I’m a big fan of #WeekendBrunch on the blog and am always looking for a new place to dine, usually browsing Instagram, the Internet, and of course my #1 go-to Eater for its curated city “Heatmaps”. And New York City, being an obvious food-oriented town, has some of the most downright coolest places in the world to dine in. One of them happens to be a hot new spot Lucky Bee situated in the Lower East Side just south of Delancey Street.
When you walk in don’t be shocked at how much you’ll fall in love with the Bee’s décor, highlights including their pink / black / teal color scheme that accentuates a colorfully delicious menu made by the Chef and owner Matty Bennett whose creations are inspired by world travel while also catering to a food truck style that tastes oh so right.
Bennett and his partner Rupert Noffs–who’s also part-owner and the brains behind the interior design–came together to bring NYC some truly authentic Southeast Asian cuisine to the neighborhood. The restaurant is now open for a different sort of brunch experience Saturdays and Sundays with their ALL DAY menu beginning at 12:30pm.
I had the delight of tasting in the early opening stages of Lucky Bee, starting with of course cocktails—the “Honey Bee My Baby”—that has matcha and chai with a honey base combined with melon water, juiced with lime and vodka, then garnished with real bee pollen. Bonus: for every karma cocktail Lucky Bee donates $1 to the NY Beekeepers Association.
The second was Lucky Bee’s play on the margarita made with local honey water, chili syrup, lime, tequila, dried chili sauce on the rim, and a jalepeno to garnish. YUM!
Then there was the food, which after those two drinks and no breakfast from what I recall, sounded like the greatest idea on the planet, with a simple yet flavorful tuna tartare and a cold noodle dish for appetizers:
While every thing was equally as good as the next, I will have to say there was something about the darn spicy SZECHAUN chicken wings that had me taking literally 1,000 photos (I had THE hardest time not taking a bite for the shot):
Take II, up close and personal:
To top everything off, the weekend special was a spicy coconut noodle dish that is just the beginning of what’s all to come from Lucky Bee:
If you’re in the neighborhood, definitely make a stop for drinks at the bar or an incredible dinner experience that’s the epitome of what any outsider might imagine the New York dining scene should be.
The Lucky Bee is open M-F 5:30pm-1am, with weekend brunch 12:30pm-4:30pm, then open again at 5:30pm-1am for dinner. Look out for their forthcoming brunch menu and stop in for an all-around distinguished taste that will have you gramming that #foodporn pic you’ve been waiting to post…
