Check out our round up of the newest restaurants, bars, and bakeries that opened their doors in our neighborhoods this month, including a new bakery on the Columbia Street Waterfront, Fogo de Chão’s newest location in Downtown Brooklyn, a Lebanese restaurant in Park Slope, and a new Sicilian restaurant with guest suites upstairs in Boerum Hill. Plus, mark your calendars for more restaurant openings coming in May and later this summer.
Laurel Bakery | Columbia Street Waterfront District
This new bakery comes from the team behind restaurants Oxalis and Place des Fêtes. Customers will find baguettes, loaves, pastries, and much more. Laurel will also supply its sister with baked goods. Regular hours are Wednesdays-Sundays from 8:30am – 4pm (closed Tuesdays). Their goal is to be open until 4pm each day, but they have had to close early recently, as they’ve sold out each day! Check their Instagram stories to keep posted.
Goog (formerly Somtum Der) | Red Hook
Red Hook’s Somtum Der briefly closed and reopened under a new name, Goog, on April 13. The Thai restaurant pivoted away from Isan and created a new menu with simper, less spicy classics like pad Thai and khao soi.
Fogo de Chão | Downtown Brooklyn
The Brazilian steakhouse opened a new location in Downtown Brooklyn’s City Point. The restaurant features an open churrasco grill, where diners can watch gaucho chefs prepare fire-roasted meat. The Fogo Churrasco Experience with unlimited fire-roasted meats (beef, lamb, pork and chicken), Brazilian sides and salad bar is $70 per person, complimentary for children 6 and under and half price for 7–12.
Ruta Oaxaca | Boerum Hill
This Mexican restaurant opened a location on Smith Street in this month. Come for Taco Tuesday, or for tacos any day! Ruta Oaxaca also has an extensive list of tequila and mezcal, and plenty of margaritas to choose from.
R. Slice | Bushwick
On April 14th, Roberta’s opened a slice shop directly next door to the main restaurant. Stop by for thin slice pizza, a porchetta sandwich, and chocolate chip cookies. They have a back yard space to enjoy slices.
Colors | Brooklyn Navy Yard
A new wine shop has opened in the space where Navy Wine Merchants was located on Flushing Avenue. They sell wine, cider, sake, and spirits Tuesday-Saturday from 12-7pm. One of the owners worked at Ops in Bushwick, a pizzeria with a strong wine program.
Sawa | Park Slope
Sawa, a new Lebanese restaurant in Park Slope, opened on April 10. Their menu features dips, mezze, and main dishes such as whole fish, lamb shanks, and lamb chops, plus cocktails with Lebanese flavors. Reservations available on Resy, and a few tables are also reserved for walk-ins.
The Mouth | Williamsburg
A new all-day restaurant opened this month next door to the venue Brooklyn Art Haus. The Mouth is from the team behind Lighthouse, also in Williamsburg. They will serve from their Coffee Bar starting at 9am, small plates like mezze available all day, happy hour daily from 3-6pm, and dinner—small plates and also cheeseburgers, steak frites, and pasta—as well as cocktails, natural wines, and much more by evening.
Flatiron Steakhouse | Park Slope
Flatiron Steakhouse in Park Slope is now open for lunch service from 11am to 2:45pm. The menu features a Bourbon Burger, Lobster Roll, Po Boy Sandwich, and even a Rum & Coke Burger.
Piccola Cucina Casa Restaurant & Guesthouse | Boerum Hill
Chef and restaurateur Philip Guardione is opening a restaurant on Nevins Street on April 25 that celebrates cuisine from his native Catania. But Piccola Cucina Casa is not only a restaurant; its second floor also features recently renovated guesthouse suites with private patios and wood beam ceilings. In the dining room, rustic Sicilian dishes will include swordfish involtini, pasta ‘ncasciata with meat ragù, caciocavallo cheese and eggplant, pasta ca’ muddica served with pangrattato breadcrumbs, plus a comprehensive Sicilian wine list. There is also a cocktail bar and a pasta counter when diners can watch chefs in the kitchen.
Daphne’s | Bed Stuy
Daphne’s is a cozy, Italian-inspired restaurant that just opened in Bed Stuy. It comes from the team behind Decades Pizza. The small menu changes seasonally, and features swordfish, pastas, and beef tartare. Daphne’s serves a curated selection of natural wines and signature cocktails.
Nina | DUMBO
Nina temporarily closed this month and reopened on April 24 with a brand new spring menu with bistro classics and Levantine dishes. Offerings include Roman-style artichokes, the Foragers Half Chicken, lamb bolognese, and hummus, mezze, chicken and beef skewers, and more. Nina continues to offer vinyl-only DJ sets and cocktails at their two bars.
Empanada Loca | Albee Square in Downtown Brooklyn
Empanada Loca is now open for the season! Enjoy tacos, empanadas, arepas, pabellón, soda, and beer. They are open Monday through Sunday from 11am to 8pm. Come for “Check the Rhime” Albee Square Happy Hours on Thursdays from 5-8pm starting in May to enjoy empanadas, drinks, and hip hop karaoke!
Restaurant openings to look forward to
These new spots are coming soon to our neighborhoods!
Veselka | Williamsburg | Opening in May
Veselka, the legendary Ukranian diner in the East Village, will open a new location near the BQE in Williamsburg. This will be the first location in Brooklyn; Veselka has another location in Grand Central.
Cafe Mado | Prospect Heights | Opening third week in May
Cafe Mado will open in the space formerly occupied by Oxalis by Redwood Hospitality, the same group behind Laurel Bakery’s recent opening in the Columbia Waterfront District. The all-day cafe next to the Brooklyn Museum will serve sandwiches, tartines, parties from Laurel Bakery, coffee, and more, and will also feature a retail section. The cafe also has a liquor license and will be open from 12-7:30pm six days a week.
Taqueria El Chato | Greenpoint | Opening in May
Taqueria El Chato will open in this May on Manhattan Avenue. They will serve tacos, quesadillas, and more. The taqueria comes from the team behind Aldama, a Mexican restaurant in Williamsburg.
Huda | East Williamsburg | Outdoor patio opening on May 1
Huda is a new Levantine bistro serving Middle Eastern dishes from Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and beyond. The restaurant opened last fall, but their outdoor patio will open on May 1 for the summer season.
Blank Street Coffee | Brooklyn Heights | Summer 2024
The Brooklyn-based chain will be opening up a new location at One Boerum Place, on the corner of Boerum Place and Red Hook Lane. Blank Street serves coffee, matcha, and breakfast all day.
Smør | Clinton Hill | Summer 2024
This Scandinavian bakery based in East Village will open a second location on Putnam Avenue, between Downing Street and Grand Avenue. Smør will also serve small plates at night.
Updated: April 26, 2024. Main Image: Fogo de Chão‘s grand opening at City Point.
