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Best stuff for kids to do (besides color)
Pit Stop
Nestled in Brooklyn’s up-and-coming Columbia Street waterfront district, this French bistro is the type of inconspicuous spot your clan might pass right by; from the outside it looks like an auto-repair or vintage-sign shop. But eating there is de rigueur for Brooklyn babes, especially if they’re fans of anything with wheels. Besides its model-car kits and black-and-white photos of racing stars, the restaurant has a spacious back deck where kids can zoom around in one of a dozen vehicles—everything from Big Wheels to mini Jeeps. There’s even a spot for parents to play petanque (bocce’s French cousin). Chef-owner Laurent Brunacci, a local dad of two and a Formula 1 fan, also brings the Grand Prix theme to his cuisine. Juicy mini-burgers and crunchy fries from the “Junior Racer” menu ($6) are reminiscent of what you might order at an actual car race. Moms and dads tend to go for either the brioche French toast served with bananas and caramel sauce or the eggs Norwegian: poached eggs over smoked salmon with homemade hollandaise, crispy potatoes and balsamic-dressed baby greens. The desserts—strawberry tartlets drizzled with peach sauce; a warm chocolate cake ($4.50)—also deserve attention. That is, unless your kids are too busy racing away on the toy cars to care about more food.—Alysia Abbott
127 Columbia St between DeGraw and Kane Sts, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn (718-875-4664, pitstopny.com).H B
Best dim sum
Pacificana
The Sunset Park branch of Chase bank only looks peculiarly popular: Upstairs from the milling crowd is dim sum haven Pacificana. Like many of its Manhattan counterparts lining Chinatown’s Canal Street, the restaurant serves its traditional Chinese brunch in a vast space capped with a high ceiling. A flashy red-and-gold dragon mural presides over the families clustered at large tables and the whizzing carts laden with shrimp wrapped in silky flat noodles, rice balls stuffed with black sesame paste, and taro cakes ($2–$5 per item). Kids are welcome to pick up food with their hands, play with their chopsticks and sip from smuggled-in cartons of Yoo-hoo. The house specialty—chicken feet—might not appeal to even the most enthusiastically budding gourmand, but there are plenty of dishes with a sweet tinge that will keep children happy. Soft and doughy buns, whether the glistening baked versions stuffed with pork or the steamed ones filled with ethereal egg custard for dessert, simply beg to be smushed. Plump and glutinous rice-flour “carrots” look just like the real thing—and might even tempt your little one to try some Chinese broccoli and snow peas, too.—Alia Akkam
813 55th St at Eighth Ave, Sunset Park, Brooklyn (718-871-2880).B S
Best Mexican brunch
La Flor Bakery and Cafe
The waitstaff at this petite eatery located under the rumbling tracks of the 7 train sure know how to hustle. And it’s a good thing: On weekends, the modestly priced restaurant is packed to the gills with chattery local families. Chef Viko Ortega’s South-of-the-Border offerings are fresh and hearty—and worlds away from the heavy cheese-and-grease bombs so common at your kids’ favorite burrito joint. A must-try is the beautifully presented huevos rancheros ($5): refried bean–slathered tortillas topped with two runny eggs streaked Jackson Pollock–style with salsas rojas and verdes. Or ask for a heaping side of salsa with the substantial Puebla breakfast ($5), a plate of eggs scrambled with spicy chorizo and potatoes. Tired parents will appreciate the strong coffee served in bowl-size mugs.—Leslie Price
53-02 Roosevelt Ave at 53rd St, Woodside, Queens (718-426-8023).H S
Best live-music brunch
Superfine
Throngs of children and their minders head to this loftlike Dumbo eatery on Sundays ready to rock out—and not to kiddie tunes from some lame band. Between 11am and 3pm, the multilevel restaurant, which houses a pool table and an assortment of mismatched furnishings (our favorite is a row of velvet-covered theater seats), hosts a rotating roster of bluegrass bands. The schedule changes frequently, but if you’re lucky you’ll catch local group the Nieces and Nephews, which jams out every other week. While listening to the fiddle, banjo and bass players do their thing, kids chow down on fluffy buttermilk pancakes studded with seasonal fruit ($6; ours came with plump, perfectly ripe blackberries) and house-made granola ($6.50). The restaurant also serves top-notch Southwestern fare like a jumbo—and we mean jumbo—breakfast burrito ($9.50) stuffed with scrambled eggs, sausage, pinto beans, cheese and fiery Hatch chilies flown in from New Mexico. Superfine doesn’t have a children’s menu, but the kitchen is used to accommodating young eaters (we bet they won’t even mind if you ask for the burrito sans chilies). And though the music can be a tad loud for some grown-ups’ taste, the kids don’t seem to be complaining. They’re too busy dancing.—Leslie Price
126 Front St at Pearl St, Dumbo, Brooklyn (718-243-9005).H B S
Best plan-ahead brunch
Norma’s
This is not your typical, nondescript hotel restaurant. Located inside midtown’s swank Le Parker Meridien hotel, Norma’s is as over-the-top as they come (the lobster frittata with caviar costs $1,000—we swear!). Your kids’ eyes will light up at the sight of the ginormous entrées—all are meant to be shared. We loved the “Crunchy” French toast, covered with crispy rice cereal and caramel ($17); the house eggs Benedict (two buttermilk pancakes layered with egg, Canadian bacon and asparagus, $18); and the “Johnny Applecakes,” with caramelized apples and berry sauce ($17). For a smaller sweet treat, try the Valrhona hot cocoa with cinnamony churros. The trick here is getting a seat. Don’t bother walking in on a random weekend morning; the place is not large and it books up fast, especially in the fall and during the bustling holiday season. The insider tip from management: Make a reservation online about three to four weeks in advance (you’ll need to provide a credit card number to hold your spot). Sure, Norma’s is a big tourist attraction, but we know your sophisticated city kid will love the experience. —Rory Halperin
118 W 57th St between Sixth and Seventh Aves (212-708-7460, normasnyc.com).H B S
Best noise-friendly (loud as hell) environment
Bubby’s Tribeca
A flock of strollers parked outside Bubby’s Tribeca is the first clue that this neighborhood favorite is popular with families. Weekend mornings are hectic here, and waiting for a table is a given, but as your kids tear around the place, at least you know you’re in sympathetic company. The atmosphere is insistently homey, with plants potted in vintage coffee cans lining the windowsill, a chalkboard scrawled with a list of Bubby’s famous pies, and a mellow soundtrack that’s nearly drowned out by steady whining and sudden shrieks. Seemingly oblivious to the hubbub, parents spread strawberry jam onto warm buttermilk biscuits as they await their heaping platters of zesty avocado-topped huevos rancheros ($15) and specials such as crêpe-like Swedish pancakes ($16) finished with blackberry compote. When the little angels are finally forced to sit and eat, they can amuse themselves with Fun Zone worksheets and crayons. And for the trip home, good children (relatively speaking) may snag a colorful balloon, while their folks enjoy the well-deserved buzz from their dill-infused vodka Bloody Marys ($12.50).—Alia Akkam
120 Hudson St at North Moore St (212-219-0666, bubbys.com). H B
Best surprise
IHOP
Although this no-frills chain formerly known as the International House of Pancakes (duh) is associated with the suburbs, you’ll find seven locations throughout the city. On Sundays, the one in Harlem is swamped with a dolled-up after-church crowd, so come early to claim a commodious booth. The familiar plastic menu has a “Just for Kids” section geared to those 12 and under, with several smaller plates like French toast triangles and pancake-wrapped sausage links. For heartier appetites,pancake options include the classic stack ($7) made with a touch of cornmeal and accompanied by various flavored syrups, and chocolate ($7) topped with a mess of gooey melting chocolate chips and whipped cream. Other good bets include huge spinach salads, cheeseburgers and chicken-fried steak (don’t give us that look; we know you secretly love it). It should come as no surprise that IHOP suffers from blue-and-beige generic-diner ambience, but the reliable food churned out by a speedy kitchen staff is cheap and filling. Take advantage of the Never Empty Coffee Pot ($2) and it could be a long while before you’re ready to leave this nostalgic retreat.—Alia Akkam
2294 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd (Seventh Ave) at 135th St (212-234-4747, ihop.com). Check website for other locations.H B S
Look for these icons throughout our Brunch special to help you plan your outing:
H = High chairs, B = Booster seats, S = Stroller-friendly
In this issue:
