10 BEST RESTAURANTS IN WILLIAMSBURG

BY WENDY INGORVAIA

1. FETTE SAUWHILE GOOD BARBECUE IN THE NORTHEAST CAN BE DIFFICULT TO FIND, FETTE SAU IS THE SHINING EXCEPTION, SERVING SMOKED DELIGHTS THAT CAN EASILY GO TOE-TO-TOE WITH SOME OF THE OLD HEAVY HITTERS BELOW THE MASON-DIXON LINE. ON SELECT NIGHTS, THE LINE CAN STRETCH ALL THE WAY TO THE ENTRANCE, AND FOR GOOD REASON; NEARLY EVERYTHING HERE IS EXCEPTIONAL, ESPECIALLY THEIR PORK BELLY, WHICH IS SOME OF THE MOST DELICIOUS MEAT YOU’VE EVER HAD.

2. PIES N THIGHS

ORIGINATING AS PART OF A DIVE BAR, THIS LEGENDARY SPOT HAS SINCE EVOLVED INTO THEIR FIRST FULL-FLEDGED RESTAURANT, WITH PROMPT WAITERS AND BEER AND WINE SERVICE. NONETHELESS, THIS PLACE RETAINS THE DIY SPIRIT OF THE DIVE BAR FROM WHICH IT ORIGINATED, WITH FOOD SPECIALS SCRAWLED ON SHEETS OF PAPER, CHAIRS AND TABLES THAT LOOK LIKE THEY COME FROM A PUBLIC SCHOOL AND BRIGHT OVERHEAD LIGHTS. THE CUISINE HERE, DOWN-AND-DIRTY SOUTHERN STYLE, IS NO-FRILLS, CHEAP AND OFTEN DELICIOUS.

3. MOTORINOBROOKLYN IS ALMOST SYNONYMOUS WITH GREAT PIZZA, AND WILLIAMSBURG’S CROWN JEWEL IS MOTORINO, RETURNED AFTER A LONG HIATUS. THE NEW PLACE OFFERS THE SAME FRESHLY-BAKED PIZZAS AS BEFORE, ALONG WITH NEW ITEMS SUCH AS A PORCHETTA CALZONE. THE BEST PART ABOUT THIS NEW SPOT IS ITS SIZE, MEANING THAT IT’S MUCH EASIER TO BRING A LARGE GROUP.

4. SAMURAI MAMA

GRAND STREET MIGHT BE FILLED WITH GREAT DINING SPOTS, BUT THIS UNASSUMING AND DIMLY-LIT JAPANESE SPOT SHOULD BE THE VERY FIRST ONE YOU VISIT. WITH SEVERAL VARIETIES OF UDON SOUP AND GREAT SUSHI, SAMURAI MAMA HAS NO TROUBLE FILLING THE LARGE COMMUNAL TABLE THAT MAKES UP THE RESTAURANT. AND WHEN YOU GET THIRSTY, CONSIDER WASHING DOWN YOUR MEAL WITH AN EXTENSIVE LIST OF SHOCHU AND SAKE!

5. XIXA

ALMOST EVERY POPULAR WILLIAMSBURG JOINT TENDS TO FOLLOW THREE RULES: A SMALL SPACE, SMALL PLATES AND BIG AMBITIONS. XIXA, WHERE CHEF JASON MARCUS EXPERIMENTS WITH MEXICAN SMALL PLATES, IS NO EXCEPTION TO THIS, AND HAS QUICKLY ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS ONE OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE RESTAURANTS IN WILLIAMSBURG, WHICH IS NO SMALL FEAT. THE TASTING MENU IS ONE TO WRITE HOME ABOUT, WHERE YOU CAN SAMPLE EVERYTHING FROM ROASTED LAMB MEATBALLS TO CHARRED OCTOPUS. EVEN THOUGH IT’S A MEXICAN RESTAURANT, XIXA’S ATMOSPHERE FEELS MORE LIKE A 19TH-CENTURY COCKTAIL DEN, WITH A BEVERAGE LIST THAT SEEMS ODDLY LACKING IN TYPICAL MARGARITA OPTIONS.

6. THE BROOKLYN STAR

OUT OF THE VARIOUS SOUTHERN-INSPIRED SPOTS IN WILLIAMSBURG, THIS SPOT ON LORIMER STREET IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MORE REFINED. ESPECIALLY DURING BRUNCH, IT CONTINUES TO PACK IN CROWDS WITH SUCH DISHES AS BACON JALAPEÑO CORNBREAD, THE HOT MEATLOAF SANDWICH ON PULLMAN BREAD AND DRINKS SERVED OUT OF MASON JARS. EVEN THOUGH IT’S FAIRLY FORMAL, BROOKLYN STAR STILL HOLDS ONTO A BIT OF QUIRKINESS, AS EVIDENCED BY THE PHOTOS OF CHUCK NORRIS THAT DECORATE THE WALLS.

7. PETER LUGER

WHILE THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER PETER LUGER-STYLE STEAKHOUSES ACROSS THE US, THERE’S NONE THAT HAVE CAPTURED THE CHARM OF THIS HISTORIC LANDMARK THAT’S BEEN GRACING BROOKLYN SINCE BEFORE IT WAS COOL. EXCESS IS THE KEY HERE, WITH PLENTY OF MASSIVE PORTIONS. IT’S A NEW YORK EXPERIENCE, THAT’S BEEN DRAWING CUSTOMERS SINCE ITS DOORS FIRST OPENED IN THE 19TH CENTURY.

8. EGGBRUNCHES CAN BE FOUND EVERYWHERE IN WILLIAMSBURG, BUT THIS NO-FRILLS JOINT, SPECIALIZING IN BREAKFAST, ATTRACTS CROWDS EVERY DAY. WITH A FOCUS ON FARM-FRESH VEGGIES AND EGGS, THERE ARE FEW BETTER PLACES TO START YOUR BROOKLYN MORNING.

9. BRISKETTOWN

WHILE THE MENU HERE ISN’T TERRIBLY EXPANSIVE, BRISKETTOWN DOES ONE THING - BRISKET - AND THEY DO IT QUITE WELL. THIS LOCATION HAS ITS ORIGINS IN THE UNDERGROUND BRISKET LAB OF DANIEL DELANEY, WHO BROUGHT TEXAS-STYLE COOKING UP NORTH. HERE, YOU ORDER YOUR MEAT BY THE POUND AND WATCH IT GET CARVED OFF ONTO BUTCHER PAPER, AND THEN SUPPLEMENT IT WITH SOME SEASONAL SIDES.

10. TRAIF

WHEN JASON MARCUS FIRST OPENED THIS RESTAURANT, HE GAINED A LOT OF ATTENTION FOR SERVING SOME DISTINCTLY NON-KOSHER ITEMS IN AN AREA WELL-POPULATED BY HASIDIC JEWS. YEARS LATER, ITS BACON DONUTS ARE DRAWING CUSTOMERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD AND TEMPTING EVEN THE MOST DEVOUT. THE MENU PREACHES “GLOBALLY INSPIRED SOUL FOOD”, PUMPING OUT SEASONALLY CHANGING SMALL PLATES SUCH AS CHOPPED CHICKEN LIVERS AND BUFFALO-STYLE FROG LEGS.