Since last we checked in, Bread for the Eater has quietly opened in Greenpoint. The new venture from the team behind Lower East Side spot Cheeky Sandwiches is still very much in its early stages, with construction still underway on a separate, backroom dining area. “We still have a bit of work to do with the space,” says owner Din Yates, “so the opening is very soft.”
As it now stands, the beginnings of a pretty great café seem to be in place. During breakfast and lunch [menu], one can top either croissants or baguettes with a variety of breakfast items, from savory (fried egg, arugula) to sweet (caramelized apple and, most exctiting of all, spicy Nutella). Earlier promise of “a bit of cheeky-ness” is delivered in a short rib sandwich reminiscent of the one at Cheeky, substituting challah for the house baguette. There’s also a dinner menu with a la carte salads, side dishes and entrees (see below). While drinks are planned, BYOB is the name of the game for now, with variety of coffee drinks and fresh juices on offer.
In the back, you can see the restaurant in its work-in-progress stage. A toilet retrofitted from a wrought-iron scale is definitely the most impressive loo we’ve seen since Hi-Collar’s blingy bathroom, but the spatial constraints of the room are still being worked out. The back room itself is a bit of a mystery. Referred to as The Gold Room, and painted accordingly, Yates says it “started out as sort of a supper/ cocktail club idea but morphed into something to the side.” The Gold Room menu will be different from the one in the front, but any additional details will have to wait for the finished construction.
Bread For The Eater, 168 Driggs Ave., nr. Diamond St., Greenpoint