The Best Spots for Easter Brunch
Enjoy a Semla at Aquavit, a sweet bun with almond cream traditionally eaten during Easter.
Having a leisurely brunch on Sunday is practically a way of life in New York. What better way to unwind after a long work week (or recover from a Saturday night-indcued hangover) than with stacks of buttery pancakes, tripped out Bloody Mary’s, fancy bacon and farm eggs, and unlimited Bellinis or Mimosas? But Easter Sunday takes brunch to a whole other level. It calls for extra special, extra creative fare often involving ham, lamb, and plenty of sweets.
Not to mention all of the terrific ethnic food you can feast on come Sunday morning. There’s everything from a Scandinavian Smörgåsbord at Aquavit to Southern eats the likes of biscuits and grits at Seersucker, and even a rollicking Jazz brunch at the classy Astor Room in Queens.
Aquavit
This Michelin-starred, seasonal Nordic restaurant in Midtown is taking a unique approach to Easter brunch this year. They’ll be offering a Smörgåsbord (that’s code for a buffet) of appetizers and desserts, plus one main course, for $75 per person. Both modern and traditional items will line the Smörgåsbord, from a variety of herring to seafood and egg preparations. For a main course, try the Swedish Meatballs (not the IKEA-kind), a Smoked Colorado Lamb Loin and Breast, or their Sockeye Salmon Confit. End the meal with classic Swedish Easter sweets, like the Tosca Tart, a buttery, rich and nutty cake topped with slivered almonds, and Semlas, a sliced sweet bun with almond cream filling. Läckra! (That means delicious, in Swedish.)
Read MoreLure Fishbar
Besides Smoked Salmon, Crab Cakes Benedict and Whitefish Salad, it can be hard to imagine seafood taking a central spot on a brunch table. But Lure Fishbar offers one of the most serious morning menus around and it goes way beyond standards like Bacon and Eggs, Belgian Waffles and Blueberry Pancakes. Try the Grilled Mahi Mahi Tacos, Deviled Eggs and Caviar, or even a Brunch Sushi Platter, washed down with a mammoth Bloody Mary Royale (essentially a drink, a shrimp cocktail, and oyster shooter all in one). Looking for something a little more traditionally Easter? Pick up a basket of chocolate eggs, bunnies, and marshmallow peeps on the way out, made in-house by pastry chef Katie McAllister.
Read MoreDBGB Kitchen & Bar
DBGB may be the most casual of Daniel Boulud’s restaurants, but that doesn’t mean the food they serve is any less impressive (the Bacon and Red Wine-infused Beaujolaise Sausage and Pork Belly Confit-topped Hamburger are particularly drool-worthy). And the $27 three-course brunch Boulud’s offering for Easter Sunday is a serious steal… especially considering how many eateries jack up their prices on special occasions. In addition to regular menu items like Brioche French Toast and Croque Monsieur, you’ll find rustic, Easter-inspired treats, like a Roasted Heirloom Carrot and Chicory Salad, Leg of Lamb with Vadouvan Crust, and pastry chef Mymi Eberhardt’s tasty Rhubarb Tart, which is reason enough to spend Sunday here.
Read MoreRosemary's
Tables are always hard to come by at this West Village hot spot, so expect a serious crowd on Easter Sunday and arrive on the early side. Chef Wade Moises will offer a prix-fixe, three-course brunch for just $30, featuring celebratory dishes, like Lamb Sausage Ragu witha Soft Poached Egg over Housemade Pappardelle, Porchetta with Apple Mostarda and Salsa Verde, and an assortment of traditional Italian Easter cookies, Marshmallow Chicks, Pan di Colombo, and Zabaglione. After you’ve shaken off your food coma, heads upstairs to Rosemary’s glorious rooftop garden, for the chance to paint Easter eggs and see a giant Easter egg sculpture, custom built by a local artist.
Read MoreAstor Room
Formerly the Paramount Studios commissary, this historical supper club and music hall in Queens, with its tiled and tufted walls and working piano, seems worlds away from Manhattan 2012. Spend Easter Sunday in style by checking out Astor Room’s $23 prix fixe jazz brunch, which includes swinging tunes, unlimited coffee, a complimentary Bloody Mary or Mimosa, and two hearty courses. Choose one “Eye-Opener” from the menu (we suggest the Fresh, Hot Donut Holes,) and one “Stuff,” like Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Golden Malted Waffles. Feeling adventurous (and especially hungry?) Try the “Astor Disaster,” a teetering stack of Brioche French Toast, Eggs, Bacon, BBQ Short Ribs, Cheddar Cheese, and Onion Rings.
Seersucker
Ever wonder what fried chicken and biscuits tastes like in the hands of a pedigreed chef who trained at Tabla and Le Cirque? An Arkansas native, chef Robert Newton has returned to his roots with a restaurant of his own called Seersucker in Carroll Gardens. It’s all about Southern comfort here, so start with their signature (and out of this world) flaky, Buttermilk Biscuits, topped with Seasonal Jam and Salted Molasses Butter, followed by Over Easy Eggs, Carolina Stone Ground Grits, and Braised Collard Greens with Country Ham Potlikker. If it’s not too early in the morning for you (it never is for us), order a spicy Michelada or a potent “Smokey & The Bandit,” made with chipotle-infused white pike whiskey, smoked brown sugar syrup, and lime juice. After brunch, you can stroll along Smith Street
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