CELESTINE

Ambiance

Not much gets me to travel from the Upper East Side all of the way to Brooklyn but when I saw pictures of the space, I knew I had to take a trip to check out Celestine for myself. Celestine is a cozy restaurant. Aside from one large round table, every table is a marble two-top that can be pushed together for larger parties. And, on each table, sits a glass bud vase filled with wildflowers which is such a lovely feminine touch that so perfectly juxtaposes the old-world masculine industrial lines of the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges that are framed by the vast floor-to-ceiling windows that envelop the entirety of the restaurant.

Perhaps it’s prideful for me having grown up in Manhattan but if I’m going to leave it for a restaurant, I want to go to one that enables me to look back at it. That’s the view I will travel for. That’s the experience the sweet space of Celestine gave me.

Cuisine

To properly take in the views, I visited Celestine for brunch which is the same menu as their Friday lunch. Think contemporary Mediterranean fare with a hint of American twist where each element in a dish is thoughtfully crafted from the seasonings on the wood-fired flatbread to the mixture of blueberries, raspberries, and blueberry jam in a compound butter to make it both rich and exciting.

When I say, “a hint of American twist” I’m thinking specifically about the Smoked Whitefish Toast where small pieces of smoked trout are mixed with thin slices of red onion and sit on top of scrambled eggs on toast which is then topped with a dollop of Créme Fraîche—it’s a beautiful breakfast toast that feels American aesthetically while highlighting Mediterranean flavors.

That said, the Mezze Platter is a pure celebration of Mediterranean flavors. The small bowls of spicy Marinated Olives, Pistachio Dill and Cilantro Feta, White Bean Hummus with a Pickled Jalapeño Relish, and a Labneh topped with Smoked Trout Roe are paired with perfectly spiced and soft flatbread. I highly recommend starting your meal with this sharable experience. It’s a well-crafted flavor journey.

My Favorite Dishes

MEZZE PLATTER Tasting of all Four Mezzes, Flatbread

BEETS + FIGS Pine Nut Pudding, Mizuna

BUTTERMILK PANCAKES Berry Butter, Maple Syrup

SMOKED WHITEFISH TOAST Smoked Trout, Créme Fraîche, Shaved Red Onion, Scrambled Eggs

CHICKEN SCHNITZEL SANDWICH Dill Pickles, Buttermilk Slaw, Hot Honey, Ranch, Fries

What To Wear

Celestine boasts a come-as-you-are vibe. I went in a trendy sweatshirt, skinny black jeans, and flat black booties. Dress in whatever way you are comfortable. This is not a “place to be seen” restaurant. You don’t have to flex here. In fact, I imagine if you did you would stand out like a sore thumb. Let the food and the scenery do the work. You, walk in happily as you are.

Kid Friendly

My little guy loved it here. Between eating a little bit of everything on his own flavor tour —berry compound butter on the pancakes were the clear winner—and looking out the window at the bridges, ferries, barges, and buildings he was on his own version of cloud nine. The staff loved him albeit he is a super lovable schmoo.

While having him in Celestine was an absolute pleasure, I should note that there wasn’t a kid’s menu or crayons. So if you have pickier eaters, this may be a bit of a tougher place for them. And, if you need something to entertain your little one to keep them at the table, pack some crayons and a coloring book.