Roll up! Bread for the Eater Brings New Flavor to Driggs

There has been a glut of interesting new enterprises springing up on Driggs recently.

One of the most delicious is Bread for the Eater (168, Driggs Ave). This bakery and restaurant opened its doors in September and is the most recent venture from Din Yates, the man behind the extremely popular Cheeky Sandwiches in LES.

Din describes wanting to create ‘a place where warmth exudes’, and this is certainly something he’s achieved. They bake their own bread right there in the restaurant, so the smell that greets you as you enter is nothing short of heavenly. Especially on a windswept fall night.

Happily the bread tastes every bit as good as it smells, especially when served warm (and complimentary with dinner) along with a big scoop of butter, fragrant honey and sea salt flakes.

They have a simple but tasty dinner menu inspired by the Provence region of France and divided into ‘for the table’, ‘roast meats and fish’ and ‘dessert’.  The meats and fish section includes delicious sounding platters such as swordfish with capers, lemon and dill; roasted 1/2 chicken with brown butter mirepoix and short rib with horseradish and dijon.

‘For the table’ we had roasted summer squash and potatoes, and a delicious olive oil-drenched panzanella which made me long for summer again. The portions are generous and reasonably priced. We also shared steamed mussels with garlic and thyme, served in an enamel saucepan, and accompanied by more of the crusty house-baked baguette.

They are still waiting on a liquor license which means it’s currently BYOB (hurrah!) with a $7 corkage fee.

As well as dinner, Bread for the Eater serves breakfast with a menu that includes baked eggs with harissa and zucchini, and fresh bread or croissants (also baked in-house) with yummy toppings such as honey butter, manchego or spiced Nutella.

At lunchtime there is a selection of open sandwiches as well as newly introduced menu items from the Cheeky Sandwiches kitchen.

Most excitingly, there are plans afoot for a magical sounding ‘Gold Room’ at the rear of the restaurant. This will operate separately from Bread for the Eater and Din intends this space to emanate a more relaxed vibe. I had a quick peep into the space and, although unfinished, it looks incredibly inviting. And very, very golden. The Gold Room will likely only operate during the evening and its menu will offer comforting winter treats such as a classic patty melt.

With new cafe Crema and tasty Balinese restaurant Selamat Pagi both nearby, the strip between McGuinness and McGolrick Park has all the makings of a new Greenpoint foody hotspot.