Flatbush Farm - Park Slope

Featuring a long list of local purveyors displayed prominently on its Web site and a seasonal menu, Flatbush Farm wears its ties to sustainable agriculture proudly on its sleeve. Meat and produce are sourced from New York state up through Vermont from farms that specialize in antibiotic- and hormone-free product. Even its list of tap beers (the bar's motto "Nunc est bibendum" is Latin for "Now is the time to drink") pull from nearby breweries. The bottled/canned list and the considerable wine list feature a more far-flung cast of characters, from the American West Coast through Europe all the way to Japan.


Eating at the Farm is a very cozy experience with dark woods and soft, low lighting making dinner a laid-back, intimate occasion. The narrow front room sports several tables and a bar, but gives way to a larger dining area in the back.

While the bar, lunch and brunch menus feature mid-priced, rustic fare the dinner menu at Flatbush Farm is more refined featuring dishes and preparations that would not be out of place on any fine-dining menu. The Atlantic Monkfish ($25) was perfectly cooked. The fish was meaty, tender and rich belying it's extremely delicate flavor. It sat on a bed of roasted kale whose sharpness and moisture provided a nice contrast and all of this topped a fantastic truffled shrimp risotto that was terrifically creamy. Though the kale was overly salty this was an excellent dish, carried by the strength of the fish cookery and an unreal risotto.

The New York strip steak special ($29) over braised greens topped with creamed Gorgonzola cheese was also pretty, ahem, special. The sweet/sour flavor of the cheese as it melted was an ideal match for the tender beef cooked to an exact medium-rare. The creamed greens underneath were silky and slightly bitter making for a wonderfully multi-faceted bite when eaten with the steak and cheese. The dish also came with a potato gratin with chorizo which was fine on its own, but didn't quite fit, texturally, with the rest of the plate. Its cold crunch seemed out of place; it seemed like a second order that happened to come out together instead of combining with the rest of the components to make one cohesive whole.

A warm brownie topped with ice cream ($8) was a great finish. The brownie was rich yet light and rested on top of cream and hot fudge. The chocolate was front-and-center yet not overwhelming with the ice cream mellowing its punch.

For the quality of the food the price tags for dinner are certainly reasonable. When including the fact that the restaurant features responsibly farmed protein and produce they seem like a steal. Lunch and brunch fare, as well as food any time at the Bar(n) next door, run from $10-$16 so if the full Flatbush Farm experience seems a little too pricey these menus are definitely worth a taste.

Flatbush Farm
76 St Marks Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11217