Olive Tree Mail Bag #3: New Year's Brunch

In the third installment of the Olive Tree Mail Bag we answer a question from Cristina, who is looking for a place to hold a New Year's Day brunch for a large group, with a reservation, below 34th street that is easily accessible from Brooklyn. What a great question! And since I don't know what to do with myself now that I'm at home, and this only requires siting down and picking up the phone, I took the liberty of calling two of my fave brunch places.

The first is Antique Garage in Soho. The Chef/Owner is also an antique collector and he's decorated the whole place with his prized possessions--dishes, tables, chairs and silverware included. It's adorable, they take reservations and are glad to seat you in the large antique dining table at the center of the restaurant. Also, they usually have a jazz trio play during brunch, so it's a really lovely atmosphere. They're still waiting to make sure they have the staff to be open on New Year's Day, but are planning to open. I'd follow-up with a phone call in a few days. You can get there on the 6, N, R, W, Q, A, C, and E.

The second place is Nolita House on Houston Street. It's decorated like an old schoolhouse, only with a full bar and a brick oven. They make the best oven baked eggs and my favorite, the all day breakfast pizza topped with eggs and thin sliced potatoes (yum!). They're calling me back to confirm whether they'll be open or not, but they also plan on opening. It's very cozy, and even has a large bay window overlooking the village. It's easily accessible by the 6, R, W, and F trains.

There's also a third place that I didn't have to call because it's where I go on New Year's Day every year with my mom. It's called Chat and Chew, near Union Square, so it's really easy to get to. It's kitschy and fun American comfort food, serving everything from meatloaf, to TV Dinners and Thanksgiving on a roll. They'll even make you real cherry soda! You can choose from a brunch menu or they're traditional comfort food menu. They also have delicious pies and curly fries to help cure even the worst New Year's Eve hangover.

I hope this helps, and definitely let me know where you go!

-Laura