The Smith - East Village

If I had to choose my all-time favorite breakfast/brunch spot in the city, it would definitely be The Smith, an American brasserie located on 3rd avenue & between 10th and 11th st. They also have another location in Midtown on 51st and 2nd avenue.

The ambiance is very casual and upbeat and I highly recommend getting a seat on the outdoor patio if the weather is nice. But this place is pretty popular, especially for their weekend brunch, so you may not have the choice to pick where you get seated. If you want to avoid the crowd, be an early bird and go here before 11 am for their breakfast.

 I've been coming to the Smith since I was a freshman in college and I have brought friends, families, and out of town guests. Every one of them loved this place and their amazing food! I also appreciate their complimentary sparkling water - not anything big or necessary but little things do make a difference.

Here is my recommendation on what to try at this restaurant.

Vanilla Bean French Toast
If you like eating sweets for breakfast, try this delicious french toast with maple butter and caramelized bananas.
The portion is actually pretty huge although the picture makes it look tiny.

Smoked Salmon Benedict
My ultimate favorite brunch menu served with home fries
If you don't like fish, try the Classic Eggs Benedict! (picture below)

 The top left is Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon and the right is the Classic. As you can see, they are the same exact dish except for the slice of salmon under the poached egg.

Pulled Pork Kimchi Sandwich
This Korean fusion dish was absolutely delicious - just enough saltiness with a hint of spice.

As I mentioned before, I love coming here with friends and guests. This is my friend who was researching at Harvard so I brought this smarty pants here for some breakfast treats!

Lastly, the service here is great with friendly waiters and waitresses, which is always a plus!

Yelp Rating - http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-smith-new-york

Click here for their full menu.