Mouth Watering Brunch Places

I know when you travel to a city you haven’t been to and look for a restaurant, only thing you can rely on is your guide book or Yelp reviews. Of course, those are good sources based on many people’s experiences. But, places on a guide book are always crowded with tourists and sometimes their food and services don’t match with your expectations.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do, so do in New York City.

Put your guide book in your hotel room and check what places are popular for the local residents. STYLEsprit team pulled out a list of brunch places by neighborhood in NYC.  Not only for tourists, this brunch list is also useful for New Yorkers to enjoy with beautiful ambiance and mouth watering food.

Tribeca: Locanda Verde, 377 Greenwich St, New York

Located in Tribeca where you can escape from crowded tourist places, Locanda Verde is the brunch place to relax and catch up with friends on weekends. The restaurant is quite big and takes reservation. So you don’t have to come early and wait on brunch line. It has an upscale, yet not too over-the-top ambiance that makes perfect for brunch with family or girls’ brunch out. When our team goes to the restaurant, we always get the sheep’s milk ricotta with truffle honey and brunt orange toast and blue crab crostini. The Uovo Modenese with cotechino hash, spinach and tomato hollandaise is amazing. Lemon ricotta pancake is also their popular menu. When in doubt what to order, go for something with ricotta in it. You won’t get disappointed.

East Village: Prune, 54 E 1st St, New York

This restaurant is one of the popular places in East Village for brunch. The restaurant itself has a really cute ambience. It is a small spot, so if you’re not into cozy New York restaurants in East Village, then you would avoid this place. Their signature Dutch pancake, large individual oven-baked pancake with blueberries, is a must order. The pancake comes out of the oven and big enough to have a full stomach. The spicy stewed chickpeas with butter crumbed eggs and warm flat-bread is an awesome combination, very pretty plating and unique. If you are up for a boozy brunch, Prune’s bloody mary is a perfect choice. (Note: They don’t serve alcohol until noon)

Flatiron: The NoMad Restaurant, 1170 Broadway, New York

It is a hotel restaurant with classy ambiance. However, this Michelin-starred restaurant’s weekend brunch is worth to try. Their chicken sandwich with black truffle and foie gras in a brioche bread is highly recommended. Since it is a big portion, you can share with friends or bring left over. All pastries that the restaurant offers are so delicious as well. Don’t order too much food and save stomach for desserts. Their milk and honey ice cream is must order. It’s not too sweet with satisfying texture and creative bee shape honey decoration on the ice cream is so cute. If you have time after the brunch, grab some drink at the nomad library. It is a library look hidden bar at the Nomad hotel. Oh! Make sure the location is on Broadway Street at the Nomad hotel since there is another restaurant in East Village with the same name.

Midtown West: Norma’s at Le Parker Merdien Hotel, 119 W 56th St, New York

Located in the sophisticated Le Parker Merdien Hotel, Norma’s is always crowded with tourists and New Yorkers. Some brunch places in NYC don’t take a reservation, but not this place. Make sure you make a reservation to get a table when you arrive. Since located in a hotel, the price is higher than other restaurants. However, their exotic brunch menus are worth every penny. Crunch French toast covered with warm caramel sauce, artychoked benedit with truffle pocini sauce, foie gras brioche French toast with asparagus and mushrooms are only in Norma’s and STYLEsprit team’s recommendation menus.

West Village: Buvette, 42 Grove St, New York

Buvette is a cozy French restaurant located in West Village. Though they don’t take a reservation, this place is New Yorkers’ one of favorite brunch places in the city. We recommend to come early as possible to get seated on weekends (they open at 9 am). Their croque madame, waffle sandwich, steamed eggs with smoked salmon and lox are must. The ambience makes you feel like you are in a small town in France. They have a cute outdoor garden as well. Only downside is their small tables. Even if you order 2 plates, the table is already filled and no more place for an extra small dish. The portion might be small if you are a foodie with a big stomach.