For the past two-ish months, I’ve had a blast running around Brooklyn covering events for Edible Brooklyn. Fall, though, belongs to the borough’s chefs, some of whom have been waiting months if not years to open their dream restaurants. Starting this week, I’m equally excited to be bringing you news of Brooklyn restaurant openings. This time, there’s a homey Mexican restaurant with homemade, hand-pressed tortillas, a shuck-to-order oyster bar with creative seafood dishes, and a Hong Kong outpost showcasing the best of Taiwanese street food.
Apapachó
191 5th Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11217
Apapachó, meaning “to embrace with the soul” in Nahuatl, is inspired by the friendly, warm spirit of Mexican cooking. Open since the first week of August, this modern Mexican restaurant comes from industry veterans Jimmy Placido and Acencion Mendez and partner Jazmin Suarez. Inside this dimly lit spot, the dishes are inspired by abuela’s cooking with ingredients sourced from throughout Mexico: handmade blue corn tortillas, enchiladas norteñas (braised short ribs with queso fresco and mole rojo), and a generous selection of tequila- and mezcal-forward cocktails.
Frenzie
129 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11201
My friends are tired of hearing me bemoan the lack of top-tier, late-night pizza shops. Frenzie, a pizza and wine bar from Roberta’s and L’Industrie alums Brendan Kelley and Daniel Grossman, fills that void. Here, New York-style pizzas on housemade sourdough crust get the all-star treatment with classic and ultra-seasonal toppings. Small plates round out the menu, like fritto misto served with a housemade ranch, paired with an ever-changing wine program by Charlie Szur. Best of all, the pizza is available until midnight on weekdays and 2 a.m. on weekends.
Zig Zag Oyster Bar
406 Prospect Place Brooklyn, NY 11238
The team behind Hart’s, Cervo’s, The Fly, and Eel Bar opens yet another neighborhood gem. Located in Prospect Heights, Zig Zag Oyster focuses on shucked-to-order oysters and an abundance of fresh, local seafood. Classic dishes are made anew with unfussy-yet-fun flourishes: Think creamy crab dip and anchodinas toast with vermouth butter. Want to ball out? Opt for the deluxe tower, a towering pyramid of raw seafood, plus snow crab, trout creme fraiche, lobster salad, and more. Reservations are recommended but the patio is always first come, first served from April through October.
Yuan Is Here
25 Bond Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201, US
Some of Taiwan’s best bites are eaten while wandering through a night market. Yuan Is Here, a Taiwanese restaurant from Hong Kong, gets this wholeheartedly. Come for the casual street snacks inspired by Taiwan’s iconic street food, including a six-hour braised pork rice, crackly Taiwanese popcorn chicken, and beef noodle soup. This Hong Kong-based venture recently made its U.S. debut in Downtown Brooklyn, with a second location in Flushing on the way.
BarZoli
312 Maujer Street, Brooklyn, NY 11206
If you like Zoli, an East Williamsburg restaurant serving creative and unconventional seafood dishes on the Amant campus, you’ll love BarZoli. Located directly above Zoli on the rooftop terrace, this sister restaurant offers fun wine and food without it feeling kitsch—a spicy crab sandwich on a cute milk bun, a coconut jelly cocktail you sip through a straw. Best of all, the rooftop is lined with the lush foliage, the perfect place to soak in the sun. BarZoli opens at 5 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, weather permitting. Walk-ins and reservations are available.
Lucky Creamery
669 Manhattan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Ice cream lovers, listen up. Greenpoint recently got another ice cream shop just in time for the dog days of summer. Lucky Creamery, sister shop to Philadelphia’s Sunny Scoop, focuses on Asian-inspired ice cream and puffy egg waffles. You’ll find flavors like black sesame, pandan, oolong white peach, and lychee rose, alongside classics like vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. Vegan options are available, too.
