CROWN HEIGHTS — A bar with a 1950s-era vibe will open on Rogers Avenue near Union Street in mid-December, its owners said, one of a handful of new food-and-drink spots opening in the neighborhood south of Eastern Parkway.
Branch Ofc. will open at 225 Rogers Ave. in a 75-seat space with a backyard, said co-owner Christopher Buckley, who chose the spot last year after seeing how “saturated” the northern side of Eastern Parkway — especially on Franklin Avenue — had become with bars and restaurants.
“There were really no bars over here,” he said of the bar’s location one block south of the parkway. “So we thought, why not try to plant a flag over here and see if we can get the same sort of buzz going that is going on [on] the north side.”
The menu at the “diner meets cocktail lounge” will include beer, wine and $11 signature cocktails, Buckley said, with panini sandwiches, small bites and snacks as well. The bar will be open every day from 3 p.m. until “late,” he said (either 2 a.m. or 4 a.m., depending).
Buckley — who worked for years at the popular Crown Heights beer hall Franklin Park, also co-owns the Clinton Hill bar Hanson Dry and lives in Bedford-Stuyvesant — said he hopes Branch Ofc. becomes a casual “neighborhood bar” with “very good service."
“We wanted to sort of give people a place where everyone would feel comfortable,” he said.
The bar will have a 1950s-era aesthetic with chrome fixtures, vinyl flooring and antique cash registers, he said.
The State Liquor Authority approved the bar’s liquor license last month. Buckley said the bar will open in mid-December with an official opening date to be announced on the bar’s Facebook page.
If you’re looking for more to eat and drink south of Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, check out these four new spots that opened recently or are opening soon in the area:
Apothecary Kitchen at Mountain | 903 Franklin Ave. near Carroll Street
This organic, locally sourced cafe owned by husband-and-wife team Justine Lynch and Thomas McCauley opened in mid-September with a menu that includes things like a chickpea and eggplant sandwich for $7 or a curry and vegetable plate for $10. And if you want some spa time after lunch, the spot offers acupuncture, yoga, massage and more.
Midwood Flats | 577 Flatbush Ave. at Beekman Place
This new self-described “gastropub” in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens opened in late September with more than 20 craft beers on tap, “a very extensive selection of bourbon, whiskey and Scotch,” according to one positive review from Brooklyn Based, and sandwiches, burgers and bar snacks. The restaurant and bar is open seven days a week.
Bluebird Food & Spirits | 504 Flatbush Ave. at Lefferts Avenue
This brunch and dinner spot opened in September, serving drinks and American food like grilled cheese, chicken pot pie, burgers and salads in a space with a fireplace and a backyard, according to its Facebook page. Local blogger Tim Thomas described the restaurant as “a great place to hold a meeting with drinks or watch the big game.” Bluebird opens at 5 p.m. on weekdays for dinner and noon on weekends for brunch.
Little Buttercup | 446 Rogers Ave. near Lincoln Road
This new dessert bakery is set to open early next year and hopes to serve beer and wine with its pie in a storefront shop in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, its owner said. The proprietor, Alison Pels, said she’s already testing recipes and was granted approval for a liquor license from the community board last month.
