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11 Incredible Lunch Spots in Brooklyn (+ Map)

Flautas at Chela, one of the best lunch spots in Brooklyn
Food at Chela, one of the best lunch spots in Brooklyn

There are a lot of great lunch spots in Brooklyn where you can have a large variety of delicious dishes.

From authentic Mexican tacos to panini sandwiches to Roman-style pizza called Pinsa, you can get it all for lunch in the borough. At some of these places, you can also get delicious plant-based dishes and there are restaurants where you can enjoy your food on an outdoor patio.

If you want to have lunch in Brooklyn but you’re not sure where to go, I got you covered. I made sure to include a large variety of restaurants that serve lunch in this guide, so I’m sure there will be something for your liking!

Lunch Spots in Brooklyn

Montesacro

Why you should go to Montesacro: You can get delicious Italian food here and this place uses ingredients from both small producers in Italy and local farms

Carbonara at Montesacro
Pasta Carbonara at Montesacro

Montesacro is an Italian restaurant that is located in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood where you can enjoy delicious Roman dishes made with fresh ingredients from both local farms and small producers in Italy.

The lunch menu of Montesacro includes antipasti, pinsa, pasta dishes, panini sandwiches, and more.

Pinsa is a Roman-style pizza that is made with a blend of soy, rice, and wheat flour. There are many different types of pinsa to choose from.

One of the best ones is the “Infernetto”, which is made with tomato, mozzarella, pecorino, and spicy soppressata.

Another delicious pinsa is the “Primavalle”, which comes with heirloom cherry tomato, buffalo mozzarella, garlic, and basil.

A great pasta dish at this restaurant is the “Creste al Nero”, which is made with squid ink pasta, cauliflower, Calabrian chili, wild shrimp, and breadcrumbs.

The restaurant also has a lunch prix fixe menu, which consists of an arugula salad and a choice of pinsa margherita or any type of pasta dish.

Address: 432 Union Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Chela

Why you’ll love Chela: You can get authentic Mexican dishes at this place for lunch, including tacos and burritos

Aguachile rojo at Chela
Aguachile rojo and tostadas at Chela

Chela is a restaurant where you can enjoy delicious authentic Mexican dishes for lunch in Brooklyn. You can find it at 408 5th Avenue and the place makes you feel like you are in Mexico.

Chela’s menu includes various appetizers, entrees, tacos, and desserts.

There are many different types of tacos that you can choose from. For example, you can get the “Shrimp Tacos”, which are made with batter-crispy shrimp, chipotle aioli, Mexican coleslaw, and housemade corn tortillas.

The “Vegan Tacos”, which come with tomatoes, salsa verde, spinach, roasted corn, and housemade corn tortillas, are delicious too.

One of the best entrees on the menu is the “Enchiladas Suizas” dish. This dish is made with tomatillo salsa, corn tortillas, rotisserie chicken, crema, queso fresco, cheese, and avocado.

You can also build your own burrito or burrito bowl. These both come with beans and chipotle aioli, and you can choose the base you want to have and all the toppings that you like.

For dessert, you can get the “Churros”, which are fried to order, and which are served with a cajeta dipping sauce.

Address: 408 5th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215

The Brooklyn Tree

Why you should have lunch at this place: You can get a large variety of sandwiches here, such as the “Grilled Cheese”, and each sandwich is served with a side

Grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup at The Brooklyn Tree
Grilled cheese sandwich at The Brooklyn Tree

The Brooklyn Tree is family owned and operated restaurant on Montrose Avenue where you can choose from a large variety of sandwiches for lunch. Each sandwich is served with 1 side.

One of the best sandwiches to get is the “Grilled Cheese”, which is made with whipped ricotta, gruyere, aged cheddar, roasted red peppers, and kale, and it is served on parmesan-crusted country bread.

Another great sandwich is the “Veggie Sandwich”. This is a brick oven ciabatta with avocado, house hummus, Brooklyn Grange sprouts, and house pickles.

You can also get the “Brooklyn Tree Burger”, which is made with a 6oz beef patty, smoked tomato aioli, aged white cheddar, house pickles, and seasonal greens.

There are two types of soups to choose from. These are the “Tomato Soup” and the “Gazpacho”.

The Brooklyn Tree also serves a delicious caramel apple bread pudding.

Address: 188 Montrose Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11206

Sociale Brooklyn

Why you should go here: This place serves delicious Italian dishes for lunch, including homemade pasta dishes and focaccia panini sandwiches

Spaghetti at Sociale Brooklyn
Tomato spaghetti at Sociale Brooklyn

At Sociale Brooklyn, which you can find at 320 Court Street, you can enjoy delicious Italian food for lunch from Monday through Friday from 12 PM to 4 PM.

The restaurant’s lunch menu includes various homemade pasta dishes, focaccia panini sandwiches, pizza fritta, oysters, and various other dishes.

One of the best focaccia panini sandwiches to get is the “Pollo Milanese”, which is made with chicken, caramelized onions, provolone, arugula, red pepper, and cornichon mayo.

There are different types of fried pizza to choose from. A delicious one is the “Mushroom & Herb”, which comes with mixed mushrooms, garlic mascarpone, dill, and parsley.

The “Farfalle alla Bolognese” is a great pasta dish. It is made with authentic ragu alla Bolognese.

If you like ice cream a lot, you can visit Malai after having lunch at Sociale Brooklyn. Malai is one of the best places for ice cream in NYC and it’s only a 4-minute walk from this restaurant.

Address: 320 Court St, Brooklyn, NY 11231

Nourish

Why you’ll love Nourish: This place serves classic Thai dishes that are inspired by “secret grandma recipes”

Crispy half duck dish at Nourish Thai
Ped Lard Prik at Nourish Thai

At Nourish, you can get delicious fresh Thai dishes for lunch. At this restaurant, you can get classic dishes that are inspired by “secret grandma recipes” and that are made with fresh ingredients.

You can get lunch at Nourish every day of the week from 12 PM until 3:30 PM.

The restaurant’s lunch menu includes dishes for everyone’s liking.

One of the most delicious dishes to get at the restaurant is the “Basil Fried Rice”, which is made with rice, bell pepper, chili, basil leaves, onion, and a fried egg.

The “Pad Se-Ew” is a great dish too. It is made with broad noodles, a fried egg, soy sauce, and Chinese broccoli.

Nourish’s “Pad Thai” is a great dish too, and it consists of rice noodles, chopped red onion, scallions, fried egg, peanuts, and bean sprouts.

Address: 637A Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

St. Anselm

Must-try: The “Anselm Burger”

Grilled avocado salad at St. Anselm
Salad at St. Anselm

St. Anselm is a steakhouse with an indoor and outdoor dining area where you can have lunch from Friday through Sunday, from 12 PM to 5 PM. You can find St. Anselm in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood at 355 Metropolitan Avenue.

The lunch menu includes various delicious specials.

One of these is the “Anselm Burger”, which is made with pickle, red onion, and lettuce. The burger is served on a potato bun with a choice of side salad or grilled fingerlings.

You can also get the “Steak & Eggs”, which is a dish that comes with a butcher steak, farm eggs, and fingerling potatoes.

The third special that you can get is the “Sausage Sandwich”. This is potato bun sandwich that is made with two 3oz housemade pork patties, fingerling potatoes, pickled pepper aioli, and a fried egg.

In addition to these specials, you can also order all dishes from the dinner menu. The dinner menu consists of various grilled meat dishes, vegetables from the grill, salads, and more.

Address: 355 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211

The Butcher’s Daughter

Highlights: You can get vegetarian and vegan dishes at this place for lunch, including burgers, bowls, and toast

Interior of The Butcher's Daughter
The Butcher’s Daughter from the inside – Blueee77 / Shutterstock.com

The Butcher’s Daughter is one of the best lunch spots in Brooklyn that serves great vegetarian and vegan food. You can find the restaurant in Williamsburg.

At this place, you can enjoy delicious seasonal dishes, and enjoy great locally-roasted and craft cocktails at the same time.

You can have lunch at the restaurant every day of the week, except for Mondays.

The all-day menu includes various dishes, including toast, bowls, salads, and more.

One of the best dishes is the “Truffle Egg Toast”, which is made with scrambled eggs, white truffle oil, cashew creme fraiche, and thyme, served on toasted sourdough.

You can also get the “Butcher’s Burger”. This burger is made with a beet and Akua kelp patty, tomato, gruyère, arugula, harissa aioli, and dijon. It is served with truffle chips.

If you want a salad, the “Spicy Kale Caesar”, which comes with crispy shallots, harissa dressing, toasted almonds, almond parmesan, breadcrumbs, and avocado, is a great option for lunch.

Address: 271 Metropolitan Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211

Westville

Must-try: The “Cast Iron Turkey Burger”

Westville is a restaurant with several locations in New York City and two locations in Brooklyn. You can find Westville in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg and Dumbo neighborhoods, and you can have lunch at those locations on weekdays from 11:30 AM to 3 PM.

The lunch menu includes various dishes, including various plates, appetizers, and salads, as well as several lunch specials.

One of the best plates to get is the “Classic Market Plate”, which consists of a choice of four market vegetables, such as artichoke hearts, asparagus, broccoli, and cauliflower.

Another delicious plate is the “Salmon Teriyaki”, which is made with fresh ginger and scallions and is served with two market vegetables.

A delicious salad to get is the “Greek” salad, which is made with cucumbers, marinated red onions, cherry tomatoes, romaine, mixed greens, feta, olives, and other ingredients.

You can also choose from many different types of sandwiches and burgers at Westville.

For example, you can get the “C.B.L.T.”, which is a sandwich with bacon, grilled chicken, tomato, lettuce, and chipotle mayo. It is served on a club roll.

The “Cast Iron Turkey Burger” is a great option too. This is a Portuguese muffin with a fresh ground turkey breast patty.

Address: 81 Washington St, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Juliana’s Pizza

Why you need to get lunch here: You can get New York-style pizzas here that are baked in a hand-built coal-fired oven

Front of Juliana's Pizza
Building of Juliana’s Pizza – yuriyt / Shutterstock.com

Juliana’s Pizza is a great lunch spot in Brooklyn that is located on Old Fulton Street next to the Brooklyn Bridge.

At this restaurant, you can get delicious New York-style pies that are made with high-quality ingredients that are both sourced locally and internationally. The pizzas that you can get here are baked in a hand-built coal-fired oven.

At Juliana’s Pizza, you can choose from one of four classic types of pizza, including “Margherita”, “Marinara”, “White”, and “Calzone”, and choose two toppings that you like.

You can also choose one of the 6 pizza specials.

One of these is the “No. 4”, which comes with tomato, arugula, mozzarella, and prosciutto.

You can also get the “No. 6” special. This one is made with Monterey jack cheese, white cheddar, grilled chicken, mozzarella, housemade guacamole, and cilantro.

Address: 19 Old Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11201

Evelina

Must-try: The “Smoke Salmon Sandwich”

You can have lunch at Evelina from Monday through Friday, from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM. This is a restaurant that is situated on DeKalb Avenue.

The lunch menu includes various pasta dishes, mains, sandwiches, appetizers, and other types of dishes.

One of the best sandwiches to get is the “Smoke Salmon Sandwich”, which is made with scrambled eggs, avocado, and mascarpone.

The “Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe” classic pasta dish, which is made with black pepper and pecorino Romano, is a great option on the menu as well.

Another great dish is the “Dry Aged Beef Cheeseburger”, which comes with balsamic mayo and charred onion. It is served on a house bun and it is served with fries.

In addition to great food, you can also get all kinds of cocktails at Evelina.

Address: 211 Dekalb Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205

Alta Calidad

Highlights: This place serves creative Mexican dishes and there’s an outdoor patio where you can enjoy your food

Alta Calidad is a restaurant in the Prospect Heights neighborhood where you can get creative Mexican dishes. The name of the restaurant “Alta Calidad” means “High Quality” in Spanish, and the restaurant focuses on serving high-quality dishes.

The restaurant serves lunch from Tuesday through Sunday, and when you have food here you can enjoy it indoors or on the restaurant’s outdoor patio.

One of the best dishes on Alta Calidad’s lunch menu is the “Crispy tempura shrimp”.

Another great dish is the “Burrito simple”, which comes with black beans, poblano rice, guacamole, pico de Gallo, and queso fresco.

You can also get a “Taco Platter”, which consists of a choice of any 4 tacos, and you get 3 tacos for each style you choose.

Address: 552 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238

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Brunch in Brooklyn

Things to do for your birthday in Brooklyn

Date ideas in Brooklyn

Italian restaurants in Brooklyn

Lunch in Brooklyn Tips

I recommend making an advanced reservation when you want to have lunch in Brooklyn, as some of the places I mentioned are very popular and can be busy. For example, Alta Calidad is a popular place, and when you want to have lunch at that restaurant, making a reservation is recommended.

Group of people in front of Juliana's Pizza
People in front of Juliana’s Pizza – grandbrothers / Shutterstock.com

Brooklyn Lunch Spots Map


I hope you liked these places. Thanks for reading my guide to the best lunch spots in Brooklyn!

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