Alameda

195 Franklin Street at Green Street
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
Brooklyn, New York 11222
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347.227.7296

Cuisine: American Bistro, Pub Fare, Small Bites
Our Rating: ★★★★
Cards: All major
Price: Entrees $10-$17, Cocktails $10
Hours: Mon – Fri: 4:00 pm – 2:00 am
Sat – Sun: 11:00 am – 2:00 am
Brunch: Weekends
Booze: Full Bar with fancy cocktails
Subway: G Train to Greenpoint Ave.
Delivery: No
Menu: Click Here
Website: www.alamedabk.com
says:

Eater says:

Evan and Oliver Haslegrave, the brothers behind the Home design company, are opening a new bar and restaurant in Greenpoint called Alameda. Brooklyn Star veterans Nick Padilla and Waine Longwell are also partners in this project. Nick will be the chef and Waine will be in charge of the bar. Alameda will inhabit the corner space that formerly housed The Greenpoint Coffee Shop and The Garden Spot Cafe.

Padilla describes this as “an American Bistro.” The chef tells Eater: “The idea is to provide a set list of raw bar itmes, salads and sandwiches and supplement it with chalkboard specials that are seasonal and frequently changing.” The restaurant will serve Blue Bottle Coffee, and the team hopes to offer dollar oysters during happy hour. Expect a full list of beer, wine, and cocktails.

The Haslegrave brothers designed Paulie Gee’s, The Manhattan Inn, Donna, Goat Town, and Torst, but this is their first time building and running a place of their own.

Alien Cafe

812 Grand St
Brooklyn, NY 11206
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347.294.4288

Cuisine: American Cafe
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All major
Price: Fairly Cheap
Hours: 7am-11pm, Daily
Booze: None for now
Subway: G to Grand St.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
Brooklyn Exposed says:

The new Alien Cafe in Williamsburg is not as foreign as you might think. Opened in early November, the space has been in owner Robert Sandoval’s family since 1999 – first as Grand Street Grill run by his father and then by Sandoval himself. The new cafe has a big name attached to it as well, with L’Artiste menu creator-chef Luis Santos at the helm of this menu. Cozy up at a two-top with warm butternut squash soup ($7) while you ogle at the designed wallpaper. Or select from varied and large servings of sandwiches ($8-10), omelettes ($6), and salads ($7-9). Real meal deals come in the form of duck ragout parpardelle ($14), a brioche bun burger ($12), and even a braised lamb shank with mushroom polenta ($18). And it would be no cafe with no cafe – robust Blue Bottle is available in drip or a personal French press. With that, skip straight to dessert for a perfect pairing with the nutella, banana, and berry crepe ($7). Though no liquor license as of yet, don’t wait to enjoy these earthly delights.

I Heart Brunch says:

There has been a lot said about the gentrification of Williamsburg over the last decade, and particularly the last few years since the rezoning of 2005 opened up the waterfront areas for development. Much of this “urban renewal” has taken place on the North and South sides, which are generally divided by Grand Street, but it’s the East side that is now experiencing a broader transition period.

Nowhere is this more evident than east of Union Ave on Grand Street where the gentrification process is noticeably making its way down the street, block by block.

Alien Cafe takes brunch in East Williamsburg up a notch.

Opening in early November, Alien Café aims to take the neighborhood up a notch. Formerly the Grand Street Grill, a quick-service takeout joint, Alien Café owner Robert Sandoval decided to revamp the space his family has owned since 1999 to create something a bit different and more refined. And he’s serious about the food, enlisting award-winning L’Artiste chef Luis Santos to create the menu.

On the exterior, Alien Café sports a spaceship sign that bulges from the front of the unassuming building and lights up at dusk. But don’t let the kitschy name and sign fool you. Once inside you’ll be eased by a casual bistro atmosphere, charming enough to bring a date, and impressed by food that may be the only thing otherworldly about the place.

Options like Eggs Benedict with chipotle hollandaise or French Toast with sautéed apples and walnuts are delicious and worth the visit, but it was the Three Color Omelet that truly impressed me. Perhaps the most perfectly cooked omelet I’ve ever had, the egg was light and fluffy and had a perfect ratio of mozzarella, fresh tomato and basil meticulously diced and speckled throughout the egg. Every egg dish is accompanied by mixed greens and nicely prepared home fries and I added a side of crisp apple wood smoked bacon to round it all out.

The food is as easy on the wallet as it is delicious – no breakfast entrée eclipses $7 and the lunch options are just a couple bucks more. Plus, coffee lovers will delight at the café’s use of the classic French press, emphasizing the bold flavors and captivating aroma of organic Blue Bottle Coffee.

Alien Café is a welcome addition to the East side that will delight neighborhood residents and hopefully continue the trend of culinary innovations in the area.

Allswell

124 Bedford Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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347.799.2743

Cuisine: American Nouveau
Our Rating: ★★★★
Cards: All Major
Price: Fairly expensive
Hours: Sun-Tue 10am-2am, Wed-Sat 10am–3:30am
Booze: Full Bar
Reservations: Yes
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Menu: http://allswellnyc.tumblr.com/
Delivery: No
Time Out New York says:

Chef-owner Nate Smith, who earned his gastropub stripes at the Spotted Pig, breaks out on his own with this laid-back Williamsburg tavern. The 47-seat space is done up with a reclaimed pine bar, vintage wallpaper in different patterns and brass-hunting-horn chandeliers with matching sconces. Choose from chefly bar grub (like smoked-trout spread or spicy pork-stuffed pastry rounds); heartier dishes (such as roasted lamb or shellfish stew); and greens (including a chicory salad with figs and pomegranate). The drinks list takes a locavore slant with small-production wines and craft beers on tap, plus a selection of market-driven cocktails.

The New York Times says:

With its half-timbered facade, this place would suit an English village. The chef, Nate Smith, formerly of the Spotted Pig, understands the gastropub genre. Much of the food is seasonal and inspired by the euro zone (sardines with sea salt, pork chop with chestnut spaetzle and onions). But it’s clear that Mr. Smith also picked up a British accent, with potted pork, corned beef and cabbage pie, malt-pickled onions, lamb-liver toast with marmalade, and gentleman’s relish (in other words, anchovies). A communal table can be reserved for groups of 8 to 12. “That’s where I’ll serve family-style dinners,” Mr. Smith said

Late Night Menu, 12-3am, Wed-Sat:
Allswell.late.Night

c/o NY Mag

222 Franklin St
Brooklyn, NY 11222
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718.389.8100

Cuisine: Italian
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Price: $$
Hours: Sun-Thu 5:30 pm. – 10 pm; Fri-Sat 5:30pm-11pm; Sat-Sun 10am-4pm Brunch
Cards: All Major
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: G to Greenpoint Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Web: www.anellabrooklyn.com
Delivery: No
New York Mag says:

Anella opened in the spring of 2009, quickly establishing its reputation as a solid Greenpoint joint with a knack for slightly upscale comfort food like brick oven-pizzas and olive oil mashed potatoes. But in early 2010, Chef Joe Ogrodnek took over the reins, launching the restaurant from reliable neighborhood standby to Brooklyn standout. Ogrodnek favors bold, classic flavors: tangy short ribs and a rich, tender pork cassoulet share space on the menu with more creative fare like sweet carrots served with fluffy whipped ricotta. But it’s the little touches that propel his homey dishes into new terrain: the generous helping of fennel on the potato-crusted cod, a scoop of ever-so-slightly tart buttermilk ice cream paired with a chocolate bread-pudding, or candied orange peel served atop the lemon tart. Even the bread, baked and served in terracotta flowerpots, is magnificently rich and salty. The wood-paneled space is warm and inviting, ideal for stretching out for a long, late-morning feast (at brunch, the pastry basket with homemade jam never disappoints). In nice weather, the backyard garden opens, a cozy spot to sip a cocktail or linger over dinner.

Metromix says:

When Greenpoint’s beloved restaurant du jour Queen’s Hideaway shuttered last fall, it was a major blow to the hood’s most-adventurous diners—the restaurant was known for crafting a daily menu, playing off the seasons and the chef’s legendary mood swings. Chanterelle vet Michael Sullivan aims to bring his own strong personality to the handsome space, but more with his Italian-rooted cooking than “Top Chefian” meltdowns. The trattoria serves five types of brick oven pizza, including truffled cheese with onions and the signature pie of bacon and pepperoni. A pork loin wrapped in bacon is an early favorite, as well as a chocolate terrine dessert with pistachio crème anglise. Sullivan plans to install greenhouse, growing herbs and produce on-site.

Aqua Santa

556 Driggs Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.384.9695

Cuisine: Italian
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Price: $$$
Hours: Mon-Thur Noon-11pm; Fri Noon-midnight; Sat 11am-Midnight; Sun 11am-11pm
Booze: Beer and Wine
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
NY Mag says:

The name means “holy water” in Italian. But secular types shouldn’t read too much into that-any worshiping at Mario La Manno’s laid-back, candlelit trattoria is for his rustic Italian cooking-thin-crust pizzas, simple pastas, and entrees like a red-wine-and garlic-sauced pork tenderloin. And the holiest water on the premises comes in a bottle with a Calabria label.

Metromix says:

Acqua Santa claims to be the place where “gluttony is not a sin.” Their menu makes good on that promise. Choose from a wide selection of rich pasta and seafood dishes and moderately priced Italian wines. Their sumptuous garden, which is open all year, will make you feel you are relaxing at a rustic winery.

Aurora

70 Grand Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.388.5100

Cuisine: Italian
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: Cash Only
Price: $$$
Hours: Mon-Thu Noon-3:30pm (Lunch), 6pm-11pm (Dinner); Fri Noon-3:30pm (Lunch), 6pm-midnight (Dinner); Sat, 11am-4pm (Lunch), 6pm-Midnight (Dinner); Sun 11am-10pm
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Menu: Click Here Delivery: Yes
Zagat says:

Tucked away in a isolated southeast corner of Williamsburg, this cozy brick- and wood-lined Italian has immediately become a take-out, delivery and drop-in boon for culinarily starved types who like its cheap prices and homemade pastas via a chef from Piedmont; the place has the feel of a branch of Max, which bodes well for its future.

NY Mag says:

Rome native Gaspare Villa named his rustic new restaurant after a favorite place in Tuscany. “I used to drive two and a half hours to get there,” he says. The trip to Aurora from Manhattan is much quicker, and well worth it for big bowls of chef Riccardo Buitoni’s maltagliati ragu. Not to mention, Villa now reaps the biggest benefit of a Brooklyn lease: a huge garden.

c/o Eater

131 Grand St.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.384.7273

Cuisine: American
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Price: $$
Hours: Open 24 Hours
Cards: All Major
Booze: BYOB
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
Time Out New York says:

Williamsburg night owls in search ofa 3am breakfast have a new option with the arrival of this 24-hour diner. In addition to the standard omelettes, there are a few wacky creations, like BBQ-shrimp pancakes and the Machete plate (mac and cheese with eggs). The massive menu is also vegan- and vegetarian-friendly—look for meatless burgers and meatballs made with spiced beets.

c/o Brownstoner

45 Richardson Street
Brooklyn NY,11211
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718.599.1645

Cuisine: Brazilian
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: Cash Only
Price: $
Hours: Tue-Thurs 5:30pm-12am, Fri 3pm-1am, Sat 10am-1am, Sun 10am-11pm. Brunch Sat-Sun 10am-4pm. Closed Mondays.
Booze: Full bar
Subway: L to Bedford Ave
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: No
NY Mag says:

Williamsburg’s Beco is located in a sort of Williamsburg-Greenpoint netherland, and the owners kept the place a neighborhood secret while getting it off the ground. Rather than a full-blown restaurant like Miss Favela, David Giddings says he and his partners envisioned it as a modest Sao Paolo boteco, where you can laze about while popping made-to-order pao de queijo and sip cocktails made with fresh passion fruit and pressed sugar cane. As Giddings describes it, the decor harks back to the days of Pele, and “doesn’t scream ‘Brazil’ in your face, but it’s more like what a boteco is — a real hangout.” You can hang there during brunch that includes acai and granola, omelettes, bife a cavalo (Brazilians refer to their steak and eggs as “steak on horseback”), and a feijoada that’s prepared over the course of two days by a Carioca chef, Casia Steinberg (Fabiane Lima, the Brazilian owner of Fabiane’s, also consulted on the menu).

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Betto

Cuisine: Italian/French/Spanish
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Price: Moderately Priced
Hours: Tue-Fri, 5pm-midnight; Sat-Sun, 11am-midnight
Website: http://bettonyc.com
Menu: http://bettonyc.com/menu/
Booze: Full Bar/Notable Wine
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Delivery: No
Time Out New York says:

Jason Denton (‘ino, ‘inoteca) takes his menu of shareable Italian plates across the bridge with this bi-level Williamsburg restaurant. The industrial space features exposed brick, concrete floors and a graphic mural of Italy. Chef Shaunna Sargent—transferred from Denton’s West Village trattoria Corsino—draws on Union Square Greenmarket produce for a seasonal menu that also features French and Spanish flavors. Gather some friends for one of the family-style plates, like a whole roasted saddle of lamb or spaghetti with brisket-and-pork-belly meatballs.

Time Out New York says:

When it comes to trendy openings, Williamsburg seems to be ground zero these days. The latest? A bi-level Italian restaurant from restaurateur James Denton (‘ino, ‘inoteca, Corsino) called Betto. Boasting his Corsino chef Shaunna Sargent, the 60-seat newcomer has a Greenmarket-heavy seasonal menu that, while focusing on Italy, includes Spanish and French flavors for its long list of shareable small plates—think grilled plums and burrata ($10), mackerel a la plancha ($8) and spaghetti with brisket-and-pork belly meatballs ($18)—as well as for its “large format” options, which includes whole-roasted baby lambs, ducks and whole fish by the pound.

NY Mag says

Jason Denton of ‘ino and ‘inoteca brings a dose of eclectic European cuisine to this 60-seat, dimly lit restaurant, his first in Brooklyn. The eccentric menu offers several whole animals (heads and tails included), which change throughout the week. Of the more permanent edibles, the majority are not only well thought out, but quite hearty. Each of the ten variations of “market toast,” with charred bread is worth showing up for, and several could be consumed as a complete meal. The cheese selection, mostly from Vermont (the one West Coast exception being the Smokey Blue), is a curd-lover’s dream, and worth ordering as a complete set, of course, accompanied by a carafe of wine. The majority of the menu encourages sharing, with plates ranging from $6 for a set of 3 lightly fried squash and ricotta fritters to $14 for a heaping bowl of spaghetti with pork-belly meatballs.
Recommended Dishes
Market toast, $12; suppli, $6; squash fritters, $6

Bistro Petit

774 Driggs Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
view map
718.782.2582

Cuisine: French
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Price: Moderately Priced
Hours: Mon-Fri 3pm-12am; Sat-Sun 12pm-12am
Cards: None
Booze: None
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
Time Out New York says:

Jean Georges alum Seung Park combines his French training with his Korean background at this diminutive Willimasburg takeout spot. Expect East-meets-West crossover dishes, like kimchi bouillabaisse, made with local, seasonal ingredients.

NY Mag says:

French standards—duck confit, steak frites—are joined by a few international riffs, like the kimchee that is added to the bouillabaisse at Bistro Cafe.