Joseph Leonard - A Top 5 Best Brunch in NYC

170 Waverly Place, 646.429.8383

Bottom Line:  This must-visit restaurant has the brunch trifecta:  great food, service and ambiance. 

Tips:

• Go for a savory dish (you get a sweet surprise at the end of the meal)
  
• It's loud, so don't plan on having any deep convos
• Brussels sprouts!
• Don't be deterred by the wait outside, the service is efficient so tables turn over at a good rate
  

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About:  I had first heard about Joseph Leonard as a great dinner spot, but, of course, I had to check out the brunch menu.  Nestled on the corner of Waverly and Stonewall Place/Christopher Street (a little confusing to find to be honest), is the white-washed walls of Joseph Leonard.  Overall, this was truly one of my all-time favorite brunch experiences in NYC, so read on to see why!

Food/Drink:  The succinct menu lists more wine/beverage options than food options, but the food menu is delicately prepared to offer a full - and delicious - meal with each order.  There is also a daily brunch special to consider (when I went, the special was a cheesesteak benedict... if I wasn't set on the omelet this would have been a no-brainer!)

Drinks:
There is a selection of interesting bloodies if that's your poison, including the "Bloody Caesar" which mixes vodka, clamato, sriracha, deep-friend bacon-wrapped brussels sprout (OMG!), radish-stuffed olive, and oyster.  If you're not that hard core (I'm certainly not), try the cold brew iced coffee which is strong, not watered down.  Unfortunately, with the iced coffee there are no free refills!

Food:
De-licious!  Really.  So fresh, filling and flavorful.  Regardless of what you order, you MUST get a side of the brussels sprouts with sriracha (unless your dish comes with it, even so, you will probably want more).  The brussels come shredded up with mystery sriracha seasoning that gives a little kick. 

• Omelet au courgette ($13):  Omelet with thinly sliced zucchini, parmesan sprinkled on top, alongside a small fresh green salad and toasted brioche.  Simple omelet with so much flavor!  The parmesan is an unexpected and unbelievable accent that brings the whole dish together.
  
• Egg sandwich with brussels sprouts ($12):  A twist on a classic egg & cheese, this sandwich is on a fresh croissant (that doesn't flake off into a million pieces when you take a bite).  A layer of fresh, fluffy eggs and a layer of manchego cheese (optional bacon for $2) come inside the croissant, alongside a generous portion of the famous brussels sprouts.  
• Sweet ending surprise:  After our delicious brunch, I told my friend that I really wanted something sweet to cap the meal.  Usually at least someone at the table orders a sweet brunch item, but today there were only two of us, and we both opted for eggs.  No joke, two minutes later the bill came, sitting beneath two freshly baked chocolate chip cookies!  If the brussels and the service didn't win me over, these two little sweet surprises did the trick.  What a nice touch!

Atmosphere:  The restaurant itself is small, but they make good use of the bi-level layout.  There is a bar in the center that you can sit at to enjoy your meal, but there are also tables on the main level and then on the 'upper' level (just a few steps up that peer into the kitchen).  The service is great - patient, friendly, helpful - and the overall atmosphere is trendy, and upscale without a hint of pretentiousness.  The one drawback is that the restaurant is extremely loud!  So don't go planning on having a deep, long conversation.

Joseph Leonard:  170 Waverly Place, 646.429.8383
Opens for brunch Saturday and Sunday at 10:30AM

Omelet au courgette ($13)

Egg sandwich with brussels sprouts ($12)

Brussels sprouts from heaven

Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies to sweeten the bill

We love you too, Joseph Leonard!

Mirror, mirror on the wall...

Lower bar and restaurant area

The upper bar, kitchen, and chalk board with the special brunch of the day: cheesesteak benedict