Staying local for Christmas? You’re in luck! North Brooklyn is filled with fantastic options for celebrating the holiday in style…or at home if you prefer. The neighborhood has everything from multi-course Christmas Day menus to takeout Polish feasts to pick up before the big day.
Here is a roundup of North Brooklyn’s best places to dine or get takeout on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Shalom Japan
Shalom Japan (310 S 4th St.) is hosting their 11th annual Christmas tradition of Hayao Miyazaki films and hot pot this year. The two night event will be on December 24, 4 p.m. – 9:45 p.m. and December 25, noon – 9:45 p.m.
Last year, owners Aaron Israel and Sawako Okochi, said, “For our family, Christmas is all about hanging out, watching movies, and eating hotpot and okonomi latkes. We wanted to share our traditions with everyone.”
This year, the feast costs $80 per person and will include three courses. To start there is a choice of a caesar salad, what they refer to as a beet “Jew egg”, or the Hanukkah special, which is an Okonomi-Latke. Entree choices include a Wagyu beef hot pot, vegetarian hot pot, matzoh ball ramen, or lox bowl. Dessert choices include chocolate banana challah bread pudding, Japanese sweet potato cheesecake, or homemade sorbet.
Antica Pesa
Williamsburg’s Antica Pesa (115 Berry St.) is offering three seatings on Christmas Eve, December 24, and Christmas Day, December 25 at 5 p.m., 7 p.m., and 9 p.m.
The famed Roman restaurant’s Brooklyn outpost is offering a set menu for $100 per person featuring both classic favorites and new holiday specials.
The three-course menu starts with a choice of Antica Pesa’s popular crudo e buffalo croccante, baby gem salad, octopus all’arrabbiata, or a Christmas special with lobster and prawns.
The second course includes a choice of a pasta or secondo. Choices include a Christmas special of risotto alla pescatora, Antica Pesa’s famous cacio e pepe, rigatoni all’amatriciana, paccheri pomodorini, baccala with black olives, pork belly with pumpkin, zucchini with tomatoes, and polenta with mushrooms.
The third course features a choice of the Christmas special panettone, tiramisu, cannoli, or chocolate sorbet with toasted brioche.
Leuca
The William Vale’s Italian joint, Leuca (111 N 12th St.) is serving its traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes menu December 19 – 25 and an à la carte menu with holiday specialties on Christmas Day.
The Feast of the Seven Fishes is $105 per person for four courses. The first course includes a choice of tuna crudo, octopus arancini, or insalate di calamari. The second course includes a choice of baked baccala dip or steamed mussels. The third course includes a choice of grilled branzino or fire-roasted cabbage. And the fourth course is a limoncello tiramisu.
Bar Blondeau
The Wythe Hotel’s Bar Blondeau (80 Wythe Ave.), an intimate bar and restaurant on the sixth floor is running a Christmas special for locals and guests alike.
Bar Blondeau will be open regular hours on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and serving a Prime Rib Special in addition to the regular food menu.
Le Crocodile
Another popular spot at the Wythe Hotel is Le Crocodile (80 Wythe Ave.) on the ground floor off of the hotel’s lobby. Le Crocodile is also open both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Christmas dinner specials include sole for two with clams, cockles and Calvados and chateaubriand poached in bordelaise.
Dessert specials include baba au rhum, buche de noel, fromage blanc, and cranberry pear sorbet.
Pierozek
Though Pierozek (592 Manhattan Ave.) is closed on Christmas, the popular Polish spot is offering takeout specials. Pierozek said, “Enjoy delicious authentic handmade pierogi and traditional Polish dishes catered just for you this holiday season. Our experienced pierogi-makers prepare fresh pierogi daily using techniques learned from parents and grandparents back home in Poland.”
Pierogi trays include 30 per tray and range in price from $50 – $75 per tray. Savory trays are served with caramelized onions, sour cream, and garlic dill sauce. Savory options include pork shoulder, potato and cheese, jalapeño with bacon, sauerkraut and mushroom, spinach and garlic, tatarskie, and Murray’s Cheese Pierogi with Irish cheddar.
Sweet pierogi trays are served with a sweet sour cream. Sweet options include cheese, raspberry, blueberry, and strawberry. Seasonal specials include Apple Pie and Paulie Gee’s Pizza.
Pierozek is also offering catering trays of traditional Polish dishes like croquettes with sauerkraut and mushroom or meat, uszka, and stuffed cabbage.
Greenpoint Fish and Lobster
Local favorite Greenpoint Fish and Lobster (114 Nassau Ave.) is currently accepting pre-orders for Christmas takeout to be picked up December 22-24.
The list of holiday preorders this year includes an extensive selection of the fresh seafood that Greenpoint Fish and Lobster is known for like oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops, whole lobsters and lobster tails, filets of arctic char and salmon, and caviar. Plus, you can get mignonette, cocktail sauce, and other accessories in the same order.
Edy’s Grocer
Though Greenpoint’s Lebanese market Edy’s Grocer (136 Meserole Ave.) is closed on Christmas, the shop is offering seasonal specials to take home in addition to the extensive catering menus.
Seasonal specials include loaded hummus, honey everything biscuits, spanakopita triangles, blueberry sumac muffins, baked boreks, za’atar croissants, labneh toast, and marinated feta scones.