The best restaurants for enjoying a good brunch in New York are all right here in Tribeca.
Once highly industrial, the TriBeCa (“TRIangle BElow CAnal street”) district is now one of the United States’ hippest and most expensive neighborhoods. With all the movies made and screened here, each street has a claim to fame and many are the addresses of international superstars. There are lots of things to do beyond stargazing, from cultural visits (the interesting MmuseumM), to classic NYC shopping and dining (Robert De Niro’s own restaurant!), going to renew your body, soul and mind in our Ancient Baths in New York, as well as night life.
Brunch, you asked?
Yes, there’s day life here too. Whether you love to sleep in or were up living the time of your life last night, Tribeca is home to some of the best brunch spots in the city. Here are just a few of our picks:
Lavo Brunch
This is the kind of brunch that might make you need brunch everyday.<>More like a rave than a meal, Lavo features classic filling brunch foods, along with DJs, drinks, dance music in a daytime party like only NYC could do it. Beyond the champagne and cocktails, the Italian menu features pasta, seafood and steak specialties, plus brunch classics like eggs benny.
Its midtown location makes it as easy to get to as anything else in Manhattan, and that’s a lot easier than catching the taxi to the airport for the next flight to Miami beach, Nassau or anywhere else also hosting a bikini beach party.
That’s right: bikini beach party brunch, for those who never want the party to stop. You know Lavo is a place that goes wild when the owner assures, “What happens here stays here.”
Not surprisingly, you can expect a line outside the door and a cover charge for the Champagne brunch party, so come prepared to wait from 3 p.m. and party into Sunday morning.
If you’re ready to do a different kind of brunch, check out the one-of-a-kind-experience at Lavo… and maybe you’ll check out some of the more typical brunch options the next day.
Jack's Wife Freda
With multiple locations and slightly different menus at each one, the vibe here is positively chill and undeniably diverse in terms of cuisine. You can go south of the border or all the way to the Fast East, but if you look carefully, you can see how the food reflects the owner’s Israeli and South African roots.
Vegetarian? No problem. Like large swaths of NYC these days, you have lots of options. It’s also a breeze to eat kosher here or even bring along the kids.
Tip: order the shakshuka. It’s developing a reputation.
JWF is meant to be comfortable, a place you can just come in and enjoy. There are lots of exclusive (read: stuffy) “reservations only” places elsewhere in town. Here it’s first come first served, that simple.
Good Enough to Eat
Good Enough to Eat aims to be just that, and it seems to succeed, with waits on weekends that might tempt you to go elsewhere. Don’t let them scare you off!
Just get here early and you can enjoy the “no-frills” American cuisine you’ll remember from visiting your grandparents on the farm. Their fresh ingredients and classic American recipes make homestyle cooking accessible in the middle of Manhattan.
Don’t believe us? Check the web. Multiple visitors have posted photos of their meals with descriptions that will remind you why so many people think it’s worth the wait for a table.
And the best part?
This restaurant also prides itself on preparing everything from scratch. With no-pre-made food in the kitchen and ingredients “sourced from local vendors whenever possible,” (states their website), you know it’s wholesome, just like Grandma would want you to eat.
Bluebell Café
This place is just as cute as its name. Let the blue décor lead you straight up to the door (no reservations accepted) and enjoy the brunch that America knows and loves, with lots of egg-based recipes and all of the variety that you can expect in a city as international and cosmopolitan as NYC.
The Café is cozy and boasts rave reviews that make it a standout from the rest, even in Tribeca (which is saying something).
Less focused on the booze and more on the homestyle cooking, come here if you are looking for wooden floors, comfy knit warmth and a brunch that you’ll never forget.
