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Chez Nick on the Upper East Side
Chez Nick [Official]

15 NYC Brunch Spots Ideal for Outdoor Dining

Where to find the best Peruvian empanadas, Chinese-Thai porridge, chile oil fried eggs, and more

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Chez Nick on the Upper East Side
| Chez Nick [Official]

As restaurants get more accustomed to the reality of outdoor dining — with indoor dining only returning at a limited capacity — many have expanded their menu beyond the lunch or dinner that was initially offered as restaurants reopened from months-long closures, to include brunch as well.

In many cases, the menus may still be a condensed version of what they used to be before the pandemic. But, with the addition of several new restaurants that have opened during the last few months, brunch options have once again expanded. Here’s a guide to recently launched brunches that are worth checking out, along with some old favorites. There’s Peruvian empanadas, Chinese-Thai porridge, chile oil fried eggs, and more to choose from.

A number of New York City restaurants have resumed outdoor dining services. However, this should not be taken as endorsement for outdoor dining, as there are still safety concerns: for updated information on coronavirus cases in your area, please visit the NYC Health Department’s website. Studies indicate that there is a lower exposure risk when outdoors, but the level of risk involved with patio dining is contingent on restaurants following strict social distancing and other safety guidelines.

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Claudy's Kitchen

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Peruvian restaurant Claudy’s kitchen started as a flan and empanada business, but has now found a permanent home in Riverdale, in the Bronx. The flan — which comes in vanilla, passionfruit, lychee, and chocolate variants — is still one of the go-to items here, but consider ordering the ceviche, tamales, or the wide selection of empanadas as well. The restaurant is only open for takeout and delivery, but consider grabbing a bite from here and heading to Van Cortlandt Park. 

Beatstro

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Popular Mott Haven spot Beatstro is dishing up brunch favorites like fried chicken and waffles, chicken and bacon mac and cheese, and rounding it out with drinks like sangria, mimosas, and more. There’s spacious outdoor seating on the street as well, and brunch is offered on weekends from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Niko's Souvlaki

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While this Astoria Greek restaurant doesn’t have a dedicated brunch menu, many of the dishes here are ideal for takeout to be eaten in Astoria Park nearby or to be enjoyed at the restaurant’s patio seating. Aside from the gyros expect dishes like the grilled pita sandwich, skepasti, bacon-wrapped chicken skewers, and desserts like the orange phyllo cake, portokalopita. The restaurant is open daily from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Chez Nick

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This new-American restaurant from three Batard alums opened its doors in late February and recently reopened for outdoor dining. Though its dinner service leans on the co-owners’ fine dining roots, the restaurant rolls up its sleeves a bit for brunch with a menu of summertime outdoor dining hits like ricotta toast, lobster rolls, parmesan fries, and a $19 cheddar brunch burger. Chez Nick is open for outdoor dining Sunday to Thursday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Heirloom tomatoes, red onion, burrata, and a green oil are mixed together in a white bowl
The heirloom tomato salad at Chez Nick
Chez Nick [Official]

Vida Verde

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This Midtown Mexican restaurant, a popular pre-pandemic hangout for hospitality industry workers, has takeout and rooftop dining. Vida Verde’s full menu is available from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily but for a weekend brunch, the move is an order or two of beefy ribeye tacos with crispy cheese, paired with one of the city’s smoothest and coldest frozen margaritas.

A frozen margarita at Vida Verde sits on a table next to a window
A frozen margarita at Vida Verde sits on a table next to a window
Ryan Sutton/Eater

Casa Enrique

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At Michelin-starred Mexican restaurant Casa Enrique — from chef Cosme Aguilar — expect dishes like crispy crab tacos, eggs served over mole, and scrambled eggs with jalapeño, black beans, and roasted poblano peppers. There’s some outdoor seating here, but brunch is also offered for takeout and delivery on weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Anton's

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Former Marta chef Nick Anderer and partner Natalie Johnson are serving up European-style brunch at West Village’s Anton’s. There’s classics like buckwheat pancakes and an omelette, but the menu’s much broader than at a standard brunch spot. A robust pasta section — here dubbed “macaroni” — includes spinach ravioli with sage butter and angel hair francese, a lemony pasta dish made with breaded chicken cutlet. Anton’s full brunch menu is served on the restaurant’s outdoor patio, but it’s also available for takeout and delivery.

Outdoor seating area with tables and brown umbrellas right on the sidewalk. Robert Sietsema/Eater

Dante West Village

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This new branch of a Village original renowned for its cocktails offers extensive outdoor tables along two West Village streets, often with live music in a light jazz vein. The restaurant’s assortment of baked pastries and breads make for a great starter to share among the table, while its full brunch menu includes ricotta pancakes, a zucchini frittata served over a brioche bun, and a rich, oniony tart made with mushrooms, goat milk, and feta. Dante West Village is open for outdoor seating Sunday to Friday from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Walk-ins only.

A blue cocktail with a sprig of flowers absurdly sticking out the top. Robert Sietsema/Eater

Berimbau Brazilian Kitchen

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Berimbau was undergoing a complete renovation just as the pandemic hit, but now it has reopened with an extensive outdoor seating area. There the Brazilian classics are rendered in brunchlike fashion, including a very solid rendition of feijoada, the national dish, the delightful cheese balls called pao de queijo, perfect for brunch, and strogonoff in three permutations. The restaurant is open from Sunday to Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and stays open half-an-hour later on Fridays and Saturdays.

On the right a cast iron pot with pork and black bean stew, on the left a plate of rice, greens, and orange segments. Robert Sietsema/Eater

The Wild Son

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The team behind lively East Village restaurants the Wayland and Good Night Sonny closed down the Wild Son’s Meatpacking District spot and reopened the restaurant in the East Village, in a new airy corner space, earlier this year. The popular all-day cafe leans into casual day-time fare that easily translates to brunch, including items like buckwheat pancakes, corn skillet cakes, a zucchini and squash frittata, and a cocktail selection that features bloody marys, a coffee negroni, and a booze-optional frozen cucumber lemonade. The restaurant is open for outdoor dining, takeout, and delivery from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.

In the foreground, a sandwich topped with bacon, egg, and a mountain of kale rests on a toasted bun. In the background, tableware and a similar sandwich are visible. The Wild Son [Official]

Factory Tamal

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This new location of Lower East Side mainstay Factory Tamal makes four to five tamale varieties per day. Some, including its chicken mole and chicken salsa verde are standard, while others feature delightful but less common pairings like bacon and mozzarella. Either way, a few tamales make for perfect brunch fare and are likely to still be hot when you get them to your brunch destination at one of the two nearby parks.

A pair of tamales, one still wrapped in corn husks. Robert Sietsema/Eater

Claudia's

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Claudia’s is one of the city’s rare full-service Guatemalan restaurants, serving up elote, tamales, churrasco-style skirt steak, and traditional chicken dishes to Williamsburg. Brunch brings dishes such as fried egg, black bean, and avocado tostadas, beef empanadas, and a breakfast platter that includes scrambled eggs, black beans, and plantains with the option to add bacon and avocado. Frozen and mixed cocktails are also available and can be made doubles for an additional $4.

A bowl of red meaty stew paired with white rice Claudia’s [Official]

Noods n’ Chill

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This relatively new neighborhood Thai destination from the team behind popular Plant Love House specializes in khao tom, a Chinese-Thai rice porridge, plus other breakfast snacks and noodle dishes. The tiny and charming self-service restaurant is open for limited sidewalk seating along with takeout and delivery, from Tuesday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

A bowl of dark broth is jammed with pork and pork balls, with a bowl of crunchy pig skin on the side. Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

MeMe's Diner

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Brunch is one of the major highlights at this Prospect Heights staple, and in recent weeks, many favorites have returned including the chile oil fried egg, and the patty melts. New additions include a waffle station, and weekly specials like the crispy pork sandwich with grilled pineapple. There’s limited outdoor seating but it’s too far from Prospect Park.

A spread at Meme’s Diner, including sunny-side up eggs, cereal, and a biscuit.
Meme’s Diner in Prospect Heights
Stephen Pelletteri/Eater

Slimák Cafe

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The brunch selection at neighborhood cafe mainstay Slimák is especially well-done; it’s chock-full of creamy eggs and smoked salmon dishes, plus a rotating menu of seasonal specials like tartines topped with mounds of ricotta and fresh cherries. The owners aren’t offering outdoor dining at the restaurant, but both Sunset Park and Greenwood Cemetery are a short walk away and provide plenty of shaded seating. Slimák is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the weekends, and delivery is available on Seamless and Grubhub.

Claudy's Kitchen

Peruvian restaurant Claudy’s kitchen started as a flan and empanada business, but has now found a permanent home in Riverdale, in the Bronx. The flan — which comes in vanilla, passionfruit, lychee, and chocolate variants — is still one of the go-to items here, but consider ordering the ceviche, tamales, or the wide selection of empanadas as well. The restaurant is only open for takeout and delivery, but consider grabbing a bite from here and heading to Van Cortlandt Park. 

Beatstro

Popular Mott Haven spot Beatstro is dishing up brunch favorites like fried chicken and waffles, chicken and bacon mac and cheese, and rounding it out with drinks like sangria, mimosas, and more. There’s spacious outdoor seating on the street as well, and brunch is offered on weekends from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Niko's Souvlaki

While this Astoria Greek restaurant doesn’t have a dedicated brunch menu, many of the dishes here are ideal for takeout to be eaten in Astoria Park nearby or to be enjoyed at the restaurant’s patio seating. Aside from the gyros expect dishes like the grilled pita sandwich, skepasti, bacon-wrapped chicken skewers, and desserts like the orange phyllo cake, portokalopita. The restaurant is open daily from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Chez Nick

This new-American restaurant from three Batard alums opened its doors in late February and recently reopened for outdoor dining. Though its dinner service leans on the co-owners’ fine dining roots, the restaurant rolls up its sleeves a bit for brunch with a menu of summertime outdoor dining hits like ricotta toast, lobster rolls, parmesan fries, and a $19 cheddar brunch burger. Chez Nick is open for outdoor dining Sunday to Thursday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Heirloom tomatoes, red onion, burrata, and a green oil are mixed together in a white bowl
The heirloom tomato salad at Chez Nick
Chez Nick [Official]

Vida Verde

This Midtown Mexican restaurant, a popular pre-pandemic hangout for hospitality industry workers, has takeout and rooftop dining. Vida Verde’s full menu is available from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily but for a weekend brunch, the move is an order or two of beefy ribeye tacos with crispy cheese, paired with one of the city’s smoothest and coldest frozen margaritas.

A frozen margarita at Vida Verde sits on a table next to a window
A frozen margarita at Vida Verde sits on a table next to a window
Ryan Sutton/Eater

Casa Enrique

At Michelin-starred Mexican restaurant Casa Enrique — from chef Cosme Aguilar — expect dishes like crispy crab tacos, eggs served over mole, and scrambled eggs with jalapeño, black beans, and roasted poblano peppers. There’s some outdoor seating here, but brunch is also offered for takeout and delivery on weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Anton's

Former Marta chef Nick Anderer and partner Natalie Johnson are serving up European-style brunch at West Village’s Anton’s. There’s classics like buckwheat pancakes and an omelette, but the menu’s much broader than at a standard brunch spot. A robust pasta section — here dubbed “macaroni” — includes spinach ravioli with sage butter and angel hair francese, a lemony pasta dish made with breaded chicken cutlet. Anton’s full brunch menu is served on the restaurant’s outdoor patio, but it’s also available for takeout and delivery.

Outdoor seating area with tables and brown umbrellas right on the sidewalk. Robert Sietsema/Eater

Dante West Village

This new branch of a Village original renowned for its cocktails offers extensive outdoor tables along two West Village streets, often with live music in a light jazz vein. The restaurant’s assortment of baked pastries and breads make for a great starter to share among the table, while its full brunch menu includes ricotta pancakes, a zucchini frittata served over a brioche bun, and a rich, oniony tart made with mushrooms, goat milk, and feta. Dante West Village is open for outdoor seating Sunday to Friday from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. Walk-ins only.

A blue cocktail with a sprig of flowers absurdly sticking out the top. Robert Sietsema/Eater

Berimbau Brazilian Kitchen

Berimbau was undergoing a complete renovation just as the pandemic hit, but now it has reopened with an extensive outdoor seating area. There the Brazilian classics are rendered in brunchlike fashion, including a very solid rendition of feijoada, the national dish, the delightful cheese balls called pao de queijo, perfect for brunch, and strogonoff in three permutations. The restaurant is open from Sunday to Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and stays open half-an-hour later on Fridays and Saturdays.

On the right a cast iron pot with pork and black bean stew, on the left a plate of rice, greens, and orange segments. Robert Sietsema/Eater

The Wild Son

The team behind lively East Village restaurants the Wayland and Good Night Sonny closed down the Wild Son’s Meatpacking District spot and reopened the restaurant in the East Village, in a new airy corner space, earlier this year. The popular all-day cafe leans into casual day-time fare that easily translates to brunch, including items like buckwheat pancakes, corn skillet cakes, a zucchini and squash frittata, and a cocktail selection that features bloody marys, a coffee negroni, and a booze-optional frozen cucumber lemonade. The restaurant is open for outdoor dining, takeout, and delivery from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.

In the foreground, a sandwich topped with bacon, egg, and a mountain of kale rests on a toasted bun. In the background, tableware and a similar sandwich are visible. The Wild Son [Official]

Factory Tamal

This new location of Lower East Side mainstay Factory Tamal makes four to five tamale varieties per day. Some, including its chicken mole and chicken salsa verde are standard, while others feature delightful but less common pairings like bacon and mozzarella. Either way, a few tamales make for perfect brunch fare and are likely to still be hot when you get them to your brunch destination at one of the two nearby parks.

A pair of tamales, one still wrapped in corn husks. Robert Sietsema/Eater

Claudia's

Claudia’s is one of the city’s rare full-service Guatemalan restaurants, serving up elote, tamales, churrasco-style skirt steak, and traditional chicken dishes to Williamsburg. Brunch brings dishes such as fried egg, black bean, and avocado tostadas, beef empanadas, and a breakfast platter that includes scrambled eggs, black beans, and plantains with the option to add bacon and avocado. Frozen and mixed cocktails are also available and can be made doubles for an additional $4.

A bowl of red meaty stew paired with white rice Claudia’s [Official]

Noods n’ Chill

This relatively new neighborhood Thai destination from the team behind popular Plant Love House specializes in khao tom, a Chinese-Thai rice porridge, plus other breakfast snacks and noodle dishes. The tiny and charming self-service restaurant is open for limited sidewalk seating along with takeout and delivery, from Tuesday to Sunday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

A bowl of dark broth is jammed with pork and pork balls, with a bowl of crunchy pig skin on the side. Robert Sietsema/Eater NY

MeMe's Diner

Brunch is one of the major highlights at this Prospect Heights staple, and in recent weeks, many favorites have returned including the chile oil fried egg, and the patty melts. New additions include a waffle station, and weekly specials like the crispy pork sandwich with grilled pineapple. There’s limited outdoor seating but it’s too far from Prospect Park.

A spread at Meme’s Diner, including sunny-side up eggs, cereal, and a biscuit.
Meme’s Diner in Prospect Heights
Stephen Pelletteri/Eater

Slimák Cafe

The brunch selection at neighborhood cafe mainstay Slimák is especially well-done; it’s chock-full of creamy eggs and smoked salmon dishes, plus a rotating menu of seasonal specials like tartines topped with mounds of ricotta and fresh cherries. The owners aren’t offering outdoor dining at the restaurant, but both Sunset Park and Greenwood Cemetery are a short walk away and provide plenty of shaded seating. Slimák is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the weekends, and delivery is available on Seamless and Grubhub.

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