Williamsburg’s 42 Hotel (426 S 5th St.) is home to two new dining concepts opening this month from Chef Eric LeVine, a Brooklyn native, two-time James Beard Award nominee, and protégé of Chef David Burke.
Blackbird, a gastropub with breakfast, brunch, and dinner, welcomes guests today, April 22, and Evolution, an intimate tasting menu experience, opens on April 30.
Blackbird serves globally-inspired fare similar to Chef LeVine’s acclaimed Long Island restaurant, 317 Main Street, where he was named Best Chef on Long Island in 2023 and 2024.
The menu focuses on creative and flavorful comfort food with thoughtfully-sourced ingredients. Menu highlights include a 5-onion soup that is served in a roasted onion, Chef Eric’s Monster Burger, BBQ pork croquettes, and maple-roasted carrot loin, plus a selection of cocktails.
Blackbird’s restaurant and lounge area seats 85 guests in a warm, relaxing space with industrial decor and a hand-painted mural of a woman on canvas by Yaniv Lahiji, a local artist known for his work in various local hotels.
Blackbird is open for breakfast from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Weekend brunch will be served on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
With just 35 seats, Evolution delivers a more personal tasting menu experience that honors Brooklyn’s various culinary scenes.
Evolution will serve a rotating menu highlighting Chef LeVine’s inventive twists on local Brooklyn favorites. It includes dishes like a reimagined Bay Ridge pastrami on rye, a Coney Island hot dog, Dyker Heights dim sum, and an elevated Brighton Beach potato knish.
Evolution is designed for “intimacy and immersion” according to the team. The space showcases two murals by Karina Smyrnova that give artful nods to the neighborhood. One illustrates the evolution of the Brooklyn Bridge, and the other celebrates Brooklyn’s iconic brownstones.
Evolution will be open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
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