I became aware of Handcraft Kitchen & Cocktails through an article I did about the best brunch spots you may not have heard of (see here: manhattandigest.com, best brunches around manhattan). The nearly two year old location has become a bright spot in the Kips Bay area of Manhattan, and after salivating over some of the brunch items that I saw they serve, I knew that I had to hop on the 6 train down there to see what all the fuss was about. Boy, was I glad that I went.
Kips Bay itself is slowly becoming one of the trendiest areas for food, most notably on 3rd Avenue where Handcraft Kitchen & Cocktails exists. There is a lot to like about this location, as the front and back are quite different in terms of the kind of "food mood" you are in once you arrive.
The front is more for the Sunday and Saturday brunch crowd, and the bar crowd as its grouped tables sit next to its sprawling bar and make for a great place to entertain and enjoy. The back, where me and my friend sat, is far more intimate and beautiful to boot.
If comfort food is your game, then this location provides that and then some. Brunch in my opinion should be hearty and wake you up in a sense, and that is what you will get here. I was pretty impressed by the food we were provided, so here's a recap of what I thought was the best items that we had during our visit.
The stellar standout in the starters category had to be their Deviled Eggs, which comes with chicken, carrots, celery, blue cheese and buffalo sauce. Simply amazing and I love the colors that are within them that make for this so much more than a basic "deviled eggs" two bite wonder. On the flipside, you have their amazing Whiskey Barbecue Wings that had a tangy and spicy texture to them with the meat in each wing being massive and oh so tasty. I also heard their Truffled Fried Burrata is a fan favorite as well, so if you have room in your stomach, order that.
This is truly one of those brunch menus where so many options look simply fantastic. Everything from a Falafel Burger to a Fried Chicken Sandwich (their most popular) looked stellar, however I wanted something even heartier and opted for their Craft Skillet. This came with Andouille Sausage, Smoked Ham, Cajun Spice, Onions, Peppers, Home Fries, Scallions and two Sunny-Side Up Eggs. That's a lot in one skillet, and yet no one item stood out from the rest, it was an equal playing field of deliciousness.
Let's not forget that this place is known for their cocktails, and these don't disappoint whatsoever. For their brunch cocktails, I would recommend their Berry Fizz and a Handcraft Bloody. The former comes with Black and Blue berry shrub and champagne to provide a nice balance of sweet with the freshness of the latter, whereas the Handcraft Bloody tastes like a Bloody Mary should with the horseradish and citrus providing a nice blend as well. Overall, Handcraft Kitchen & Bar exceeded our expectations and we are looking forward to our next visit.
For more information on Handcraft Kitchen & Cocktails, please check out their official site.
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