Radish

c/o NBC Feast

158 Bedford Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11222
view map
718.782.2744

Cuisine: Coffee Shop/Sandwiches/General Store
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Price: $$
Hours: Mon-Sat 11am – 9pm; Sun 11am – 7pm
Cards: All Major
Booze: None
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Delivery: No
NBC Feast says:

Nine months ago Laura Migliozzi and Amy Marks abandoned corporate careers to create a general store focused on seasonal prepared foods. “This is our baby, we can say it seriously,” explains Marks. It’s fitting then, that the name Radish, takes inspiration from Rapunzel’s pregnancy cravings in some versions of the fairy tale. “We had a little branding session and we got hooked on root vegetables because it pops up in fairy tales a lot. It’s blossomed into our brand,” explains Migliozzi.

As we’ve seen in the past, restaurants offering (but rarely selling) artisanal products that double as design accents don’t always fly, but you’ll be taking everything to go here (there are no seats) so customers could be more apt to stock their cabinets with a smart selection of dry goods from Early Bird granola to dog biscuits made with grains from Dogfish Ale. Tableware on sale will also evolve with the seasons with blankets currently tempting haute picnic goers headed to the waterfront or McCarren Park (a wool import from Mexico with a leather holster fits the scene). Radish currently opens daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. with breakfast to come. For now, grab a piquant ginger soda to counteract the heat if you know what’s good for you.

This week, the business plan came to a head in the former Penny Licks space. Sprouting up amidst slice joints and bagel stores, Radish sticks out on the main drag of Bedford Avenue for its old soda fountain counter (there are house-made sodas, and local beer flows soon, to be available by the growler); shelves packed with Brooklyn Flea-worthy sundries; and wood and glass cases displaying sandwiches and casseroles all identified by hand-written placards.

The business plan took three months and though the pair entertains for friends and Migliozzi boasts a degree in food science, they chose to bring in consulting chef Katy Sparks to create the core menu composed of grass-fed lamb burgers, quinoa salad, ham and cheese gougères (Gruyère bread) bites, and chicken curry salad, plus a variety yarn-tied sandwiches.

The New York Times says:

At the rate things are going, Brooklyn will soon have more charming country stores than Woodstock, Vt. The latest is Radish, a prepared-food shop in Williamsburg with adequate shelf space to display products made by bakers, artisan pickle-makers and chocolatiers from the borough. Amy Marks and Laura Migliozzi, former techies who own the place, had the good sense to bring in Katy Sparks, a local professional, to work with their chef, Mike Ciardi. On any given day, you’ll find several casseroles of hot dishes like macaroni and cheese, curried chicken or shepherd’s pie. You could easily anchor dinner with choices from an appealing and frequently changing assortment of salads and cold dishes, like asparagus with pistachios and Manchego; orzo with sugar snap peas; roasted carrots; roasted fingerling potatoes scored so that they look like gnocchi; savory tartlets; and a few meat dishes, including lamb burgers and steak. There are also sandwiches ready to go.

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