389-8100
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Anella transports you to another world with its bar crafted from a table from the Steinway piano factory, a soundbar on the walls, and combining a tin ceiling, plank floors, and exposed brick for an incredible, unique atmosphere.
Not far from Greenpoint beach, Anella’s New American food and brunch menu sets the mood for a beautiful day.
While there’s a solid mix of sweet and savory on the brunch menu, the French Toast with fresh fruit and cinnamon whipped cream caught my eye and stole my heart. Anella’s Watermelon Salad with herb-marinated feta, mint, and a champagne vinaigrette was my most surprising find yet and complete perfection.
Milk & Roses
1110 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Phone: 718-389-0160
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Southern Italy meets American cuisine at the beautiful Milk and Roses, where ethically and humanely sourced products are the name of the game.
From unique ingredients to fine Italian wines, Milk and Roses takes brunch to an intimate setting not far from Pulaski bridge. Comfortable seating indoors with a library atmosphere and an outdoor courtyard provide options for how you want to enjoy your meal.
Eccentricity abounds, and the flavors delight at Milk and Roses. There’s something for everyone here, and you’ll want to save room for dessert. The Bucatini Alla Genovese with braised short rib and onion ragu felt like dinner in the morning, which was exactly what I wanted.
Dar525
168 Driggs Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Phone: 718-389-0003
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Dar 525 sits a block away from Msgr. McGolrick Park, where you can enjoy some time outdoors before heading “home” for brunch. Dar means “home” in Arabic, which is exactly how the staff will make you feel. Customers aren’t just a number here; they’re family.
Authentic Mediterranean dishes mean healthy and delicious choices to start your day, and weekend brunch at Dar525 is an experience.
Their 90-minute bottomless brunch is perfect for your entire table with one entree and unlimited mimosa, bellini, draft beer, sangria, or bloody marys. I chose the Mediterranean breakfast with two scrambled eggs, labneh, fries, shepherd salad, and zaatar bread.
ACRE
64 Meserole Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Phone: 718-954-9074
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The city isn’t necessarily the first place we think of freshness, healthy choices, and beautiful gardens. Still, at ACRE, where Japanese fermentation and enzymology inform the menu, that’s precisely what you get. The outdoor and garden dining areas just a few blocks from the Bushwick Inlet are perfect for a small brunch with friends. Or, you can dine indoors when the weather gets too cold.
I tried the Chicken Karaage Bento Box with Shoyu-Koji marinated chicken fried and topped with a blended mayo sauce, served with rice, salad, and the daily appetizer. Kimino Ume Plum Sparkling Juice paired nicely with the meal, and I left here ready to take on the world.
Esme
999 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Phone: 347-689-3071
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Esme’s small space makes it an exclusive location, just east of Greenpoint Beach, and the seasonal cocktails and American cuisine are delicious. Their weekend brunch menu has so many choices. You’ll want to return more than once so you can try it all.
The eggs benedict was my favorite with smoked ham, tabasco hollandaise, potatoes, and sourdough toast. Still, I had to go back another day to try the cinnamon french toast. Fresh berries, vanilla creme fraiche, butter, and maple syrup were enough to do me in and fill me up for the day, making this the perfect brunch location.
Littleneck Outpost
128 Franklin St, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Phone: 718-383-3080
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Rustic, charming, and delicious, Littleneck Outpost offers brunch just blocks from Transmitter Park and American Playground in Greenpoint Brooklyn. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and the laid-back vibe means you don’t have to be in a hurry here.
Their coffee bar is unmatched, and the turmeric latte with oat milk meant I could settle into my seat a little while longer, happy to take the day a bit more leisurely.
Littleneck Outpost serves brunch all day, so you can get a kimchi breakfast bowl with soft scramble, potatoes, kimchi, and scallions or roast pork with slow-roasted pork, spiced apple chutney, black garlic aioli, and arugula. Or, like me, you can get both. I’d do it again.
Citroën
931 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Phone: 718-734-2220
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A few blocks north of the Greenpoint Avenue Metro Station, you’ll find the charming and exciting Citroën. French cuisine meets a compelling ambiance, and while I first thought of Citroën as a dinner restaurant, I’m glad we chose brunch instead.
The menu here is small and unassuming, which means that they’re very good at what they do at Citroën. A full bar means you can have cocktails with your meal, but if you prefer to focus on the food, that’s okay, too.
A friend and I shared the Cheese and Charcuterie Boards that they build from Ends Meat and Murray’s Cheese ingredients, making it a locally sourced dish. We added escargot with garlic butter and puff pastry to our order because when in Citroën, do as the Citroëns do? Either way, it was terrific.
Cafe Alula
252 Franklin St, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Phone: 718-316-6161
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Just south of Greenpoint playground and not far from East River, Cafe Alula serves delicious Mediterranean meals in their all-day cafe. In fact, the food here is so good that people come from all over the city just to enjoy their fantastic lunch menu.
Cafe Alula has a reputation for being one of the best restaurants in the area, and they certainly live up to the expectation. I was blown away by the fattoush – a Lebanese salad with freshly toasted flatbread, butterhead lettuce, seasonal radishes, tomatoes, cucumber, and mint. I added halloumi and was so glad I did. This meal was amazing, and I enjoyed every minute at Cafe Alula.
Chez Ma Tante
90 Calyer St, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Phone: 718-389-3606
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Chez Ma Tante sits just north of the Bushwick Inlet and brings a European pub. Owned by a Canadian, Aidan O’Neal, and New Yorker Jake Leiber, the eclectic menu is only a part of the experience. Classic, clean, sophisticated, Chez Ma Tante would be perfect for a small business lunch or brunch with friends while enjoying Brooklyn.
I highly recommend poached eggs with gigante beans, crouton, and pistou. The Chez Ma Tante Bloody Mary is one of the best I’ve ever tasted, so if that’s your style, you won’t want to forget that one!
Le Fanfare
1103 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Phone: 347-987-4244
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As another restaurant appropriately named, Le Fanfare serves Italian food nestled between traditional Polish bakeries and butchers, not far from Greenpoint Muslim Community Center and St. Cyril and Methodist Church.
High-quality ingredients, house-made pastas, and a gorgeous modern, sophisticated atmosphere make Le Fanfare one of my favorite places to be. Everything just feels right there.
Brunch at Le Fanfare means choosing between several delightful options, but I settled on the Malloreddus with Berkshire Pork Sausage, marinara, and pecorino. It was the perfect choice for this warm, inviting restaurant.
Brunch is one of the most exciting meal options because you’re not bound by traditional sweet or savory expectations. One of my favorite things to do is order one of each, and at these incredible restaurants in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, that’s easy to do.
No matter what your style, there’s something for everyone in Brooklyn. If you’re looking for meals outside of the brunch options, look at our article featuring our favorite Bars in Midtown.
Did we leave a restaurant out of this list? Make sure you leave us a comment, and we’ll check it out!
