Hanukkah starts this Thursday, December 7, and North Brooklyn is offering several ways to mark the holiday. Here is a list of Hanukkah offerings and events in Greenpoint and Williamsburg.
elNico x Lighthouse Collaboration Dinner
On the first day of Hanukkah, December 8, elNico (288 North 8th St.) and Lighthouse (145 Borinquen Pl.) are teaming up for a special dinner. Executive Chef Fernanda Serrano of elNico will host the collaboration dinner with Lighthouse’s founder, Chef Naama Tamir.
The two chefs became acquainted when Chef Serrano first moved to New York to open elNico and discovered Chef Tamir, who immigrated from Israel, had a similar story. After meeting, it became clear that both chefs share a passion for educating guests about their cultures through food and creating more opportunities for women in the industry.
The elNico x Lighthouse Collaboration Dinner will offer four courses, plus live entertainment by Dani Luv. The dinner will take place at elNico on Friday, December 8 with seatings starting at 5 p.m. Tickets are $100 for the tasting menu and exclude cocktails, wine, and gratuity.
Shalom Japan
Shalom Japan (310 S. 4th St.) has been serving Williamsburg a fusion of Jewish and Japanese cuisine for the past decade. The restaurant is owned by husband and wife duo Okochi Sawako, known as Sawa, and Aaron Israel, who are the owners and chefs.
For Hanukkah this year, Chefs Sawa and Israel will serve an Okonomi-Latke. “It is our version of an okonomiyaki,” the pair told Greenpointers.
Shalom Japan’s original okonomiyaki is a savory Japanese pancake with cabbage, onions, and bean sprouts. The Hanukkah version, which costs $24, includes a pancake that is fried like a latke, grated potatoes, and creme fraiche and ikura (or salmon roe) on top.
This special Okonomi-Latke is available only the eight days of Hanukkah at Shalom Japan, and afterward, the original okonomiyaki will be back on the menu.
Mesiba
Israeli-inspired restaurant Mesiba (353 Bedford Avenue) is celebrating its first Hanukkah with a latke cart.
Named after Mesiba’s Executive Chef Eli Buli, an order from Eli’s Latke Cart comes with three latkes and applesauce for $15. Enhanced options include the three latkes with lox and crème fraiche for $20, with caviar for $32, with lamb neck for $25, and with labneh and zatar for $17.
Eli’s Latke Cart is available at Mesiba from December 4 – 15.
Greenpoint Shul
The Greenpoint Shul (108 Noble St.) is offering two ways to celebrate Hanukkah.
The first is the shul’s Latke Bash Shabbat Hanukkah Community Dinner on Friday, December 8, 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. This dinner is a community meal filled with Hanukkah treats and a festive cocktail that is appropriate for the whole family. The shul noted that Kabbalat Shabbat services are at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, followed by dinner at 7 p.m., and that there will be no candle lighting since candle lighting is early that day.
A second option offered by the Greenpoint Shul is a family Hanukkah party on December 10, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Festivities include making Chanukiyot, singing songs with Tekiya, playing dreidel, and enjoying latkes and sufganiyot. The program is geared towards ages two through eight but is open to all.
Gertie
On the last day of Hanukkah, Friday, December 15, Williamsburg’s Gertie (357 Grand St.) is celebrating Hanukkah with a bountiful dinner served family-style from Brighton Beach’s Dacha 46.
The event costs $125 per person and includes a welcome toast with Gertie’s infused vodka shots, a family-style dinner from Dacha 46, and a dessert lounge.
There will be two long communal banquet tables filled with bread baskets, latkes, zakuski, salats, pickles, pelmeni, and more. There is also an option to add an unlimited wine and beer open bar package for $50.
Gertie noted that there will be gluten-free and vegetarian options, but not a lot of vegan options. The first seating is at 6 p.m. and the second is at 8:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here.
Gertie is also offering a special Hanukkah Catering Box. Each box serves four people, costs $58, and includes eight latkes with sour cream and apple butter, four jelly donuts, and eight mini blue and white cookies. The latkes, donuts, and cookies can also be ordered individually.
Edith’s x Peter Pan Collaboration
Williamsburg’s Edith’s (495 Lorimer St.) has teamed up with Greenpoint’s beloved Peter Pan (727 Manhattan Ave.) to create a special pastry for Hanukkah.
The swirly schnecken sufganiyot includes layers of Peter Pan’s yeast dough swirled together with layers of sumac and sugar, then filled with Edith’s strawberry jam. The result is a sweet and tangy doughnut.
Edith’s schnecken sufganiyot is available only for the eight days of Hanukkah. You can order a pack of for doughnuts for $18 here.
Edith’s is also offering trays of totkes for $42 and latkes for $28. Each totke tray comes with applesauce, sour cream, and harissa ketchup, and serves six to eight people. Each latke tray includes 12 freshly made famous square latkes with applesauce and sour cream. Today (Tuesday, December 5) is the last day to preorder the latke and totke trays.