BWB’s NYC Summer Brunch Hop A Restaurant Vacation Guide
Put away your passport and pick up your pocketbook! BWB is going brunch hopping and you’re invited.
Get in BWB beauties, we’re going to brunch.
Postponed your vacation, emptied your calendar, and looking for ways to spend your summer? The key to this season is your stomach. While you might not be planning a long distance vacation anytime soon, a brunch with your besties might be just the escape you need. Whether you’re enjoying outdoor seating or ordering in to host a special brunch at home, NYC is booming with breakfast and brunch options — boozy and beyond. BWB has all the best spots for avocado toast, mimosas, kale salads, and more. Bon appétit!
Brunch Made in Manhattan
La Mercerie (Soho)
At BWB, we like our brunch like we like our beauty — French! If you had to cancel your summer rendezvous to Europe, this brunch destination will fly you to the cobblestone streets of Paris in no time. La Mercerie Cafe wants to be “the crème de la crème of your summer outdoor dining experience” and Chef Marie Aude Rose is serving up nothing less! Cuddle up to a mimosa and a nicoise salad, and polish off your sweet tooth with mousse au chocolat. Et voilà! You can even bring home a table setting to build the ultimate brunch experience at home — linen napkins, a flower plate, a deem rimmed side dish or even a kohiki facet vase. Upgrade your dining experience, the French Way.
Photo courtesy of La Mercerie
The Daisy (UES)
We’re certainly missing our Madison Avenue midday meet-ups at the office, and BWB is a team of Upper East Side gals at heart. Replace those summer nights with summer afternoons at The Daisy! While everyone is sipping pink drinks from Starbucks, you can start your day with a rosé flight at their iconic boozy brunch. From rosé ciders to cranberry mimosas, you can drink in BWB pink while enjoying a light meal. You can never go wrong with a little avo toast for the soul. Don’t forget to post a pic of your cocktails with the hashtag #WeDrinkPink for a chance to win a free bottomless brunch!
Brooklyn Bridge to Brunch Heaven
Win Son (East Williamsburg)
Once you’ve brushed off the crumbs from your pain au chocolat, it’s time to fly to Taiwan. This Taiwanese-American spot is bursting with some of the most delicious flavors and spices in the world — thanks to Taiwan’s history of immigration, as well as chili oil, black sesame and lots of soy. Once you try scallion pancakes, you might never go back. From pork buns and sesame noodles to jasmine tea cocktails and Taiwanese yogurt drinks, Win Son’s menu is guaranteed to offer your best savory brunch yet. Beyond the kitchen, Win Son is using profits from their T-shirt and merchandise sales to donate to Black Visions Collective. Visit their Instagram to see all the work they’re doing on top of filling your belly, and see how you can join in.
Photo courtesy of Win Son Menu
Sweet Science (East Williamsburg)
For all you Brooklyn babes looking for a black-owned restaurant to support, look no further than East Williamsburg. A little Southern comfort and a cocktail takeout menu never hurt anybody. Summertime is frozen cocktail season so I’m currently dreaming of a passionfruit margarita, and luckily it’s just a Grubhub order away. Sweet Science is serving up seafood, vegan fare, barbeque, and—don’t worry—crispy salads to counteract all the ribs and mac & cheese. While the restaurant has an atmosphere as homey as the cooking, the cajun fries will definitely bring all the warmth and charm you could ask for to your home, too.
Queens of Brunch
Indie (LIC)
Order in, but make it organic. Indie’s menu is a garden of greens, from kale and arugula to spinach and avocado. I visited this cafe after rock climbing last summer, and it was just the nutritional boost I needed after a long day of falling. Start your morning with a crispy salad and a multigrain sandwich with a fresh cup of joe from Irving Farms. If you’re making it a boozy brunch, be sure to order from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday or Sunday! Why not pair some steel cut oats with a watermelon margarita? Now that you’re living through a pandemic, you can truly do it all. Then, top off your brunch with a pastry like the kouign amann — Indie says it may change your life.
Photo courtesy of Indie LIC
The Shady Lady (Astoria)
Finish off your brunch hop with a dip in the Mediterranean Sea — or a train ride to Astoria. Astoria is the go-to place in Queens for Greek restaurants and specialties, and The Shady Lady is the perfect spot for getting a little taste of everything. From falafel to breakfast mac & cheese to boozy slushies to curbside hot dogs & burgers, this fun summer spot is the gift that keeps on giving. While they do have avocado toast on the menu (phew!), don’t shy away from treating yourself. Dig into some of their bar food classics, as well as their very lengthy cocktail menu. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: We’re living through a global pandemic, and we could all use a drink once in a while.
Cheers!
Teresa Deely is a graduate from Columbia University with majors in English and Creative Writing. She is a freelance writer and marketing assistant working for clients in the wellness, jewelry, creative, and sports industries. She believes that one’s skin is yet another canvas and vehicle for art, and has loved styling her hair and applying makeup from a young age. Spending much of her time in educating youth and leading enrichment programs for children, she is highly motivated in discovering new ways to care for herself and sharing them with others.
The key to this season is your stomach.
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