Brooklyn Heights – Dining

American, Caribbean, French, Italian, Japanese, Mexican… Those are just a few of the cuisines dished up by Brooklyn Heights restaurants on Atlantic Avenue alone. Dining options are equally diverse throughout the rest of the neighborhood, offering fabulous choices in terms of not only cuisine but also budget.

 

Clover Hill

The pandemic forced the 30-seat Clover Hill to close just a few months after its debut. The restaurant reopened in 2022, earning a Michelin star later that year. Its fixed-price dinner menu changes with the seasons; past dishes included king crab tartlet, farro porridge with Périgord truffle, dry-aged shima-aji with Ossetra caviar and preserved chili, and grilled sawara (a type of mackerel) with collard greens and ham hock consommé, all presented as the miniature masterworks they are.

 

Inga’s Bar

This bar-restaurant has earned rave reviews since opening in March 2022; its take on celery Victor, a salad that originated in San Francisco in 1910, garnered special praise from the New York Times and Time Out, among others. The fare can best be described as comfort food for those who take comfort in seasonal ingredients prepared with finesse: duck croquettes, rabbit-and-sweetbread terrine, a smash-style burger, buttermilk tart. With its tin ceiling, marble bar, bentwood bistro chairs, and dishes that would look right at home in Grandmom’s china cabinet, Inga’s Bar is a welcoming spot for a date, a get-together with friends, or a convivial drink and snack.

 

Boutros

What is Middle Eastern-New American fusion food, you ask? See and taste it for yourself at Boutros. The roasted half-chicken comes draped in a Lebanese garlic-and-cilantro sauce; bulgar fried rice is served with soujak, a Middle Eastern sausage; the American Wagyu kebab is flavored with fennel and duqqa, an herbed nut condiment, and served with sweet tahini. Boutros’s weekend brunch is ideal for those wanting something beyond the usual omelet or eggs Benedict, with options such as a short-rib shawarma sandwich and strawberry fattoush—and of course, shakshuka with house-baked pita.

 

 

River Deli

No, this charming corner eatery is not a delicatessen. It specializes in Sardinian food just like the owners’ grandmothers used to make. Don’t expect to find spaghetti and meatballs, though you can order trofie alla carlofortina (a medley of pesto, tuna, and tomatoes) and a traditional malloreddus alla campidanese. Beyond pasta, options include grilled tuna steak, New York strip steak, and baked zucchini with eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, and breadcrumbs. Insider tip: Stop at an ATM before your meal, because River Deli is cash only.

 

Henry’s End

Having opened in 1973, Henry’s End is a Brooklyn Heights institution, thanks to its stick-to-your-ribs seasonal dishes, diverse wine list, and welcoming ambience. Vegetarians can savor roasted pumpkin agnolotti and pan-roasted vegetables with a balsamic glaze; pescatarians can enjoy tuna with mustard-seed crust and sole with lobster and mushrooms in a brandy cream sauce; carnivores will relish steak Diane and chicken breast stuffed with spicy andouille sausage. The Persian lime pie is a refreshing way to end your meal.