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

204 Grand Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.599.6599

Cuisine: Italian/Gourmet Pizza
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Price: $$$
Hours: Mon-Thurs 12pm-4pm (Lunch), 5pm-Midnight (Dinner); Sat 12pm-4pm (Lunch), 5pm-1am (Dinner); Sun 12pm-4pm (Lunch), 5pm-Midnight (Dinner)
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
Time Out New York says:

Though its name means “hugs and kisses” in Italian, Baci & Abbracci carefully balances its grandma-style Italian rusticity with a Euro-chic sensibility. Subtle architectural touches, like saucer-shaped light fixtures and a chrome-furniture-filled back garden, lend the casual eatery a modern, space-age look. The old-world influences pop up in the kitchen. The bulging wood-burning oven (imported from Naples) evokes the homeland, and Sorrento native Francesco Mastellone tosses the pies. In addition to pizzas, the menu includes classic dishes like sauteed calamari and veal milanese. We especially liked the polpa e patate appetizer, meaty hunks of octopus and boiled potato slices tossed with slivers of zesty raw garlic, olive oil and plenty of parsley. We also enjoyed a sauceless pizza topped with chewy smoked mozzarella, strips of mild pancetta and caramelized onions. Unfortunately, the crust lacked the crispness of a perfect thin-crust pie. A dessert, torta di nonna, with custardy sabayon, chocolate-cream piping, and crushed, toasted pine nuts and pecans, was named for — you guessed it — grandma.

NY Magazine says:

Patrons of this casual, low-fanfare eatery can bank on a warm welcome, if not the kisses and hugs promised in the restaurant’s name. The decor is inviting, too, with rustic tables, a wood-burning pizza oven, marble countertops, and Italian tilework. Balancing confident panache with unpretentious ease, B&A isn’t edgy or superhip and doesn’t strive to be. The kitchen favors solid, well-crafted renditions of antipasto, pasta, and pizza, including the welcome familiars linguini with clam sauce and four-cheese pie (quattro formaggi). Antipasti, served in generous, easy-to-share portions, focus on fresh vegetables and shellfish, and set off richer sauced dishes like pasta with fennel in cream sauce and the visually ravishing violette di Parma, jewel-toned red beet gnocchi in cheese sauce. But pizza is the high point here: With crusts that are tender, chewy, and crispy in all the right places, these pies boast decision-defying toppings like smoked mozzarella, pancetta, and caramelized onions, and fresh bufala mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and arugula. Lucky locals say that this newcomer is sure to give the now-established Fornino, which opened in 2005, a hearty run for its well-beloved pie. Mangia bene, Williamsburg. Weekend brunch features frittatas and eggs Benedict along with eggs to order and a breakfast pizza, topped with tomato, mozzarella, egg, and diner’s choice of ham, sausage, or smoky pancetta. Recommended Dishes: Lattuga alla Trentina salad, $9; Baci & Abbraci pizza , $13; verdure ripiene, $11

Banter

132 Havemeyer St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.599.5200

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Hours: Mon-Tue 2pm – 2am; Wed-Fri 2pm – 4am;  Sat 8am – 4am; Sun 8am – 2am;
Price: Moderately Priced
Subway: J,M,Z to Marcy Ave., G to Metropolitan Ave., L to Bedford Ave.
Food/Menu: Bar Snacks
Booze: Full bar
Happy Hour: No
Time Out New York says:

Soccer fans find common ground at this airy saloon, which joins the borough’s slowly growing ranks of footy-focused clubhouses. The bar eschews sports-bar stereotypes, with craft beer and natural light instead of boring swill and dingy quarters. Twenty-four taps attract the most attention for drinkers, dispensing a well-balanced rotation of European classics (Harviestoun, Old Speckled Hen) and American microbrews (Founders, Sixpoint); those looking for something stronger can peruse a reasonably priced list of whiskeys and bourbons. During early matches, temper the booze with a simple menu of panini, including an excellent pairing of peppery smoked turkey, fresh leeks, Gouda and goat cheese. When there’s no game on, Banter takes its cues from pubs across the pond, dialing down the music to accommodate the sort of repartee that gives the bar its name.

NY Mag says:

From three of the guys that brought you Iona, Banter, the 60-seat, self-dubbed “public house” in Williamsburg, revels in beer, whiskey, and soccer. European footie fans gather on weekday afternoons and early weekend mornings to watch the matches live on three screens above the copper-plated bar, which in turn satiates them with daily (until 8pm) happy hour specials and breakfast sandwiches and coffee for the morning games. Beer comes in a selection of 40 bottles, from Corona to Chimay Blue, and a similarly well-rounded 24 on tap, a mix of local brews like Sixpoint and Brooklyn Lager and imports (served in true 20 oz pints) like Bitburger Pilsner and Weihenstephaner Vitus. Whiskey lines the bar, namely Jameson and Michters bottles with single malt options like Glenfiddich. Soak up the booze with one of four $8 paninis, like prosciutto and mozzarella or Portobello mushroom and fontina. For quieter conversation, high backed wooden booths and seats tucked away in the back offer some privacy, and when there isn’t a match on, old-school games Sorry and dominoes pick up the slack.

c/o The New York Times

346 Bedford Avenue
(Near South 3rd Street)
Brooklyn NY, 11211
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718.218.7067

Cuisine: Vietnamese
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★
Cards: Cash Only
Price: $
Hours: Mondays from 12-10 pm, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights from 6-10 pm
Booze: Beer and wine
Subway: L to Bedford Ave., J,M,Z to Marcy Ave.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
NY Mag says:

A few days a week, An Nguyen Xuan, a Vietnamese chef who was born and raised in France takes over Simple Café in Williamsburg and operates it as Bep (meaning “Kitchen” in Vietnamese): “I serve Vietnamese staple dishes like pho, bánh mì, bun, and fried spring rolls.” There are also specials, like caramelized pork belly with pickled bean sprouts. Xuan is using natural ingredients and hoping to offer an alternative to current Vietnamese restaurants, which she says are sometimes too expensive and use too much MSG. Hmmm. We have yet to encounter these expensive Vietnamese joints, but if she claims hers is cheaper and better, we’ll see her soon!

In January, An Nguyen Xuan opened Bep, which means “kitchen” in Vietnamese, at the Simple Café in Williamsburg. At first, the concept was confined to Mondays, restaurants’ day of doldrums. But the experiment proved so popular that last month Bep expanded its hours to Thursday through Saturday nights. Mr. Xuan’s food tends to the Hanoi style, which uses herbs and spices more subtly than its southern counterpart. Texture is key. Cha gio ($4.50), fried spring rolls, are chubby with pork and mushrooms, their rice-paper skins crisp and bubbled without being oily. A steamed rice crepe is tucked around crunchy pork and silky Vietnamese ham ($10). Many of the brief menu’s supplemental specials deserve to be staples, like the catfish, coppery with turmeric and aromatic with dill, atop vermicelli ($10), and a tangy salad of mango, cabbage and banana blossoms ($9). But the pho ($8) lacks character, and the banh mi ($5.50) are filled with too gentle a hand. Still, it’s rare at this price to find such exquisite details as the dried sour plum bobbing among the mint leaves in the house-made lime soda ($3).

c/o Grub Street

67 South 6th Street
New York, NY 11211
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718.388.0908

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: Cash Only
Menu: Click here
Website: biabargrill.com
Hours: Mon-Sun 5pm-2am
Price: Moderately Prices
Subway: J,M,Z to Marcy Ave.
Food/Menu: Vietnamese snacks
Booze: Full bar (specialized in Asian beers)
Happy Hour: No
Grub Street says:

Hipsterphernalia meets Southeast Asia at Bia, South Williamsburg’s new Vietnamese restaurant and bar. The owners of recently shuttered East Village dive bar Duke’s have brought their kitschy roadhouse décor with them, and auto-repair signs, tables made from oil drums, and plastic bar stools somehow successfully mix with Buddhas, plants, and paper lanterns. Named after the Vietnamese word for beer, Bia has a solid selection of craft brews and imports (some from Asia), and most of the dozen taps are already flowing. The cocktail list is short and a bit pricey, and the house wine comes from a wooden barrel at the end of the bar.

A full menu with “authentic Vietnamese” fare inspired by owner Duke Quan’s family recipes — think pho, banh mi, and, for summer, a raw-beef salad. The kitchen will hopefully serve daily lunch in the future, but they’l focus on dinner and weekend brunch at first. A wooden roof deck (pictured here) is situated directly under the Williamsburg Bridge, so it doesn’t have much of a view. But the picnic tables, lawn chairs, and wooden fences give it a funky backyard feel

Blackbook Mag says:

Good evening, Vietnam. Duke peeps cross the river, take over raw industrial space in the shadow of the Williamsburg Bridge. Rooftop bar provides views aplenty. Twin staircases lead to cavernous interior complete with balcony seating. John Wayne photos joined by recycled signs from the last tenant (“Vince’s General Auto Repairs”). Kitchen pumps out traditional grilled meats, rice dishes, and bánh mì (duh). Bar pours craft beers and old-fashioned cocktails, for better sipping under the rooftop umbrellas.

Bistro Petit

774 Driggs Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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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.

BlackBrick

300 S. Bedford Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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Cuisine: Coffee Shop
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Price: Moderately Priced
Hours: Mon.-Sun. 7am-8pm
Cards: All Major
Booze: None
Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Delivery: No
We say:

Beautiful new coffee shop serving Stumptown coffee, Jacques Torres hot chocolate, and coming soon-fresh baked goods.

c/o Gothamist

160 Havemeyer St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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347.725.3837

Cuisine: American/Burgers
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All major
Price: Cheap
Hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-10pm; Sat-Sun, 9am-10pm
Booze: None
Subway: J,M,Z to Marcy Ave., L to Lorimer Street

Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
Gothamist says:

This burger-obsessed town got another meaty addition last week when Blue Collar, a small burger-and-dog shop, opened on Havemeyer Street. The restaurant comes from Gavin Compton and Jeff Slagg, the fellas behind Miller’s Tavern, but you won’t find any Duck Rillettes or artisanal cheeses plates here. Their new venture harkens back to the roadside burger shacks of yore, with a kind of “keep it simple, stupid” menu of well-prepared comfort foods.Burgers ($4) get a nice sear on the flat top before being topped with the requisite raw veggies and a special sauce, with the option to add to cheese or an additional patty if you’re into that kind of thing. And while it’s difficult to talk about bargain burgers in this town without thinking of that little empire starter over in Madison Square Park, the comparison here is well-deserved, as Blue Collar griddles up tender, juicy burgers to rival any available around town. The menu rounds out with an all-beef hot dog served up with tangy kraut ($2.75) and fries that ($2.25/$3/25) come generously salt and peppered, with cheese and/or chili additions available for a few pennies more. The classic milkshake gets a turn in the blender with flavor options spanning from vanilla and chocolate to peanut butter and cookies & cream. And rest easy, boozehounds: a beer and wine list is currently in the works.

When all’s said and done, nothing on the menu costs more than $6.25, and for that, our wallets and bellies are eternally grateful.

The Village Voice says:

Though I can’t say I’m crazy about the name, I stopped in for a cheeseburger at Blue Collar, the new burger joint in Williamsburg from the Miller’s Tavern team.

It may not look it, but this was a very fine fast food-style cheeseburger ($4.75). You know the kind: squishy and satisfying. With its thin, tender patty, browned on the edges, crisp lettuce, fresh tomato, and special sauce, it’s reminiscent of an In-N-Out, right down to the way it’s packed up to go in a paper box. I also tried a side of skinny, pale fries ($2.25), which were not so impressive, though I do know French fry-lovers who dig them exactly like this.

Which brings me to this question: does anyone love the burger *and* the fries at the same spot? Gchatting about burgers and fries late into the night, it seems like a lot of people have one favorite spot for burgers and then a different one for fries…

Cariño

82 S 4th St
Brooklyn, NY 11211
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718.384.8282

Cuisine: Mexican
Our Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★
Cards: All Major
Price: $$
Hours: Sun-Thur 11am-11pm; Fri-Sat 11am-Midnight
Booze: Full Bar
Subway: L to Lorimer St.
Menu: Click Here
Delivery: Yes
L Magazine says:

Well, it’s not that new… But thank crikey the geniuses behind beloved, now-shuttered Bedford Avenue mainstay Bonita (the staff and the cooks, to be specific), have managed to open a new spot just a block over on South 4th Street: Cariño. And boy is it good. The menu is simpler than Bonita’s, and the few specials seemed to reflect a trip to the market in Queens that very morning. We started with the house guacamole, a fantastic “more authentic” (we were told) version of the ubiquitous appetizer featuring a hard-to-get Mexican herb called papalo instead of lime juice and cilantro: it was peppery and bright, offering a complexity not often found in the more common recipe… (Unfortunately, papalo isn’t always easy to come by, so if “Ricardo’s Guacamole” is one of the specials, just order it.) We also shared a watercress, orange and jicama salad with a chipotle vinaigrette, a perfect balance of sharp and sweet.

We kept it simple with mains: fish tacos, and rajas (potato and peppers) tacos. Holy shit they were good. The (very fresh) fish was lightly deep fried and sat succulently (what’s with food writing and adverbs?) amidst the usual taco fixings, all fresh and finely minced, with a perfect drizzle of what must’ve been chipotle mayo. The same goes for my rajas, the finest, lightest version of it I’ve ever had.