Leland Eating and Drinking House

"A Brooklyn restaurant that adapted to the pandemic by offering vinyl hour and outdoor dining, leveraging relationships with local farmers to maintain a dynamic menu." - Jaya Saxena

"Most of Prospect Heights’ best restaurants are dotted along Vanderbilt, at one of the twisty-turny Flatbush intersections, or concentrated near Grand Army on Washington. But there are a few sleeper hits on quieter corners (see Nin Hao, Gertrude's), and Leland Eating & Drinking House on Dean and Underhill is among of the best of them. Though it might look and feel like a textbook neighborhood restaurant, what’s on the plate is anything but ordinary. photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte photo credit: Kate Previte The further you stray from what’s familiar, the more interesting Leland gets. While there’s the obligatory sourdough bread at dinner and mezze platter at brunch, the best dishes are those that draw from a variety of Asian and Mediterranean flavors, like duck frites with hoisin and béarnaise, or poached eggs with laffa and jalapeño labne. Those dishes have been pulling in the crowds since Leland opened in 2020. The dining room and bar are full nearly every night of the week, with overflow spilling into the heated front patio. It’s a great standby for second or third dates at the bar, lively tables of threes and fours, and neighborhood toddlers having a meal out of the house with their parents. You get the feeling they're going to be lifelong regulars. Food Rundown photo credit: Kate Previte Yu Choy Start here. A simple plate of leafy greens gets way more interesting with a black sesame tahini and calabrian chilli vinaigrette. photo credit: Kate Previte Chicken Jook Porridge A big hearty bowl of porridge comes with some nice spice, thanks to a drizzle of chili oil on top. This and the yu choy are the highlights of the small plates section. photo credit: Kate Previte Charred Lemon Skillet Mussels Completely fine, but not totally necessary. This isn’t a bad option if your order is light on bread, since it comes with a few slices of sourdough for sopping up the juices. photo credit: Kate Previte Duck Frites The hoisin makes this dish a close cousin of peking duck, but with a noticeably cinnamon béarnaise that’s just as good on the bird as it is on the fries. photo credit: Kate Previte Whole Fried Fish There’s a fantastic vinaigrette in the fennel salad this fish comes with, but it gets a little buried under all that skin and bone. Move a few things around on your plate so you can get a bit of it in each bite. photo credit: Kate Previte Laffa If you’re here for brunch, skip the breakfast sandwich—this is your order. You’ll scratch the same itch for carbs by way of a warm blanket of laffa on top of some poached eggs and jalapeño labne. It’s definitely one of the most interesting brunch options in the neighborhood." - Tiffany Yannetta

"The Prospect Heights Mediterranean restaurant is switching to a special Lunar New Year pop-up for the holiday. It’ll offer dishes like lobster har gow, Hainan chicken, Beijing duck sourced from Long Island, steam bao, and accompanying cocktails such as lychee daiquiris and Thai tea. The space will be decorated with red lanterns, and guests will get a red envelope. It’ll be available from Monday, January 27 through Sunday, February 2 for lunch, dinner, and brunch services. Reservations can be booked online." - Nadia Chaudhury

"Leland is already the sort of place you’d go with the people on your Friendsgiving short list. On a quiet corner just off Washington Avenue in Prospect Heights, it’s a casual neighborhood spot where the servers know their regulars by first name, and it has a menu dedicated to locally sourced ingredients and natural wine. Thanksgiving will be a multi-course, family-style meal for $85 per person, with things like turkey alla porchetta, jook porridge, and cranberry mostarda." - neha talreja, molly fitzpatrick

"The Dish: Vegan Hot Buns While this Prospect Heights spot isn’t technically a bakery or known for vegan food, it’s where you’ll find a range of the best vegan pastries anywhere in the city. Their vegan hot buns are about the size of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s fist, served fresh from the pan, and coated in icing that tastes dangerously similar to cream cheese frosting. But what really sets this bun apart is the liberal use of orange zest - it balances every sweet bite with just the right amount of citrus." - team infatuation