Cookshop

I love brunch.  Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day so any excuse to draw it out and consume as many breakfast items in one sitting is my idea of heaven.  The problem with brunch in NYC is that many restaurants do not accept reservations and waiting for a table outside in the rain/snow/cold when you are starving is not an acceptable option.  Thankfully, some wise restaurateurs, like the owners of Cookshop, allow you to make reservations.

Cookshop is owned by Five Points, another popular brunch spot.  Cookshop's floor to ceiling windows and high ceilings give the jam packed dining room a light, airy feel.  Try to snag a table along the window, which include a bench for winter coat and bag storage.  In the summer, Cookshop offers dozens of tables on the sidewalk, which is great for people watching but someone lacking in aesthetics (the view across the street is an outdoor parking garage).

Our server was terrific.  Despite the bustling restaurant, he was attentive and allowed us to linger after we had paid our bill.  There was only one minor snag in my book:  my request for a slice of tomato and avocado for the burger was shut down because "those ingredients are not in season."  I think this policy is a bit ridiculous when I can go down the street to Eataly to procure vine ripe tomatoes and ripe avocados.  Burgers should always come with tomatoes (and lettuce).  We live in NYC, where you can find just about any ingredient you can imagine.  I think some restaurants are taking the farm to table movement a bit too far.

Cookshop is the overall package when it comes to brunch: accepts reservations, features a gorgeous interior, offers excellent food and well executed service.  This is definitely a brunch staple for me.

What to Eat:

Start with the Pastry Basket.  The basket, which is better described as a platter, features a homemade raspberry pop tart (interesting), a coffee cake (amazing), cinnamon sugar muffins (incredible) and a chive scone (I had them swap it out for a biscuit which was a good call because several diners did not have biscuits as part of their breakfast).  All of the items were freshly baked, moist and flavorful.  I could have devoured dozens of the mini cinnamon sugar muffins. 

For an entree, to balance out my carb overload, I went with the Cookshop Scramble, which was a large mound of creamy eggs with caramelized onions, chives and smoked trout.  There was a salad on the side but I was more focused on the large, flaky biscuit recently pulled out of the oven.

Looking for the perfect brunch spot to meet up with friends or impress a date?  Add Cookshop to your 2013 must list,

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