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Good morning my fellow Park Slopers. I am opening a new food spot in the Slope and I wanted your opinion. I want to make a place that you will definitely want to come back to. I am looking to open up on 7th Ave (can't give you an exact location yet, but it will below 10th Street). What is something that you want to see eating wise? I am doing this for you so any and all ideas are welcomed. The spot will not be a full blown restaurant, but rather a grab and go spot with some seating areas.
Brooklynian » Forum » Park Slope »
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---inexpensive dumplings, roast duck, scallion pancakes, but NOT ANOTHER vietnamese banh mi place!! So over that.
A breakfast to go spot: breakfast burritos! Why don't they do this on the east coast? West coast has tons of breakfast burritos! Malted shakes, breakfast sandwiches (I just went to Shopsin's for breakfast yesterday and I'm dying for another eggs, jack cheese and chorizo on garlic bread cibbatta) .. I'm not talking a bagel place.
.... more ideas to come
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Late night delivery would be loverly. It doesn't even have to be super late, but something quality available until 11pm would be great.
(Memo to all the banh mi places - if one of you stays open past 9:30 you'll get SO much business from me! And stay open past 7:30 on Sunday. I haven't even finished digesting brunch by then!)
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Salad. A real salad bar. So many of us work at home and would like a decent salad for lunch but don't have time/ingredients to make it or need a break for a few minutes to run out and get something.
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BBQ...there is no BBQ anywhere in Park Slope (or other close-by neighborhoods). You'd corner the market.
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Do you specialize in anything in particular?
It'd be nice to have a regular Vietnamese restaurant like the ones on U street. I want some Bo Luc Lac.
But what would be really awesome is a good old-fashioned bakery. A real bakery where bread is made and baked daily. Is there even a bakery left in the Slope?
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There's at least 2: brooklyn bread and brownstone bread... not saying they are any good.
Pastoralia, there have been attempts at soul food/BBQ places in park slope for years. They all failed, there was a place on sterling/6th ave.. no one went, got rave reviews, but the nabe didn't want to go there.
Then there was the BBQ spot where Playa was, and before that another by the same people... (crap, sorry I can't remember all the names), but their BBQ was just mediocre. BBQ is serious business and you really have to do it right or not at all. Pies & Thighs seems to have a good business model and food, same for Fette Sau. Soul Spot on Atlantic does well, but much of that is that they are cheap and stick to a fast food model.(\__/)
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Great guys I love the responses. Would you like to see a higher end place where you would get really good food for your $$ or just a run of the mill food joint where the food is cheaper but of less quality? (less quality does not mean bad)
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What do you think of the concept of Brooklyn Bread?
Would something like that appeal to you on 7th? Having high end italian delicacies along with a section with bakery goods. (cakes, pastries, breads etc.)
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Landjägers!
please, open a place that specializes in landjägers. they are amazing, but american society has not made a place for them. you sell landjägers and i guarantee i will ride my bike to your store each day for a snack. i'll even volunteer to hold a sign out front to bring in business so that you are successful and i can continue to eat them.
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A cheese shop like Stinky Brooklyn, with a wall full of cheese, wine, and bread from Amys, Sullivan street, Eli's, & Tom Cat bakery. Cured meats and a small selection of high end spreads too.
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Do one thing, and do it really well. For example, barbecue. Or roast pig. Even better, a full-blown German sausage-and-beer hall. Be anything but run of the mill. Park Slope Eatery just opened right around there and can serve all run of the mill needs.
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Check out Porchetta on Sixth Street in Manhattan for the perfect grab and go model.
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Brooklyn Bread is a cafe, not a bakery. I don't think they even call themselves a bakery, it just looks like one and has bread in the name. They usually mostly have pastries. I'd like a real bakery where that's all they do, or mostly what they do.
Never heard of Brownstone Bread, will have to look that up.
How important is it that you make money on this business? I'm not sure a bakery would make you rich.
Nothing wrong with a German sausage and beer hall, but it sounds like the place is going to be close to Steinhoff.
Aside from a bakery, what I'd really like is for someone to take over Brooklyn Flipsters and turn it into a regular bar.
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Pork Buns. Pleas open a Chinese bakery.
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I second the salad vote. I'd love a good salad place. And a place that's not absurdly expensive. I'm probably in the minority here because I work in South Slope but don't live here, but I can tell you that my fellow office-mates are always lamenting that we a) are running out of affordable options, and b) there's not really a place that has good, filling salads.
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Oh, and for higher end places, personally I'd say no. There are too few reasonable places left in this area.
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VMC515, what do you think the local market will support?
For the strip of 7th Avenue you want, you might want to study the evolution of the 9th Street/7th Avenue restaurant that began in 2001 as the Minnow, serving New American seafood and burgers. In 2005, I think, it expanded into its neighboring lot as Bar Minnow, adding more casual seafood and burgers. But then its owner bailed and it became the more downmarket Brooklyn Burger Bar in 2006, closing two years later. Both were surfing the food trends of the time.
This year, on the corner of 8th Street and 7th Avenue, the Greek restaurant Okeanos opened half a block south from Istanbul Park, which had opened only last year. Maybe ethnic hostility is the new trend.
There are definitely more grab-and-go food stores lately in the mid-Slope stretch of 7th and 5th Avenues, with even delis that once did little meal prep now offering more sandwiches and snacks. You'll have competition.
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Could this be the old Grecian Corner site across from John Jay?
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So how would this sound ... giving you a place that has an option for really well put together sandwiches (italian style), serving dried italian goods such as cheeses and sausages. with a make your own salad station. Would anyone be interested in having a spot like that.
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You should NEVER compromise on quality, especially in this neighborhood.
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An authentic Italian Deli sounds great, VMC- just make sure everything's sliced to order and not sitting out. Maybe traditional panini too (the real kind, not the generic ones in every take-out place). Would love a place to get a real panini with some bresaola, aged pecorino, and arugala. Some home-made soups would also be good.
I second Gig- never compromise on quality! Be a foodie.
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I would never want to skip out on the quality but if I am going to do something I want to do it right. If I hear people want a healthy (ie grass feed) meat options then I would go that route. The only downfall to having eco friendly options is the price is going to be a little higher. I wanted to see what the neighborhood would rather. Regular chicken selling for $6 or grass fed for $9. I don't want to be another eatery
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Does "Press" not fit that bill (panini-wise) already? (I don't go very often, so it's a honest question)
VMC, the best advice I have is keep it simple and specialize. Don't try to be a deli, soup, bakery, cheese store and whatever that also sells falafal/pastries or something.
One more hope for PS: I want a Defontes here. Sooooo goooood. But Red Hook is too far to go for a lunch break.
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I would never want to skip out on the quality but if I am going to do something I want to do it right. If I hear people want a healthy (ie grass feed) meat options then I would go that route. The only downfall to having eco friendly options is the price is going to be a little higher. I wanted to see what the neighborhood would rather. Regular chicken selling for $6 or grass fed for $9. I don't want to be another eatery
Personally I don't care about organic or whatever. I just want something clean and fresh and at a good price. In this economy I don't patronize eco friendly expensive shops, when I can go and get a nice chicken with sides at the store and cook it at home for a fraction of the price. I know it's park slope and some are rich, but times are tough.
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I'm not a big fan of Press- something about the food there just strikes me as sloppy, and it's really pricey for what you get. I agree though- keep it simple and specialize in doing a couple things really really well. Be the best and what you do, and keep the prices down.
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I truly appreciate everyone's advice and input.
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I love the idea of a casual, grab-and-go kind of place. I think the important thing, esp if you're going to be located south of 10th St, is to not end up with a bunch of built-in competitors. Basically, you've already got great coffee (Grumpy), loads of banh mi (Hancos and Henrys), pretty decent sandwiches and wraps (Naidre's), and plenty of baked goods/breads/cheeses/cured meats (Union Market, Grab).
I think we're really lacking when it comes to salads. A place that has a salad bar or a chopped salad place would be most welcome. My only request: for the love of god, please be creative with your toppings and offerings. Fresh and healthy: quinoa salads, whole grain salads, bean salads, tofu and the like would get me coming back over and over. Whole Foods does this pretty well at their self-serve salad bars. I think panini would also work well in this type of place... I agree that it should be simple but high-quality ingredients. Something inspired by Eataly, for example.
On a totally separate track, I'd love to have some good, quick, casual Mexican. Tacos, burritos and the like. Note that I'm NOT talking about a place like Moe's that slops stuff onto your burrito. Thinking more along the lines of a good Northern California burrito joint.
And, because I can't let this opportunity pass, for the love of god, please pick a good name for your place and design the establishment with an eye towards creating a warm and welcoming place. We've seen too many places die after a half-baked concept, a bad name, or an unwelcoming space.
Best of luck!
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create a food by the lb place.
Like those in Manhattan.
....7th Ave could support it.
Like the food bar in Whole Foods at Union Square to make the organic people happy
For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor. -
8thandPrez what type of atmosphere are you looking for? Can you give me an example of a place that totally turns you off.
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As for an Italian deli, there is Russo's at 7th and 10th-11th. Of course there's nothing wrong with more than one type of establishment, but again it sounds like this would be close.
Also, I'd be happy for a salad place as well, which was mentioned by some other posters. The new Park Slope Eatery makes salads like that, but I think it's the only one in the neighborhood. Also, I never see that place very busy so I'm wondering how long it's going to last.
And if the Grecian Corner isn't returning to it's old spot, nothing should. It should remain a hole in the neighborhood's commercial real estate - just like the hole it made in my heart by leaving.
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I truly appreciate everyone's advice and input.
Oh, we're not done yet...
@aquamann - Schaller & Weber should have landjagers. But that's not quite convenient to bike to if you live anywhere in Brooklyn.
@VMC515 - I'd vote for doing one thing very well. And maybe that would be salads. I'm also someone who's said numerous times, I wish there was a decent salad place (for lunch) within reasonable range.
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There are a ton of grab and go places on this stretch of 7th. An all dumpling joint would make me soooooooooooooo happy and negate the need to stop at three places for three different types of dumplings.
Union Market has plenty of pre-made salads. Russo's is the perfect italian deli. The taco place on 8th street is close enough. What we need is dumplings! Rickshaw has my heart with dumplings and spicy flavorful soups.
DUMP-LINGS!!!!!!!!!!! DUMP-LINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Already enough dessert/bread/coffee in the neighborhood... So far I am liking the BBQ suggestion. Maybe various meats by the lb, and a killer salad bar? Or if you are into sandwiches, how about a place like Mile End, or Katz... with a great salad bar? One last favor... please do not become another Gastro pub/Bistro/Brasserie/Trendy brunch spot! Best of luck!
You really can't go wrong with dumpling though...
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@aquamann BKLYN Larder usually has Landjager. They're big and look seriously authentic. Bierkraft sometimes has them too.
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one more vote for a salad bar.
and whatever you wind-up doing, install a window where dog walkers can pick-up something without having to tie-up the pooch to a pole.
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I know! A really good roast beef sandwich place, like Brennan and Carr's. It'll be there for 100 years.
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Park Slope Eatery (or whatever that place on 7th avenue and 5th street is called) has a make your own salad bar but no one knows that because no one wants to go there. Take a look at that place (or at a place like Kozy Cafe on 6th ave and 7th street) to get an idea of what NOT to do. Bland decor, no charm, too much of everything and not a good anything.
BBQ, as much as I love the idea, would never work. To have a real, proper smoker you can't be in such a heavily residential neighborhood.
How about a good appetizing place like Barney Greengrass? How Park Slope doesn't have a place like that has always surprised me and I'm as big of a goy as you can get.
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@Pastoralia I'm with you on the appetizing. To be able to call a place and pick up a whole smoked whitefish, etc would be amazing. It's tough to do, though, and you'd ned to smoker to make lox and such. Not many people know how to properly kipper a salmon. Bagel market is the closest we get in the neighborhood to an appetizing place. '
And yeah, look at Park Slope Eatery as an example of what not to do. So bland.
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For examples of what NOT to do, I'd say look at the Park Slope Eatery and Kohzee Cafe. If you were familiar with the now failed coffee/baked goods place on 5th ave btw 16th St and Prospect (the name escapes me now...), that was also a prime example of what not to do. Totally sterile, fluorescent lighting, half-empty cases, wide-open and bare room. Totally unwelcoming.
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Barney Greengrass? I really don't think that concept would make for a successful full-time place. I don't think we have the concentration of people who stay here during the weekdays to support something so niche. Of course, I despise smoked fish, so I may be biased.
If the OP could do something like 'sNice but actually make the sandwiches edible, I'd be there all the time.
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"@aquamann BKLYN Larder usually has Landjager. They're big and look seriously authentic. Bierkraft sometimes has them too."
"@aquamann - Schaller & Weber should have landjagers. But that's not quite convenient to bike to if you live anywhere in Brooklyn."
this is perhaps the best moment of my life. thank you.
with that settled, i support the salad model that others have proposed. after eating landjagers, i will need more salads and i have had a hard time finding an easy lunch salad-type place to meet my work-at-home needs.
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Sell what you make best. Don't follow the herd. Build it and they will come.....just remember to invite us when you open.
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I'm 99% positive that Grab carries Landjager as well.
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There used to be a great place on 7th between 11th & 12th called "My Sister's Kitchen." They had take out home made food. Really like what you'd cook for dinner. That with a salad bar would be perfection.
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Park Slope used to have a terrific appetizing store, Bellamilio (sp?), until the proprietor's husband died and she lost interest. They carried various smoked fishes, Amish-made cream cheeses, fancy cheeses, cake, real bagels and bialys, and many other yummies. I've been in mourning ever since they closed!
That would be so much better than a salad bar!
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@booklaw what is in that space now?
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Yamato.
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A Jewish deli. A real Jewish deli, and no reason why you can't incorporate a salad bar too. BYOBB. (Bring your own bacon bits.) Or hell, make a German-style deli or a Jewish-style deli that's not kosher.
Used to be a Jewish deli on 7th nr Union that also did the most amazing fried chicken, and the guys that ran the counter were Asian. And I'm a WASP. And yet... we all loved that Jewish deli food.
i blame such comments on boredom and drinkng, this is why we need more green spaces
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Take the City Bakery concept in Manhattan (including their salad bar) and bring it to the Slope. That salad bar is so good I'm willing to pay the hefty per-pound price. Maybe not so many pastries (there's Cousin John and Sweet Melissa) but plenty of fresh-baked bread, including cinnamon-raisin, please.
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