Clinton Street Baking Company is pretty well known for their brunches, namely their famous pancakes (though it looks like I JUST missed their Pancake Month where they serve a special pancake flavor every Monday. Darn). The line out the door on any given weekend is probably a testament to that.
I’ve been wanting to go for some time now, but never felt like I had the energy to go all the way downtown and wait in line. When a friend was visiting from California though, I thought maybe it would be a nice treat for her to have brunch at a noted NYC spot.
I went extra early to put our names down, and ended up waiting a total of two hours. Not fun. The place is pretty small so it’s not that easy to get a seat, and weekend afternoon seems to be their most busy time. When we finally sat down though, I asked them to give me their most popular dish. The waitress told me that would be their Wild Maine Pancakes:
It was fluffy and a bit on the tart side from the berries. My friends all tried it and unanimously decided it was good. My friends all went straight for savory, ordering Spanish scrambled eggs, Huevos Rancheros, a stuffed omelette, and salmon with eggs.
I thought all the food was good, maybe not the BEST I’ve ever had. But I think in my mind I want the food to be directly proportional in mind-blowingness as it is to wait time. I don’t feel like I got that. Man, I hope I haven’t turned into a food snob…my friends all said it was really good, and I just though yeah it was alright. Anyone else been? What did you think? Current brunch favorites seem to be (in order): Cafe Mogador/Norma’s, The Eatery, Cafe Orlin.
Restaurant Info:
Clinton Street Baking Company
4 Clinton Street
New York, NY 10002-1703
646-602-6263
Lower East Side
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Shy
shy you know this place was on throwdown with bobby flay as having the best blueberry pancakes ever. thats why they always have a line out the door because they are supposed to be the best.blueberry.pancakes.ever. so what did you think of just the pancakes?? bc ive been wanting to go but just dont want to wait in the ridic line.
Oh really? Is that how it came to be? Flay really knows food, and the pancakes were definitely GOOD. So I hate disagreeing but it wasn’t the best I’ve ever had ever ever. Like I said, my friends all loved it. I think my experience contributed…I felt like I was waiting outside 10,000 hours. I think I like more interesting entrees with twists and different flavors. I would give it an 8, how about that?
omg yea i saw this on throwdown and i really wanted to go ever since!
oh you got lucky, i waited 2.5 hours. not fun but i did find the pancakes amazing. however, apparently they serve brunch all day so you can prob go at like 8 on a tuesday and skip the line
Good point; but I like pancakes in the morninggg