We may have neglected TriBeCa a bit on Bitches Who Brunch lately. We’ve tried many of the acclaimed brunch hot spots, such as Locanda Verde and Bubby’s, but there are so many hidden gems tucked away among the charming cobblestone streets.

My friend Tony lives in the neighborhood and talked a big game about his local haunt, Greenwich Street Tavern. It’s his go-to spot for anything from happy hour to a quick grab-and-go dinner, and a low-key brunch. Unrelated to Tony, I received an invitation from the restaurant to come try brunch on the house so the stars aligned and we convened on a recent Sunday.

From the exterior, GST looks like a standard neighborhood pub, but the interior is surprisingly quaint and cozy. Families filled the restaurant during brunch and the warm lighting and exposed brick seemed like the perfect place to hunker down during the winter. This is a bar after all so a few unobtrusive TV’s were playing the games du jour; it seemed like a perfect place to place your Fantasy Football bets while sipping a mimosa.

Speaking of mimosas, Tony and I both hair of the dogged it and started with a round of bubbly. GST has a brunch “bo-go” deal: buy one, get one free of mimosas, Bloodys, bellinis, sangria, wine, and beer. Not exactly bottomless, but a good deal for the neighborhood.

The menu at Greenwich Street Tavern is classically American with a ton of options. You can make your own breakfast sammy, build an omelet, sample an assortment of Benedicts, or order sandwiches and salads from the lunch menu.

My inner Gemini was unsurprisingly indecisive so we split a few sweet and savory entrees. If I see lobster on a menu, I’m usually going to order it so trying the lobster Benedict was a no brainer. A generous portion of seared crustacean was topped with avocado and Hollandaise.

The avocado added a refreshing bit of creaminess and I appreciated that they didn’t skimp on the lobster. This decadent entree surprisingly light, especially since we ordered the Hollandaise on the side.

Tony is a pescatarian so the salmon omelette fit right into his diet. Unlike other salmon omelettes I’ve tried in the past, this dish was served with a small salmon filet rather than pieces of smoked salmon. It was a surprising twist; the fish had a great flakiness and didn’t overpower the eggs. They added a touch of cream cheese, but the fish was the star of the show.

The friendly manager Rob recommended the side of jalapeno cheddar grits, so who were we to refuse? These grits were a nice thick consistency, but I could have personally used a little more heat. Regardless, we had no problem finishing the portion.

Since we were well on the path of Sunday splurging, we also tried the bananas foster French toast for dessert. This was a solid, no-frills French toast without any extra bells and whistles. It hit the spot and satisfied our sweet tooth.

We had a full day of football watching and other Sunday Funday debauchery, but Rob insisted that I try a specialty cocktail for the road. Twist my arm. He served up the Beach Street bellini, consisting of prosecco, watermelon water, and mint. This cocktail was very easy to drink (perhaps a little too easy), very hydrating, and not too sweet, which is rare in a bellini. Plus with the inclusion of watermelon, I felt like I was being slightly healthy.

The Bitches say: B+. Surprisingly good food for a neighborhood bar; bring your Bros Who Brunch and skip the long lines at neighboring TriBeCa locales.

Greenwich Street Tavern
399 Greenwich St.
New York, NY 10013
(TriBeCa)
(212) 334-7827

Greenwich Street Tavern serves brunch on Saturdays and Sundays beginning at 11 a.m.