Clinton St Baking Co & Rest
A friendly neighborhood alcove offering top-notch breakfasts to a young, hip crowd.
(646) 233-2813
4 Clinton St
(at Houston Street)
New York,
NY
10002
40.7212
-73.9839
Neighborhoods: Lower East Side, Downtown
Hours:
Mon-Fri 8am-4pm, 6pm-11pm
Sat 10am-4pm, 6pm-11pm
Sun 10am-4pm
Price:
$
Last updated 4.30.09
What People Are Saying About Clinton St Baking Co & Rest
The Owner
Clinton St Baking Co & Rest
Owner
Clinton St. Baking Company & Restaurant has only 32 seats, but the kitchen dishes up breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch seven days a week. The small bar serves wine, imported beer, and special alcohol drinks, plus French roast coffee ground in-house, milkshakes made with Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory Ice Cream, and, in colder months, the wildly popular Hot Buttered Cider. The menu uses fresh, seasonal ingredients in its eclectic American menu. The result is classic dishes with a twist. The Clinton St. Baking Co. bakeshop uses the highest quality products, from natural flour and organic spices and herbs, to farm fresh eggs and dairy. Custom Cakes made to order. Catering Services is available for all event sizes.
Best of Citysearch 2006 Best Breakfast & Brunch
Best Pancakes NYC,2005 New York Magazine
Best Breakfast/Brunch Time Out NY 2007
Best Breakfast, Travel & Leisure 2007
The Editor
Contributor
Citysearch
The main reason this is a brunch mecca is the food: thick, fluffy brioche French toast, served with maple butter and fresh berries, excels; likewise, a clever sandwich of scrambled eggs and tomato jam in a light, salty buttermilk biscuit. And, of course, the cakes, pies, and other desserts are out of control, and you can have a sneak peak at many of them, as you enter. To the left is a small counter where solo diners can enjoy a meal; groups head to the right to be seated in the bright, airy dining room. There's lots of blond wood, service is cheery and the general air is friendly.
User Reviews
nbagel
April 20, 2009
I have been reading all your reviews and can sympathize with all you say. Great food means wait time. All the hype means high expectations. Doesn't mean they cannot fullfill them but in a small place it does require several people working their butts off with no time off. You cannot duplicate the owners - they work hard but cannot always be there. We expect everyone to do the same job and cook as well but.... at a point everything suffers. Hopefully the owners will downsize (maybe dinner) and focus their attention on what needs the most. Obviously breakfast, brunch & lunch. And why on weekends are they not open until 10? Did I read this wrong because I own a bagel restaurant and am open at 6 am. HOT breakfast early. In that, I feel they are setting themselves up for trouble. Open earlier and there will not be those 2 hour wait times. Sounds like they are doing great but maybe need to re-evalute how they are doing it. Don't live in the moment but plan for the future! Love what they are doing and hope they can look ahead!
read full review
joshprosen
March 21, 2009
Sure, Brunch is alll Hype at Clinton St. But my buddies and I like it for dinner after work- Beer and Burger Special is a great choice. Reviewer said bad looking hosts, but we sit at the bar because of some especially cute and friendly bartenders.
read full review
clintonStreetResident
February 22, 2009
We've been customers from the neighborhood for more than 7 years and I have to say we now think twice before walking down to Clinton Street Baking Company. For example, today we went to Le Gamin on 5th Street which was really good. WHY: The hostess on Sundays is rude and has a really short fuse with customers. Yes the place is mobbed on Sundays but that's no reason not to use words like 'please' or 'thanks'. Smiling occasionally is nice too (two or three sundays ago she didn't smile once the entire time we were there). Sometimes people have come a long way to enjoy the food and this hostess treats people badly. While we waited we were able to watch her become really nasty with some woman (not from New York and admittedly annoying) who was just asking how much longer she would have to wait. The host on Friday night isn't much better--having loud personal telephone conversations in the waiting area at the front of the restaurant is tacky and when people are waiting to be seated it's really bad service. We felt like we'd entered a 'wise-guy joint' with this host. No one is looking for 5 star service but these people are rude!!! What's worse is that neither of these two is particularly good looking so the attitude comes off really really badly. I hope the hosting staff isn't an indicator of where things are going at this place--it used to be a neighborhood place where you wanted to go...now it's like anywhere else downtown with decent food (actually the food is always amazing--hats off to the kitchen!!!) and nasty (though not good looking) hosts. 3 stars is generous..it's probably more like 2.5 because no matter how good the food the attitude of the hosts ruins the dining experience.
read full reviewThe Details on Clinton St Baking Co & Rest
When to Go:
Be prepared to put your name on the list and wait for an hour or so if you arrive around noon on Saturday or Sunday. On sunny mornings, chairs are put on the sidewalk for those who want to wait.
Save Money:
Tuesday nights, the entire wine list if half-off.
Know Before You Go:
The restaurant is cash-only during the day, but takes credit cards after 6pm.
Fun Fact:
The atmosphere owes a lot to the jazz soundtrack, which is heavy on Django Reinhardt and Sidney Bechet.
The Extras:
The bakery serves Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory ice cream, a cult favorite of New York City ice cream lovers for years.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Cash, Visa, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Family-Friendly Dining, Brunch
Cuisine:
Message from Clinton St Baking Co & Rest
- Best Brunch Spot
Clinton St. Baking Company & Restaurant has only 32 seats, but the kitchen dishes up breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch seven days a week. The small bar serves wine, imported beer, and special alcohol drinks, plus French roast coffee ground in-house, milkshakes made with Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory Ice Cream, and, in colder months, the wildly popular Hot Buttered Cider. The menu uses fresh, seasonal ingredients in its eclectic American menu. The result is classic dishes with a twist. The Clinton St. Baking Co. bakeshop uses the highest quality products, from natural flour and organic spices and herbs, to farm fresh eggs and dairy. Custom Cakes made to order. Catering Services is available for all event sizes.
Best of Citysearch 2006 Best Breakfast & Brunch
Best Pancakes NYC,2005 New York Magazine
Best Breakfast/Brunch Time Out NY 2007
Best Breakfast, Travel & Leisure 2007
