There’s a new drinking spot in town! Winona’s, a brand new modern European café and natural wine bar opened in Williamsburg (676 Flushing Avenue) on Thursday, November 12th. Owned by husband and wife team Executive Chef Cressida Greening and Emir Dupeyron, the all-day cafe serves breakfast and lunch, and become a dinner spot and restaurant at night.
Named after the couple’s Pitbull mix, Winona’s focuses around locally sourced ingredients and building a community space. The menu is inspired by Greening’s British roots, and in December, the Back Room at Winona’s will be added to showcase a prix-fixe dinner menu. Greening’s credits include a stint at The Breslin, followed by her own catering company and supper club, which influenced her opening Winona’s.
Winona’s breakfast dishes include overnight oats with chia seeds, coconut milk, hemp seeds, seasonal fruit compote and crushed almonds; Brioche toast with whipped ricotta, almond butter, grape jam and crushed peanuts; smoked salmon tartine with smoked whitefish spread, pickled beets, scallion crème fraiche and everything bagel spice on rye bread; and more. Parlour coffee is also served.
Winona’s seasonal lunch items include lamb meatballs with harissa tomato sauce, feta, labne and cilantro, served with grilled flatbread; wild mushroom risotto with kale; a mortadella sandwich with provolone, cornichons and frisée on focaccia; a warm grain bowl with quinoa and brown rice, shaved brussels sprouts, roasted koginut squash, pickled carrots, crispy cauliflower and sautéed market greens; rigatoni with slow cooked sausage ragu; and Nduja grilled cheese with aged cheddar, gruyere and garlicky broccoli rabe on sourdough. Everything is made fresh daily in the restaurant’s kitchen.
After dark, the wine and cocktail bar will feature small dishes like anchovy toast with pepitas and parsley; chicken liver pâté with pickled red onion and grilled bread; tortilla Española with piquillo pepper aioli; lamb belly fritters with mint yogurt and Aleppo pepper dust; and local cheese charcuterie boards complemented by spiced tomato jam and fennel crackers.
Greening, who is also a certified sommelier, curated the wine list to emphasize low intervention, natural and biodynamic wines from small producers. Bottles, also available by the glass, include Occhipinti, Cellar Frisach, Meinlang, La Stoppa, Antonio Madeira, Cantina Giardino, Pheasant’s Tears and Anita & Hans Nittnaus.
Clover Club’s Leanne Favre curated Winona’s opening cocktail list. Drinks feature twists on the classics, like an Olive Branch Martini with olive oil fat-washed gin, vermut blanco, Castelvetrano olive and lemon oils.
The entire cocktail menu, as well as food and wine, is available for takeout and delivery. Order via Caviar, Seamless and DoorDash, as well as the restaurant’s website.