King Mother

"Fondue is a sleeper of a Swiss recipe that seems to become popular in cycles of 30 years or so. Its last cycle saw guests giving newly married couples multiple fondue sets as wedding presents. And now it may be coming back again, as evidenced by the popularity of the fondue at this combo wine bar and cheese store in Ditmas Park. This being the keto age, the wine-laced melted cheese kept warm over a sterno flame is furnished with vegetable crudite as dipping implements, with the shop’s excellent focaccia provided at slight extra charge." - Robert Sietsema

"Co-owners Erika Lesser and Katie Richey brought natural wines in an approachable setting to Ditmas Park when they opened lauded wine bar, King Mother, in late 2019. From varietal descriptions like “floral, fresh & pretty, like spring in NYC!” to its fondue that brings together groups of friends in a circle to dunk breads and vegetables in a molten combination of chardonnay-laced raclette, cheddar, and American cheeses, the spot emanates hip and convivial vibes." - Eater Staff

"King Mother, a lovely neighborhood wine bar in South Brooklyn, is closing down shop on January 14." - Emma Orlow

"Named one of ”two killer wine bars in Brooklyn” last year, according to the New Yorker, King Mother has made a name for itself since opening in December 2019 as an approachable place for drinking natural wine. The menu includes varietal descriptions like “not your mom’s Pinot Grigio”, “notes of apricot & happiness“, “aromatic and delish AF”, and “hibiscus tea and grapefruit soda vibes.” Co-owners Erika Lesser and Katie Richey met while Richey was working a few blocks away at Kings County Wines, which Lesser owns with her husband. Their funky, hip sensibility is made all the more inviting by the clean lines of the black and white painted wall, Scandinavian bar stools and tables, and simple cone-shaped light fixtures. To complement the wines, the food menu includes allium focaccia studded with roasted garlic and chunky finishing salt, a favorite that’s often paired with honey and smoked ricotta. ‘Nduja (including a vegan version of it) and chicken schnitzel make an appearance among the heartier offerings. Grab a spot at one of the sidewalk tables on a sunny afternoon or cozy up to the bar with a good book on a chilly night." - Gabriella Cascone

"When I last visited King Mother—a Ditmas Park wine bar and restaurant that opened in December, 2019—the word “killer” appeared more than once on the single-page wine list, along with phrases such as “primo celebration fuel,” “super luscious,” “dope ass,” and “adult juice box vibez.” The cynics among us shudder. But what can I say? The 2018 organic Muscadet I drank did have “all the oceanic, mineral, toasty, tart, yummy things” I wanted, and I have thought of it lovingly, and longingly, many times since. I’ve also been haunted by a glass I neglected to try, a 2020 Txakolina, from the Basque country, described as “simply the most refreshing white wine in the world.” I believe it! I’ll be back. If King Mother’s dope-ass vibes are a bit of an overcorrection to the pretension and stuffiness that have reigned over the realm of wine for hundreds of years, I’ll take them: the barrier to entry should be exactly as low as it is here, where the food is just as premium-yet-accessible as the drinks. The usual arrangements of salumi and cheeses (many sourced from Vermont) with honey and preserves are rounded out by excellent house-made allium focaccia; a reliable chicken schnitzel, in both sandwich and entrée form, with Bulldog tonkatsu sauce; and a crisp, spicy, creamy panino, encasing smears of smoked ricotta, ’nduja, and pickled shallot, wilting curls of arugula straying beyond its edges. Last winter, when I ordered King Mother for delivery, I was surprisingly moved by the “big green salad,” which exceeded my expectations for its manifest simplicity: leaves of little gem, crunchy and sweet, with wisps of dill and a beautifully emulsified, balanced lemon vinaigrette. After months of grudgingly washing and drying lettuce myself, of vigorously whisking olive oil and salt with vinegar or citrus juice, and yet somehow never achieving the alchemy I craved, it felt like bliss to have someone else nail it for me. Sitting at one of King Mother’s sidewalk tables on an early, sunny spring evening and cutting into a quarter of a spatchcocked, buttermilk-brined, perfectly roasted Amish chicken—nestled with blanched rainbow Swiss chard, roasted mushrooms, and an herb-heavy house-made ranch—was even better." - Hannah Goldfield