It is the new toast of Dumbo.
Diners can now get a taste of the swanky River Cafe and its million-dollar waterfront views without spending the same amount on the bill, because the iconic waterfront restaurant recently started serving breakfast.
At $18–$28 for entrees and $14 for a glass of orange juice, the menu is still a far cry from International House of Pancakes’ prices, but it is also cheaper than the iconic eatery’s $125-per-person dinner service.
The 39-year-old eatery famously requires men to don a suit jacket for dinner, but the dress code doesn’t apply before 4 pm, so customers can dress down to chow down on smoked salmon Benedicts, avocado toast, and bacon-topped pancakes in the restaurant’s flower-filled indoor and outdoor terraces.
But for those who still want to splash night-time levels of cash, the eatery also offers a caviar service for $95–$170 per ounce.
The morning meal has been in the works since before Hurricane Sandy put it out of business for more than a year, and owner Michael “Buzzy” O’Keeffe says he finally took the plunge this summer after years of research and planning.
He sent his maitre d’ to eat breakfast the city’s swankiest hotels and restaurants to scout out what makes a top-notch ante meridiem eating experience, and eventually hopes to top them all.
“We have no intentions for this to be the typical New York breakfast place,” he said. “Our intention is to make this the finest breakfast place not in New York, but in the United States.”
Breakfast at the River Cafe (1 Water St. at Old Fulton Street in Brooklyn Heights, (718) 522–5200, www.river
