Brooklyn Spotlight: Meadowsweet

Meadowsweet, located in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, is a restaurant known for its Mediterranean-influenced New American cuisine, which it serves in a charming, urbane setting.¹

Uniqueness and Ambiance

What makes Meadowsweet unique is its blend of industrial style and cozy, garden-fresh elements:

• Atmosphere: The restaurant has a stylish industrial look, featuring a glass-fronted façade, whitewashed brick walls, and original mosaic-tiled floors.² The interior is made comfortable with caramel banquettes and bare wood tables, giving it a friendly and urbane atmosphere.³

   

• Farm-to-Table Connection: Co-owner and Executive Chef Polo Dobkin and his wife, co-owner Stephanie Lempert, run the restaurant as an extension of their home.⁴ They have a connection to Meadowsweet Farm upstate, where they grow some of the vegetables served at the restaurant.⁵

   

• Cocktails and Herbs: Stephanie Lempert has created a cocktail menu, and the drinks are often garnished with fresh herbs harvested from a loft garden located right above the restaurant.⁶

   

History

• Opening: Meadowsweet opened in 2014.⁷

   

• Ownership: It is owned by Polo Dobkin (Executive Chef, James Beard nominated) and his wife, Stephanie Lempert.⁸

   

• Recognition: The restaurant has been recognized by the MICHELIN Guide and, according to one reviewer, was a Michelin-starred establishment, making it a well-regarded fine dining experience in New York City.⁹

   

Highlight Menu Items

Chef Dobkin’s deft touch with seasonal ingredients is evident in the menu.¹⁰ Some of the highlighted dishes include:

• Appetizers:
  • Crispy Baby Artichokes with shaved parmesan.¹¹

     

  • Burrata & Figs with Sungold tomatoes and a Parmesan crisp.
  • Octopus with piquillo peppers and chorizo.¹²

     

• Pastas: The restaurant offers house-made pastas on an ever-changing menu, with past favorites including:¹³

   

  • Orecchiette with blue crab tossed in a lemon beurre fondue.¹⁴

     

  • Squid Ink Noodles with a chorizo sofrito, pickled peppers, and Spanish octopus drizzled with a pimenton aioli.¹⁵

     

  • Fettuccine (black pasta) with peekytoe crab flavored with Calabrian chile and preserved lemon.¹⁶

     

  • Ricotta Raviolo (one large one) topped with maitake mushrooms, a parmesan slice, and pea shoots.¹⁷

     

• Main Courses:
  • Spiced Duck Breast with fresh corn polenta, grilled escarole, cherry mostarda, peanut-almond dukkah, sesame, and mole.¹⁸

     

  • Wagyu Bavette.¹⁹

     

• Bread: Hot rolls served from the oven and dusted with sea salt, often accompanied by thyme-honey butter, are a notable and luscious side.²⁰

   

Customer Feedback

Customer feedback generally praises the quality and execution of the food, the comfortable dining experience, and the hospitality of the owners:

• Positive Reviews: Patrons describe the food as “delicious” and “amazing,” with the dishes being “well-priced and well-executed.”²¹ The ambiance is noted as lovely, urbane, and having “loads of charm and friendly service.” One reviewer called it one of the “best Michelin Starred deals in New York City.” The duck, in particular, was called “incredible” and “tender and juicy,” with the crust being a favorite part.²²

   

• Mixed Feedback: Some less positive feedback has mentioned dishes being “not particularly memorable” or overly salted (specifically potatoes in one instance), with occasional reports of inattentive service.

Significant Events

While the day-to-day operation is the main focus, Meadowsweet does host significant events:

• Private Events: The venue is available for private events, accommodating up to 120 guests for various occasions such as:
  • Wedding receptions
  • Dress rehearsals
  • Corporate events
  • Baby showers
  • Birthday parties
• Large Parties: The restaurant offers large party reservations of up to 30 guests in the main dining room.²³

   

Contact Information

Here are the details for Meadowsweet in Brooklyn: