Brooklyn Bites Archives - Page 2 of 7

Brooklyn Bites

Your New Regular Coffee Shop: Konditori, Cobble Hill, New York

March 11, 2014 / Brooklyn Bites, Cobble Hill, New York, New York Food / 0 comment

We are always searching for a new great coffee place that will deliver my flat white-obsessed husband with a consistent cup of decent coffee. His most recent obsession is Konditori, a Swedish cafe that aspires to combine the hominess of Swedish Coffee Culture with the edginess of Brooklyn. I’ve never been to Sweden, so I can’t comment on how accurately the cafe represents the “Swedish coffee hominess”, but what I do know is my husband has been stopping by this cafe twice a week on his way to deliver Cheese to pre school since it opened, and gets REALLY mad if Cheese isn’t ready for school in time for him to get his regular cup of jo.

Since I’m not a coffee drinker he promised me a good hot chocolate and selection of fine baked goods, which was enough for me to accompany him and Cheese on their regular coffee ritual one morning.

As well as a seriously good cup of coffee (the husband obviously has stamped it so) you can pick up a hand rolled kettle boiled bagel, gourmet muffins and Swedish treats like Cardamom Bread (coffee bread with almond filling), Kanelbulle (cinnamon rolls) and Coco Balls.

The cafe also has a fresh juice bar, which has a little IKEA train set running around the tip jar — a magnet for toddlers and adults waiting for their juices alike. Cheese was obsessed with the trains, and we were both very happy when told it was fine for her to take the train back to the table play with (bless you!).

In the back of the store is a huge foosball table (another prime toddler distractor) and plenty of room if you need to park your giant stroller.

I ordered a hot chocolate ($2.25) and one of the gourmet muffins ($2.50). I thought it was blueberry banana, but I could only find blueberries, so who knows, maybe I read the sign wrong. Either way, it was a good, solid muffin, and the hot chocolate was delicious.

I had to act quickly to snap Alec’s latte ($3.50) and croissant ($2.50) before they disappeared. Part of his weekly ritual with Cheese is for them to enjoy croissants together.

The Konditori staff were very happy to make a special “toddler” hot chocolate for Cheese. Basically this means I ask them to dilute the hot chocolate heavily with whole milk, and put it in a straw cup for her to drink. This both takes away from it being too chocolately for a toddler, and also brings it down to the perfect temperature for toddlers straight away, so we can skip the “you have to wait, it’s too hot!” talk.

Last Bite: Great coffee, friendly staff, and plenty of room and distractions for toddlers. Stop by to find us hibernating at Konditori all winter long.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Yes – room for strollers!
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Konditori
114 Smith St,
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: (646) 696-0257
Pries: $
Hours: Daily, 6am-8pm
Get directions

Cafe Colette: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, Williamsburg, New York

February 1, 2014 / Brooklyn Bites, New York, New York Food, Williamsburg / 0 comment

On a cold winter’s day, we made a trek on the G train to Williamsburg to visit friends and try out Cafe Colette. With a lot of restaurants cramped with elbow-tight tables, it can be hard to find kid-friendly restaurants in the ‘Burg. This little gem was a lucky find for this hungry family.

Serving New American cuisine, Cafe Colette serves up primarily locally-sourced in a menu that is influenced by flavors and techniques from Spain, Italy, Central America, and beyond.

The vintage feel, with the tin roof and cosy booths, conjours up a scene from a movie. Luckily for us, we arrive just when the cafe opens, and are shown to the corner booth, where there is plenty of room to park our stroller (and toddler).

The staff are welcoming and friendly to our crazy two-year-old. Missy E chose that morning to wake up pre-dawn, and so, by brunch-time, was a hot mess. While we felt stressed out by her antics, the staff showed no signs of dismay or judgement (thank you!!) and could not have been nicer, even when she tipped over a large glass of water all over the floor, requiring mopping.

We visited on a Monday and were served the lunch menu. I chose the Soup and Sandwich (tomato soup and grilled cheddar cheese on sourdough, $11) and the Hand Cut French Fries, $6, hoping missy E would eat some, and the rest of our party selected Breakfast Sandwich (fried farm eggs, cheddar cheese, smoked paprika aioli, lettuce, choice of bacon or sausage, $10), Garlic Herb French Fries (red chili oil, cracked black pepper, $8), Grilled Flatbread (caramelized onions, arugula, pecorino romano, garlic chili oil, $11) and the Grilled Fish Tacos (cilantro, red cabbage, pickled onions, chipotle mayonnaise, $12).

Miss E did indeed enjoy my lunch choice — after she ate all the fries, she progressed to demanding my soup to feed to herself (not a good idea, let it be noted). She’s a fussy eater, so it was actually great to see her wanting to try something like tomato soup, even if it had messy results. She wouldn’t try my grilled cheese, but I enjoyed it immensly. I adore sourdough, and this was good sourdough (not the fake kind with vinegar), with the right amount of cheese (not too little so it’s dry, but not too much to make it artery-clogging).

Missy E was a manaic and I spent most of the time trying to stop the tomato soup flying through the air. Alec and our friends enjoyed their meals, although the flatbread and garlic herb fries were deemed a bit too hot (both contained chili oil).

Last Bite: A bustling brunch or lunch joint, perfect for a casual lunch with friends AND a crazy baby or toddler.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Minimal.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Cafe Colette
79 Berry St,
New York, NY 11249
Phone: (347) 599 1381
Prices: $$
Hours: Mon-Thur 11am-12am, Fri 11am-1am, Sat 10am-1am, Sun 10am-12am
Get directions

Juliana’s Pizza, Brought To You By The Grimaldis: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, DUMBO, New York

December 14, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, DUMBO, New York, New York Food / 1 Comment

There are always famous food institutions that you think you should try when you visit a city. People walk over the Brooklyn Bridge just to try one such spot: Grimaldi’s Pizzeria in DUMBO. It’s impossible to walk past the restaurant without stumbling over the queue of people waiting patiently for their slice of famous pie. I get it, I love trying food that I’ve been told is great — but I really, really, really hate lining up for it.

So the secret I’m letting you in on here is huge: Right next to Grimaldi’s is a little pizzeria with a red awning called Juliana’s Pizza. It’s run by the actual Grimaldi family — the ones who started, and then sold, Grimaldi’s Pizzeria. Yes, let that all sink in for a minute, and then ponder, like we always do, how they ended up situated next to each other in DUMBO.

Juliana’s is owned by Patsy & Carol Grimaldi. They sold Grimaldi’s Pizzeria over a decade ago to a customer, but it seems that their passion for pizza never quit, as they partnered with a long-time collaborator to open Juliana’s. The Grimaldis wanted to create a neighborhood pizzeria, preparing and serving pies the way Patsy had for generations. Their new endeavor, Juliana’s, was named in honor of Pat’s mother, Maria ‘Juliana’ Lancieri, and has found its home in the Fulton Ferry Historic District, in the building that was once home to Grimaldi’s.

Juliana’s is usually busy and tightly packed, making it hard to move around with a little one. It does however mean that they have lots of tables constantly turning over and makes it easy to get a table on weekdays. if you’re visiting on weekends, be prepared to wait. Call ahead and put your name down, but make sure your party is all there or they won’t let you sit down.

We don’t usually let Cheese have juice since it makes her totally hyper, but we relented this time because we were dining with friends whose kids were having juice, and Cheese was desperate for juice too. We totally regretted it about an hour later when she was high as a kite, but sometimes it’s worth it to keep the peace at the table.

We ordered a simple large classic Margherita ($19). Tomato, mozzarella and basil — the only ingredients needed for the perfect pizza. Juliana’s produces a flavorful, thin crusted pizza, topped with locally and internationally-sourced toppings, and cooked inside a hand-built, coal-stoked hearth. Locals know that Juliana’s is a source for great pizza, and are known to pick up pizza and drive it home, not letting the fact that they don’t deliver stop them from getting their hit of tasty mozzarella and crispy dough.

Looking for somewhere nearby to play? In colder weather, let little ones run around (indoors) at Jane’s Carousel. If it’s warm enough for playgrounds, take your pick between the toddler playground at Pier 1 and the Main Street pirate ship playground in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Last Bite: An alternative to the long lines of tourist-destination Grimaldis; with reasonably priced, delicious pizza that hits the spot.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Not in the restaurant if it’s busy (especially on weekends). Be prepared to leave your stroller outside.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

Juliana’s Pizza
19 Old Fulton St,
New York, NY 11201
Phone: (718) 596 6700
Prices: $$
Hours: Sun-Thurs 11:30am-10:30pm Fri & Sat 11:30am-11pm
Get directions

A Child Grows In Brooklyn's Kim Janulewicz & Nicole Horne Talk Website, Work and Parenthood

December 6, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, Guest Brunchers, New York, New York Food / 0 comment

Today’s Brunch Special is courtesy of Kim Janulewicz and Nicole Horne, the owners and editors of the popular website, A Child Grows In Brooklyn. Kim lives with her husband, Adrian, son Mason (age four), and daughter Arden (age two), in Clinton Hill. Nicole lives with her husband, Nate, daughter Lucy (age four), and son Owen (two), in Park Slope.

Tell us about A Child Grows In Brooklyn.
We are the largest parenting website in Brooklyn and one of the best known parenting blogs in the NYC area. We are considered THE go-to resource for Brooklyn families and we are always striving to have the most up to date and relevant information for parents in Brooklyn. We want parents to have the right information to make the most educated decisions possible for the most important things in life. We also place an emphasis on listing exciting and diverse family-friendly activities for our Brooklyn community.

How did you came to run A Child Grows In Brooklyn?
Kim and I first met when we had just had our oldest children in a mom’s group at the old Boing Boing shop on 7^th Ave. We clicked immediately. Not only because we were first time moms together, but our husbands also had so much in common, and we were one of the few from our mom’s group going back to work after the (way too short) maternity leave we had. We loved our jobs but we were both looking to also do something we felt more passionate about, so combining our two big loves, our children and Brooklyn, A Child Grows became our newest baby.

What are your day jobs?
Nicole is Director of Acquisitions for a commercial real estate company and Kim is a recruiter for IE Business School.

How do you manage running a popular website, day jobs, and spending time with your families? Do you manage to achieve work/life balance?
That is the million-dollar question! How does one achieve such a balance? I think this is something we will continue to strive for until the kids are off to college.

One key piece of the puzzle has been having an equal partnership with our husbands in all that we do. Both of our husbands work as well, but they also do everything we do for the kids and the house. Without that, I think the family dynamic would sometimes crumble. We also strive to always be in the moment, whether it is work, family time or personal time, and be grateful for all we have. There is always work to be done and places to be, but if we don’t enjoy the day for what it is and really be present in the moment with our family and friends, what is the point?

Did you take time out of the work force when having kids? If so, how did you find getting back into work?
We took our 3-4 months of maternity leave after both of our children were born. Going back to work was not easy at first. You have so many emotions as a new mom that it’s hard to anticipate how you are going to feel. It was even harder with our second babies, because we were having so much fun with the first on our leave. But it got easier as our babies got a little older and we got better at balancing our work with our home life.

We are both fortunate to have schedules that allow us to have breakfast as a family, take the kids to school, be home for dinner most nights and work from home on Fridays. What has been most helpful in juggling family and work is to prioritize what is truly important and learning to say no to invites or projects that will not fit our schedules. Another piece of advice we got as new moms, that has served us well: hire the best help you can afford. Whether the help is a nanny, daycare, a grandparent or a combination, having childcare you can trust and is dependable will be your best investment and save you a lot of stress and worry.

What do you love about running A Child Grows? What have you learned/experienced that you didn’t expect when you took it on?
The most amazing part of A Child Grows is meeting so many of the innovators, entrepreneurs, and small businesses in Brooklyn. We have met the most amazing people. People who are taking risks, following their dreams and creating something wonderful. It has been truly inspiring to us. So inspiring, that we have started writing monthly articles showing off Brooklyn’s best in our Brooklyn Business Spotlights and Upstarts: Parents Raising Children, Building Businesses on the site.

What’s next for A Child Grows?
We hope to continue to be the most trusted resource for Brooklyn parents. We are constantly researching the best events, products and advice to help parents make informed decisions and are always striving to be relevant, entertaining and helpful.

We are busy planning our 3^rd annual Brooklyn Baby and Family Expo in April 2014. It is going to be another fabulous event for the whole family for expectant, new and seasoned parents with children up to age 8. It is a day to bring the online A Child Grows in Brooklyn community together in person to meet new friends and experience relevant educational seminars, community resources, and best products and resources for families.

We are also planning our first virtual Brooklyn Camp Expo in early 2014. It will be a comprehensive listing of all the surrounding camp options for Brooklyn families.

We are also working on comprehensive neighborhood guides to make visiting new Brooklyn areas easier and more fun for families.

Tell us about your fave places in Brooklyn —

— To eat out as a family.
We love having a family meal out at Dinosaur BBQ, which is so big and loud (to drown out our children’s squeals) and has a great kids menu. And we have been exploring all the new restaurants in Gowanus in general.

— To play.
The old standbys are the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and all that Prospect Park has to offer. We’ve recently been having fun at the new NY Kids Club in Park Slope, Frolic! play space in Williamsburg, Twinkle in Greenpoint, Everyday Athlete in Brooklyn Heights and Carroll Gardens. We have a comprehensive guide on A Child Grows Marketplace to help find lots of great options for places to play in Brooklyn.

— And to hibernate in during winter!
There is no hibernating in Brooklyn! There is too much to do and see (plus our apartments are too small!) If you are ever at a loss for new ideas for family outings, we post a weekly and weekend event guide every Sunday and Thursday on the site! You can get our weekly newsletter for all the event listings to help plan your week.

Follow Kim and Nicole and A Child Grows in Brooklyn via their site, Newsletter subscription, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Google +.

Representing Your 'Hood: The Brooklyn Block Scarves

December 6, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, Fashion, New York, New York Food, News, Product Reviews / 0 comment

One of the crappiest things about crappy weather is having to do all your usual toting around of your kid, but now with tons more layers and accessories. The one bright spot? Winter layers that have style and street cred, like these scarves from The Brooklyn Block.

The Brooklyn Block folks have created a line of scarves that represent different neighborhoods in Brooklyn, like DUMBO, Red Hook and Clinton Hill. The process is something to geek-out about: First, they take videos of the various locations across Brooklyn, then they process them into code to generate specific patterns. The generated pattern is then printed on a scarf, reflecting the colors, layers and textures of that particular neighborhood.

Since we’re full of Brooklyn pride, Alexis and I were eager to take these scarves out into our own ‘hoods; Alexis in DUMBO, and me in Clinton Hill.

Each scarf is its own little work of art. Notice how beautifully each scarf picks up the colors of the specific Brooklyn neighborhood it represents. In DUMBO, Alexis’s scarf picked up the mellow shades of blue and grey of a late winter afternoon. And in Clinton Hill, Christine’s scarf played off of the subtle purples of the brownstones, and the grays from the wrought iron railings on the stoops.

The Brooklyn Block scarves are currently available online. Current blocks you can wear are Clinton Hill/Fort Greene, Red Hook, DUMBO and Dekalb Market. No news yet on if Park Slope will make the cut.

Superheroes, Princess & Holiday Spirit: The Cute Outfit Gift Guide From Picnic

December 5, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, Fashion, Guest Brunchers, New York, New York Food / 0 comment

Find the perfect gift for kids who love to dress up, rock out and get into the holiday spirit, thanks to Lindsey Engler, owner of Picnic, in Cobble Hill. Picnic is a Brooklyn parent’s go-to store for hip, playful, children’s clothing and accessory (they even have a little picnic table for the little ones to hang out on and where they can watch cartoons while you shop).

Picnic prides itself on outfitting kids for everyday adventures. See below for the Picnic gift guide to a little something for every kid on your Christmas list, from the superhero, to the kid with Brooklyn pride, and even the kid who is crazy for Christmas.

1. Fore!! Axel & Hudson, $30
2. Rowdy Sprout, $40
3. Babiators, $22

1. My Subway Ride, Gibbs Smith Publisher, $15.99
2. I’m So Brooklyn, $22
3. The ABCs of Brooklyn, Lynas Press, $16.95
4. Brooklyn Owl Hair Clip, $12
5. Tattly MTA Tattoos, $15

1. Jellycat, Dylan the Dragon, $32
2. Fluf, Lunch Bag, $22
3. Siaomimi, $22
4. Seedling, Make your own Superhero Cape Kit, $42

1. I Love Gorgeous, $124
2. Piggy Paint, $5
3. Wee One, $7
4. Pink Chicken, $92

1. Skylar Luna, $39
2. Giddy Giddy, Hair Clip, $8
3. Piggy Paint, Sometimes Sweet, $9
4. Seedling, Make Your Own Snow Globe, $30
5. Piggy Paint, Eat Your Peace, $9

What does the holiday season hold for Picnic?
Picnic is hosting its first ‘Decorate and Donate’ art project which it began in early November and runs through December 24^th. Children who visit the store are invited to sit down at the picnic table and decorate a cardstock mitten with stickers, crayons and gems. For each mitten a child decorates, Picnic will donate $1 to the Make A Wish foundation. Picnic also has the mittens hanging in the store for everyone to see! The kids are so proud that they are helping other children – and they love seeing their artwork on display!

Inspired by lazy afternoons in the park and hanging upside down on the monkey bars, Picnic is the brainchild of owner Lindsey Engler. Lindsey, a new mom and Brooklyn resident, had always wanted to open a small, neighborhood boutique and, after many years of work in Manhattan’s garment district, she decided to make the move shortly after the birth of her daughter.

Picnic
192 Amity St
Brooklyn, NY 11201

AlMar: Kid-Friendly Restaurants, DUMBO, New York

November 5, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, DUMBO, New York, New York Food / 0 comment

In the heart of DUMBO lies Front Street—which is somewhat confusingly located a few streets back from the waterfront. (Ditto for Water Street, which is not on the water, but that’s another story). Most eateries, bars and shops are either on or near this main artery, making it a good way to get in brunch, candy, and a drink at a bar all without leaving a single block radius.

When we had woken up on that particular day, rain was pelting down outside, so we chose the restaurant AlMar mainly because of its location (we knew we could get there via the handy F line, without getting too drenched.) We were also interested in checking out a dish there that I’d read about: the dreamy-sounding Egg In A Cloud dish (baked egg yolk floating on whipped egg whites, fontina cheese, smoked ham, toasted brioche, served with sauteed spinach, $12).

Our beginning was not auspicious. The hostess sat us down without menus, so no one came to serve us. After grabbing a nearby staff member, I managed to procure the menus, but things were not off to a good beginning. As an FYI to restaurants—rule number one when people come in with a baby or toddler is to help them get in and out as fast as possible! This makes for happy families and happy diners surrounding those families.

Once we had the menu situation sorted out, our server became aware of us, and things ran much more smoothly. We ordered the aforementioned Egg In A Cloud for my husband (the omnivore), and the Egg Toast ($12 —baked egg over melted fontina cheese, toasted brioche, truffle oil and asparagus) for me. We weren’t sure if Cheese would eat off either of our plates since she wasn’t feeling the best that day, so we ordered her her own, especially made, single pancake, since there wasn’t a kids menu. They were also happy to make something like a single scrambled egg for her if we wanted.

Our served warned us that our dishes would take 10 minutes to cook, which I thought was very thoughtful of him. We entertained Cheese with our trusty iPhones and the sugar bowl while we waited.

The Egg In A Cloud did not disappoint visually. It’s a spectacular-looking dish, with a big fluffy “cloud” of egg-white literally on top of the toast. My husband said it was “pretty good”, which is his standard response to food. When pressed further on what could make it “outstanding”, he replied that the brioche was a bit overcooked, so it overpowered the delicate egg-whites. So detailed. Thanks, Husband!

My Egg Toast looked a much simpler affair, and was absolutely delicious. Perfectly baked egg, loads of melty cheese (yes, I know, a heart attack waiting to happen); and a huge amount of my favorite vegetable, white asparagus, perfectly blanched, in a ring around the plate.

In typical form, Cheese wanted nothing to do with her pancake (which, thoughtfully was garnished with blueberries, syrup and a butter wedge), and instead wanted my cheese and egg on toast. That’s my girl!

Other tips: AlMar can get quite busy, so reservations are recommended (via phone). They’re a cash-only establishment, so visit the Chase ATM across the street on the way if you arrive without real money in your wallet.

Last bite: AlMar is a handy Italian eatery, serving up a solid brunch menu. High ceilings and plenty of space make you feel like you’ve briefly left New York.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Yes, but it’s outside.
Easy access: No. There are a few steep steps to get in.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

AlMar
111 Front St.
Brooklyn,NY 11201
Prices: $$
Phone: (718) 855-5288
Hours: Mon-Thur 8am-10:30pm; Fri 8am-11pm; Sat 9am-11pm; Sun 10am-5pm
Get directions

Where To Score The Tastiest Halloween Treats: Kid-Friendly Cafes, New York

October 28, 2013 / Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Bites, DUMBO, Manhattan Munchies, New York, New York Food / 0 comment

As an Australian transplant, I’d never properly celebrated Halloween before moving to New York. My only Halloween experiences in Sydney consisted of one Halloween party (hosted by a Scottish friend) and yearly office celebrations when I worked at Google. Thus, I’m doing my best to catch up for lost time by eating as many Halloween-themed treats as possible. Here are a few of my fave spooky treats that are on current offer all around the city.

Georgetown Cupcake
Georgetown Cupcakes makes amazing cupcakes any time of year. Drop by this week for a spooky cupcake from their Halloween collection: Chocolate² cupcakes (with white ghost fondant decorations), vanilla cupcakes with orange-tinted vanilla buttercream frosting and black bat fondant decorations, Chocolate Spider Web cupcakes (baked with toffee) and vanilla cupcakes (baked with M&M’s with orange-tinted vanilla buttercream frosting and black bat fondants). $2.75 each.
Georgetown Cupcake: 111 Mercer Street (between Spring and Prince)

Jacques Torres
The makers of exquisitely fine chocolates, Jacques Torres, do “seasonal” so well. This time of year is a great time to drop by for a molten Wicked hot chocolate and a Jacques “O” Lantern (made from dark or milk chocolate and hand decorated with white chocolate, $12). You can also pick up a delicious chocolate Haunted House, or spooky cat and chocolate-covered marshmallow peep pops.
Find your nearest Jacques Torres

Betty Bakery
Betty is known for their uh-mazing cakes. At Halloween, not only can you pick up a scary cake, like the Splattered Frankenstein Cake ($65); you can also treat yourself to Magical Cupcakes ($2.95 each); cookies decorated with the likes of pumpkins, cats, and ghosts (small cookies, $20/lb), Halloween Petit Fours Glacé ($2.50 each) and Marzipan Witches ($8).
Betty Bakery: 448 Atlantic Ave (between Bond St and Nevins St), Brooklyn

Crumbs Bakery
Crumbs are well-known for their decadent and (massive!) cupcakes. Get your scare on this week with their Halloween Collection, which includes Candy Corn, Jack O’Lantern, Orange Squiggle,”Boo”kies & Cream, Monster Mash Up and Ghastly Ghost (vanilla cake filled with chocolate fudge and topped with van. cream cheese frosting). 6 cupcakes for $27 (they’re also available individually).
Find your nearest Crumbs.

Monteleone’s Bakery
This little Carroll Gardens bakery has some crazy Halloween cakes for sale. Freak out friends, family and co-workers by breaking out a monster cake after dinner this week. Pick up some old school Italian treats inside, any time of year.
Monteleone’s Bakery: 355 Court St, Brooklyn

Nunu Chocolate
This little shop in Boerum Hill is a haven for people seeking fine chocolate. During Halloween you can score a Jack-O’-Lollie for $2, in addition to their daily superb range of treats.
Nunu Chocolate: 529 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn

No. 7 Sub: Kid-Friendly Cafes, DUMBO, New York

August 22, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, DUMBO, New York, New York Food / 0 comment

With toddler Cheese now refusing to sit in restaurants, we’re doing a lot of “grab and go” lunches to keep everyone happy. One of our favourite things to do on weekends is to walk on down to DUMBO and spend an afternoon chasing Cheese around the playgrounds, taking a spin on Jane’s Carousel, and eating — usually at the same time as running …

Sandwich experts No. 7 Sub opened up over Memorial Day in the Smokestack Building on Water Street. The location is perfect — directly in between the Pier 1 toddler playground and ferry terminal, and Jane’s Carousel and the Pier 1 pirate playground. It’s also a great option for Sundays when you attempt to go to Smorgasburg and are scared off by the massive queues.

Behind the Smokestack Building is extra seating — yes, in the shade! If you can actually take advantage of seating, it’s the perfect place to take a break and enjoy your sandwich.

I chose one of the staple sandwiches, the Broccoli Classic (Lychee Muchim, Ricotta Salata, Pine Nuts, Mayo). At $9 it’s a pricey sandwich, but it’s also big and filling. The combination of broccoli, ricotta and nuts is delicious. I wasn’t a big fan of the lychee muchim (pickled lychees). They had a bit too much of a kick of chilli for my taste. Next time I would probably order a build-your-own sub, which is perfect for picky eaters like me.

Sandwiches made from scratch, so be prepared to wait 10-15 mins for your creation. If you have an energetic toddler like we do, take your sandwich to one of the nearby playgrounds to enjoy it while your kid runs around.

Last bite: A great grab-and-go option for lunch (and now breakfast!) in DUMBO. Freshly-made sandwiches are a delicious option when you want good food, fast. Cafe seating is available if you have time to sit with your family.

Highchairs: No.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: No.
Kids’ menu: No.

No. 7 Sub
11 Water St,
Brooklyn, NY
Prices: $$
Hours: Daily, 11am-8pm

Get directions.

Ample Hills Creamery: Kid-Friendly Cafes, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, NY

August 8, 2013 / Brooklyn Bites, New York, New York Food, Prospect Heights / 1 Comment

Summer to me means one thing—the unrelenting search for the city’s best ice cream. My current fave is Ample Hills, which I discovered when they opened up a concession stand at Pier 5 in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

The concession stand in the park usually has about eight flavors, but I was curious as to what frozen delights I would find at the actual Ample Hills Creamery cafe in Prospect Heights. We made the pilgrimage to Ample Hills Creamery one hot summer’s day to check out the full shebang. The name for the creamery came from a Walt Whitman poem, who liked to wax lyrical about what an awesome place Brooklyn was back in the 1800s (he was an early adopter). The poem goes: “I too lived. Brooklyn of ample hills was mine…” And thus, Ample Hills Creamery was born, using only the freshest local and hormone-free ingredients. The dairy and eggs come from farms in upstate New York.

The first Ample Hills ice cream was sold out of a cart to concert-goers in Prospect Park. It didn’t take long for an ice cream cult to form and grow to the point where a shop was needed to keep up with the demand.

The creamery itself has a lot of space inside—tables, chairs and a little play area for kids in the rear. It’s geared towards people buying a sundae and sitting down to chat, rather than ordering a cone and taking it to go (although you can do both, I’d recommend enjoying your ice cream while taking in the quirky ambiance inside).

The Ample Hills flavours border on the wacky and wild sides, such as their Cotton Candy (which is slate blue), Salted Crack Caramel and Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, which has giant chunks of butter cake mixed into the ice cream.

Their speciality is the “Build a Sundae” ($7.60) — a warm, homemade brownie, topped with your choice of 24 kinds of ice cream, whipped cream, and sprinkles. Buy it to share between at least two people, it’s pretty big.

My Ample Hills staples are Sweet Cookies ‘n Cream, Sweet as Honey and Ooey Gooey Butter Cake. A single serve is $2.75, a double $4.35. I usually get one cone to share with Cheese but lately she’s been eating the lion’s share so pretty soon she will likely need her own.

Ample Hills Creamery, kid-friendly places to eat, Prospect Heights, New York, via brunchwithmybaby.com — Ooey Gooey Butter Cake on top, Sweet as Honey underneath.

After eating our ice cream, we take Cheese to the back section of the creamery, to play in the kids area. It’s thoughtfully planned out with a play kitchen and shop front — selling ice cream, of course — and a bookshelf filled with kids books on ice cream. Cheese is in heaven. We’re stuffed with ice cream. Mission accomplished.

Ample Hills Creamery, kid-friendly places to eat, Prospect Heights, New York — Some fake ice cream after the real stuff.

Last bite: This ice cream shop serves seriously delicious, naturally and locally-made frozen treats. It’s the perfect respite from a steamy summer’s day — plan to sit in for a while, eat up, and let the kids play.

Highchairs: Yes.
Stroller storage: Yes.
Easy access: Yes.
Change tables: Yes.
Kids’ menu: Yes. Kid-sized scoops of ice cream.

Ample Hills Creamery
623 Vanderbilt Ave,
Brooklyn, NY
Phone: (347) 240 3926
Prices: $
Hours: Sun-Thurs 12pm-11pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-12am

Get directions.