Brunch Spots Near Penn Station
June 4, 2010 6:40 AM Subscribe
NYC restaurant filter: I'm looking for a good brunch place near Penn Station. I'd prefer a place that either takes reservations, or tends to have minimals waits on Saturday mornings. Thanks!
Well I normally love to answer NY eating questions - and I am totally clueless on this one. How close is close? Would Chelsea be OK or Hells Kitchen? Unless you are willing to think outside the box for brunch the area directly around Penn Station is tough. A culinary desert as it were. The nearest place I can think of is the Breslin between B'way and 5th on 29th - but they will surely have a waiting area filled with ironic glasses and bad facial hair at almost any time. Cookshop on 20th is a decent brunch place that takes bookings.
posted by JPD at 7:24 AM on June 4, 2010
posted by JPD at 7:24 AM on June 4, 2010
If you don't mind hopping on a Subway, you have a lot more options around Grand Central, including Pershing Square, which is a neat place nestled under a bridge just outside of Grand Central Terminal.
It's a bit pricey (as is anything in New York), but the food's pretty good, and I'm pretty sure they take reservations.
The restaurant's decor isn't going to win any awards, but I remember it being a nicer place than the pictures on their website seem to indicate. I suspect that their web designer got caught in Penn Station's time vortex.
posted by schmod at 7:40 AM on June 4, 2010
It's a bit pricey (as is anything in New York), but the food's pretty good, and I'm pretty sure they take reservations.
The restaurant's decor isn't going to win any awards, but I remember it being a nicer place than the pictures on their website seem to indicate. I suspect that their web designer got caught in Penn Station's time vortex.
posted by schmod at 7:40 AM on June 4, 2010
Getting to Grand Central is TWO subways, not just one. That strikes me as the oddest brunch recommendation ever for someone looking for brunch near Penn Station.
As the others have noted, there isn't a good brunch place near Penn Station, and many, many, many NYC restaurants do not take brunch reservations.
There aren't any brunch places because the area caters to those taking trains, those commuting, those working nearby, and those going to events at Madison Square Garden. These are not brunch crowds. These are the anti-brunch crowds. There are coffee shops and diners nearby, but that's the closest you're going to get to 'brunch'.
In order to get 'brunch' you will have to go east or south. So with that in mind, I will recommend Artisanal and while it's a walk, it's on 32nd and Park, and they will take reservations.
posted by micawber at 8:23 AM on June 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
As the others have noted, there isn't a good brunch place near Penn Station, and many, many, many NYC restaurants do not take brunch reservations.
There aren't any brunch places because the area caters to those taking trains, those commuting, those working nearby, and those going to events at Madison Square Garden. These are not brunch crowds. These are the anti-brunch crowds. There are coffee shops and diners nearby, but that's the closest you're going to get to 'brunch'.
In order to get 'brunch' you will have to go east or south. So with that in mind, I will recommend Artisanal and while it's a walk, it's on 32nd and Park, and they will take reservations.
posted by micawber at 8:23 AM on June 4, 2010 [1 favorite]
Getting to Grand Central is TWO subways, not just one.
Not really. Walk the six blocks to 40th and 7th, and take the shuttle.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:53 AM on June 4, 2010
Not really. Walk the six blocks to 40th and 7th, and take the shuttle.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:53 AM on June 4, 2010
Getting to Grand Central is TWO subways, not just one. That strikes me as the oddest brunch recommendation ever for someone looking for brunch near Penn Station.
Agree, you'd need to take the 1 or the ACE from Penn Station, and then transfer to the S or 7 to get to Grand Central.
The Breslin on 29th and Broadway has excellent brunch and is a 10-15 minute walk from Penn Station. I went with a large group of people on Sunday around 10:30am this past weekend, and they were able to seat all 7 of us within 10 minutes on the upper level (granted this was Memorial Day weekend). They don't take reservations but I would feel comfortable walking in and waiting since our wait was so short. It's a fairly large restaurant by Manhattan standards. Keep in mind that you can also dine in the bar area (which has both a counter with seating and free standing tables with stools) or the lobby of the hotel (which has a separate breakfast menu).
I had a full English breakfast with fried eggs, bacon, very good sausage (I think it's made in house), stewed tomato, and mushrooms (which were also wonderful). Portion sizes are not tiny but not insanely large either. They also had a side of house baked brioche, buttered and toasted, sprinkled with cinnamon. Cocktails were also very good. I had something with Pimm's, cucumber, lemon, grapes, and my husband had something spicy with mezcal and tomato. However, it's not cheap.
posted by kathryn at 8:53 AM on June 4, 2010
Agree, you'd need to take the 1 or the ACE from Penn Station, and then transfer to the S or 7 to get to Grand Central.
The Breslin on 29th and Broadway has excellent brunch and is a 10-15 minute walk from Penn Station. I went with a large group of people on Sunday around 10:30am this past weekend, and they were able to seat all 7 of us within 10 minutes on the upper level (granted this was Memorial Day weekend). They don't take reservations but I would feel comfortable walking in and waiting since our wait was so short. It's a fairly large restaurant by Manhattan standards. Keep in mind that you can also dine in the bar area (which has both a counter with seating and free standing tables with stools) or the lobby of the hotel (which has a separate breakfast menu).
I had a full English breakfast with fried eggs, bacon, very good sausage (I think it's made in house), stewed tomato, and mushrooms (which were also wonderful). Portion sizes are not tiny but not insanely large either. They also had a side of house baked brioche, buttered and toasted, sprinkled with cinnamon. Cocktails were also very good. I had something with Pimm's, cucumber, lemon, grapes, and my husband had something spicy with mezcal and tomato. However, it's not cheap.
posted by kathryn at 8:53 AM on June 4, 2010
Additionally, the Breslin serves Stumptown coffee, and you can get it in a French press for the table. Delicious!
posted by kathryn at 8:56 AM on June 4, 2010
posted by kathryn at 8:56 AM on June 4, 2010
Yes, the Breslin's brunch is great, but I think kathryn's experience of a 10-minute wait was really atypical. On a non-holiday weekend, showing up later than 11, it's likely to be over an hour. I love the place, but it can be a real shitshow, crowd-wise.
I think walking crosstown to Artisanal is the best suggestion. It's a really lovely place for brunch.
posted by neroli at 9:12 AM on June 4, 2010
I think walking crosstown to Artisanal is the best suggestion. It's a really lovely place for brunch.
posted by neroli at 9:12 AM on June 4, 2010
Not really. Walk the six blocks to 40th and 7th, and take the shuttle.
And then you'll walk the equivalent of two blocks underground, making it 8 blocks.
Traditionally, when providing directions by subway, a six block walk doesn't suddenly make it into one train. It makes it into a lengthy walk and then one train.
posted by micawber at 9:43 AM on June 4, 2010
And then you'll walk the equivalent of two blocks underground, making it 8 blocks.
Traditionally, when providing directions by subway, a six block walk doesn't suddenly make it into one train. It makes it into a lengthy walk and then one train.
posted by micawber at 9:43 AM on June 4, 2010
It's been a few years since I've been there, but The Molly Wee Pub had a great authentic Irish breakfast.
posted by Majorita at 11:08 AM on June 4, 2010
posted by Majorita at 11:08 AM on June 4, 2010
Response by poster: Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I know this was a toughie - which is why I came here to ask!
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 5:03 PM on June 5, 2010
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 5:03 PM on June 5, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
The Breslin in the Ace Hotel on 29th. I haven't actually eaten brunch here, but I bet its pretty decent.
The Antique Cafe is more of a cafe than a brunch place, and not all that great, but...its probably among the best options.
There are two Wichcrafts right around there, which aren't exactly brunch places, but if you have a park or other handy place, that bacon/egg/gorgonzola/frisee sandwich is really good.
There are a couple of so-so diners close by, like the Tick Tock.
Its been a while since I've spent a lot of time time in this area, so hopefully there are new, better options, or things I'm forgetting.
How close to Penn Station are we calling 'close' here? If you open up the distance to the 10 or 12 short blocks range you can get into a lot of Chelsea, and you have way, way more options.
posted by jeb at 7:19 AM on June 4, 2010