Black Swan

A commodious, copper-topped bar leads to a black-detailed dining room and garden filled with a chatty mixed group of Brooklynites. The beer and spirits list exhibits a deep knowledge of the genre, and the gastropub food is also superior to most other bars of its ilk. Cynthia Walker developed a menu that manages to please on all fronts and still be interesting: divine fried oysters, island spiced roast chicken with butter rum mashed plantains as well as salmon Niçoise salad, plus a loaded burger served on Balthazar brioche. For dessert, look for brownies with berries and sweet cream and banana bread pudding. Brunch offers rum raisin French toast, eggs Benedict, salmon croquettes and strong Stumptown coffee.