The pay-what-you-can meals launched on Monday at Jimmy’s Diner (577 Union Ave.)
Greenpoint restauranteurs and married couple Blair Papagni and Josh Cohen are offering pay-what-you-can hot meals for those in need during the coronavirus pandemic, as the issue of food insecurity worries freshly out of work people in the service sector.
“As we get further into this shutdown I think it’s going to be more difficult to get hot meals. We’re a city built on people that go out to eat, so I think there’s a good portion of our younger population here that probably doesn’t cook often, and then we have our older population that maybe can’t get out,” Papagni said. Continue reading →
This Sunday is Mother’s Day and also is the last day of Toast to Greenpoint so why not treat her to a mouthwatering meal for 25% off while supporting local businesses?
If you haven’t already, download the Cinch, and use code TOAST25 to get your discount at some classic Greenpoint spots.
Anella (222 Franklin St)
Anella’s warm, inviting interior opens onto a garden space to enjoy brunch outside (if it’s not raining). Brunch includes dishes such as an omelette with oyster and shiitake mushrooms, ricotta, and house potatoes, brioche French toast with mascarpone, and healthier options like a kale salad. Make it a boozy brunch with a Bellini that includes peach, elderflower, and prosecco.
Le Gamin (108 Franklin St)
Open since 1992, Le Gamin is where to take a mom who’d rather be in Paris. Try the escargot to really feel like you’re in France. If snails aren’t your thing, they also offer brunch fare like a mushroom and herb polenta cake with goat cheese crumbles. Finish the meal with a sweet crepe.
Brooklyn Label
Brooklyn Label is your go-to for a classic American brunch. Pancakes, benedicts, omelettes, and of course avocado toast can all be found here. It’s located in the landmark Astral building and has good vibes all around. Bring your mom here if she just wants some good pancakes and a mimosa!
If your mom has a sweet tooth, take her to Charlotte Patisserie. Enjoy French staples like a croque monsieur or a quiche – or just skip straight to dessert. Try the Duet, a white and chocolate mousse with hazelnut crunch, or a raspberry creme brulee, or their seasonal spring/summer Extravaganza, a mango-strawberry mousse topped with fresh candied strawberry.
Toast to Greenpoint is a celebration of the neighborhood produced by Cinch, which aims to connect local residents with neighborhood businesses to discover new experiences and exclusive offers. Check out the rest of the 20+ participating restaurants and bars here or simply visit your “rewards” tab in the app to explore!
Cinch
Sponsored by Cinch: An app that drives business within local communities. Once you download the app, you can choose from hundreds of participating Williamsburg and Greenpoint business to eat, drink, shop that offer specials and discounts.
Are you a local business and want to join the Cinch community? Sign up here!
Manhattan Avenue isn’t the only Greenpoint shopping corridor experiencing a rapid change in its businesses. The stretch of Franklin Street from N. 15 Street to Commercial Street has seen a shakeup in the past year with the closings and openings of longtime and new businesses. Here’s the latest:
Greenpoint Beer & Ale Co. (7 N. 15th St.) and Northern Territory (12 Franklin St.) share the same block that is soon-to-be-razed to make way for a new office building. Northern Territory is closed for the winter and will reopen for the final year at its current location this spring. Meanwhile, Greenpoint Beer celebrated its final night on New Year’s Eve at its current location and the owners are busy preparing their new 1150 Manhattan Ave. location for a tentative spring opening.
Just across the street from Northern Territory, the House of Vans (25 Franklin St.) concert venue and skate park opened in 2010 and closed last August with a goodbye set from NYC legends Interpol. The space is now on the market for $77,000 per month.
(Courtesy of House of Vans)Shayz Lounge
Shayz Lounge (130 Franklin St.) announced on Thursday that January 20th will be the neighborhood bar’s final night of operation after spending a decade in Greenpoint on Franklin Street. Continue reading →
After Anella (222 Franklin St.) closed following a fire last summer, owner Blair Papagni made sure that her staff would land new jobs while the chaos of the situation settled.”The fire happened on a Saturday, the day after the fire, me, my two managers and my chef, we all went out to brunch, and we first and foremost made a list of every person that worked for us and where we thought we could employ them,” Papgani said. “And then we had a staff meeting a few days later and it was sorta like a job fair.” Anella reopened with much of its original staff in November following months of rebuilding.
Anella, after the fire. Photo: Megan Penmann
Papagni signed a lease for Anella in December 2008, and attributes the restaurants’ staying power in part to her landlord. “I think that the experience of a lot of people, unfortunately, is that they have terrible landlords, and I actually have a really good relationship with my landlord and he’s made it possible that Anella will be able to be there for a really long time,” she said.
When it came to redesigning the fire-damaged restaurant, Papagni found a rare opportunity to reflect on what Anella’s strong points were. “I think that our mantra with reopening was to use the fire as an opportunity to fix things that maybe weren’t working so well for us and embrace the things that were,” she said.
Anella’s new interior
In a city where the restaurant industry is especially competitive, many dining establishments operate as turnover machines while treating their employees as disposable. Papagni takes great pride in the fact that Anella employees tend to stick with the business on a more longterm basis: “Our two managers that are on right now have been with me for seven years. My Chef, Mayo is his name, he started at Anella as the dishwasher when we opened in 2009, and he’s worked every position in the kitchen, and he worked his way up to chef,” she said Continue reading →
Friends of All Glass provided the pendant lamps in the front windows (courtesy of Alexis Thomas)
It’s official, after much anticipation Anella (222 Franklin St.) will finally re-open for dinner this evening (5:30 p.m. to be exact) following reconstruction due to extensive fire damage last summer.
Anella sent us some photos of the new interior and it looks promising, check it out: Continue reading →
Anella (222 Franklin St.) will re-open on Thursday, Oct. 25, after months of rebuilding due to extensive fire damage last July. Owner Blair Papagni and her husband, Josh Cohen, opened the restaurant in 2009 with a focus on New American cuisine and Anella quickly became a popular brunch and dinner destination.
“We’ve always tried to strike a nice balance of being a solid neighborhood spot that locals can count on for great food and friendly service while still being special enough for our neighbors to want to bring their friends and family from out of town when they are visiting. We have done our best to check all of the boxes and it was important to me that we kept that feel,” said Papagni in a statement sent to Greenpointers. Continue reading →
Some of you may have heard about local favorite Anella (222 Franklin Street) having closed indefinitely over the weekend, due to a fire that raged through the space. The damage appears to have been worse on the left side of the double-aisled restaurant. The charming neighborhood joint opened nearly ten years ago in 2009, with a romantic outdoor space where they grow their own herbs. The restaurant had a hand-warn charm that always felt authentic. It was partitioned in a quirky way, yet it was a beautiful space; and with low lighting and a lack of pop art wall decals or any of the neon that’s so millenial-trendy these days it was never designed for the influencer crowd.
Anella has never faked it. And the food through the years has remained on point—whether it’s the classic burger, the french toast at brunch, or the warm popover bread, Anella nailed New American comfort dishes without being too heavy handed or pretentious. Local well wishers and fans have already started posting get-well-soon notes to the front of the restaurant—here’s hoping for a speedy recovery! The neighborhood will miss you in the meantime.
We reached out to Anella and owner Blair Papagni told us this:
We opened Anella in May of 2009 and have been blessed with an amazing staff and loyal (and hungry) regulars. We love Greenpoint and are devastated to have to close. Our priority right now is to find temporary employment for our entire staff and to get back open as soon as possible. Thank you to all who have expressed concern and offered their help, it’s deeply appreciated.
What do Henna, Rock Climbing and eating Bibimbop have in common? They’re all ideal dates, and you can have them right here in North Brooklyn! Whether you’re looking for an elegant and lovely night out with your boo, or you’re celebrating Galentine’s with your favorite power women, here’s our roundup of places and activities that will get you out and about for the day of love. 💕
This Italian eatery, known for their homemade pastas plus Neapolitan-style pies, has a special prix fixe on the night of Valentine’s. Their menu includes baby lamp chops, pink beet gnocchi, tiramisu, wood-fire pizzas, and inclusive glasses of wine! It’s a full course meal at $45 for one and $80 for two. To book a table, call or email them. Highlights: Prix Fixe (wine included), Tiramisu, Homemade Pasta
Cost: $45 for one and $80 for two Address: 102 Berry St, Brooklyn, NY 11211 Phone: (718) 599-5988 Website: oreganowilliamsburg.com Email: Oregano
The Big Brooklyn Holiday Toy Drive, a local organization that has helped distribute more than 22,000 toys to local children in need is hosting a fundraising dinner at Anella (222 Franklin St) next Wednesday evening (12/13). With two seatings at 6:30 and 8:30, the dinner will feature a seasonal 3-course prix fixe menu for $75 per person, with a carafe of wine included for each table of two. All profits from the night will go directly to the purchase of additional toys at wholesale. Tickets can be purchased here.
I don’t know about you, but my favorite part of spring is being able to finally emerge from the dark and the cold to sit outside in the sun, preferably sipping on a nice saison and surrounded by greenery. I don’t ask for much. Luckily, Greenpoint is chock-full of great places to eat and drink outdoors, either in magical green gardens or on rooftops with stellar views. Here are a few places worth the trip.
Northern Territory 12 Franklin Street Good for: Gorgeous semi-panoramic rooftop views and large groups.
This Australian-themed bar features an expansive rooftop with its own bar and wooden bench tables that channel something of a summer beach vibe. Gaze across the East River to watch the sunset over the city or to ponder the Empire State Building’s color of the day. Add a Beer & Shot into the mix for $10 during happy hour, grab an Aussie burger, and you’re set. Continue reading →
