Polka Dot

"A family-run Polish restaurant in Greenpoint that launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise $250,000 to pay bills and hire staff. It was originally a Polish deli opened in 1996, transformed into a restaurant in 2016." - Nadia Chaudhury

"Formerly an old-school butcher’s shop called Polski Meat Market, owner Marzena Parys converted the place into a hip cafe and takeout joint with stellar, reasonably priced Polish fare, cooked by a staff of multi-generational Polish women. Holdovers from the place’s meat market days — like a wide array of kielbasa sausages and luncheon meats — fill a third of the deli cases. Solidly made pierogies with traditional fillings are available by the pound, scooped from big containers behind the counter, or uncooked in the wall of refrigerated take-away offerings for frying up freshly at home. Other highlights aside from pierogies include the stuffed cabbage, particularly the less-common vegetarian version stuffed with an airy mix of mushrooms and kasha, and an impressive selection of soups. Don’t miss the fuchsia-hued Ukrainian borscht and the tangy pickle or sorrel soups; there’s a nice dessert selection, too, or head directly across the street to Peter Pan for a doughnut to cap the meal off." - Alexandra Ilyashov