Brooklyn, outside of Israel, has the highest concentration of Kosher restaurants from anywhere else in the world. Here’s our list of the best kosher restaurants in Brooklyn.
Please note that this list is not in any particular order, and we have tried to include a wide array of different styles of food.
1. Mozzarella
Kosher Cactus Brooklyn Ranking: 4.9/5
This Mediterranean inspired cafe is located in Crown Heights, and serves incredible dairy food. There are wood-fire pizzas, fresh pasta from scratch and mouth-watering fish dishes. Mozzarella is shockingly affordable, and is known for its excellent and fast service.
If you want to try something amazing, you can order the Chilean Sea Bass, which is marinated in basically every herb you can imagine. And yes, Mozzarella serves alcoholic drinks, and wine.
Their address is 265 Troy Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11213.
To read more about this cafe, click here.
2. Abe’s Corner
Kosher Cactus Brooklyn Ranking: 4.9/5
They may be the newest kid on the block, but this sports bar (located in Crown Heights) is going strong.
Abe’s Corner really had a hell of a year (They opened the week the world shut down, March 2020). But Abe’s has become a go-to for a guys night out, or a girls night out, or a date night out, or a family party night… y’know what? Any occasion is a good occasion to go to Abe’s.
The food is incredibly fresh, beautifully presented and features old classics with an incredibly modern twist. Get the MOTY Burger. It will blow your mind, because it has everything in it: duck confit, pickled onions, a fried egg, arugula, and more.
And by the way, Abe’s has allllll the alcohol, including beer on tap.
You can read more about Abe’s Corner here.
3. Koshertown Cafe
Kosher Cactus Brooklyn Ranking: 4.5/5
OK, technically, this is not a restaurant, it’s a take-out cafe with fresh coffee and a few seating options. That being said, the food at Koshertown is phenomenal.
There are vegetable salads, made fresh each day, and amazing pastries- both dairy and parve options.
Koshertown Cafe is inside the Koshertown Supermarket, which I find incredibly convenient. (Why don’t more kosher supermarkets do this?)
If you are looking for lunch recommendations, get a Salmon Bowl. It’s a salad with toasted veg, baked salmon, and fresh garden vegetables. Absolutely delicious.
One of our favorite picks for kosher restaurants in Brooklyn.
You can read the full rundown on Koshertown Cafe here.
4. Amnon’s Kosher Pizza
Kosher Cactus Brooklyn Ranking: 4/5
This is the pizza joint classic. Amnon’s has been around since forever, and it is so old-school that they currently have no website. But, boy are they doing something right.
Crispy pies, or individual slices, falafel, knishes, calzones and a few salad options. And the service is fast. Like a-minute-or-2-to-wait fast. They also have every single soda ever on the menu, and a giant dining room in the back to eat your pizza.
Which is a fantastic pizza, just FYI. Crispy edges, the perfect cheese melt, the right ratio of sauce to cheese to dough. So good.
Kosher Cactus currently does not have a full review of Amnon’s Pizza, but watch this space.
5. MEAT
Kosher Cactus Brooklyn Ranking: 4.8/5
This, by far, is the premier meat restaurant in Brooklyn. Located in Crown Heights, MEAT is fairly new- it opened in 2018. Every single thing at MEAT, from the chairs to the drinks to the waiters, from the appetizers to the entrees to the mains, is done perfectly.
The music is just the right volume for quiet conversation, the drinks are delicious, the mains are portioned very well, and the service is impeccable. MEAT is costly, but it is worth every dime.
If you are planning a visit, I’d suggest any of the appetizers. Because honestly, they are all fantastic.
You can read our review of MEAT here.
6. Izzy’s Smokehouse
Kosher Cactus Brooklyn Ranking: 4.9/5
Izzy’s is packed every single night, and with good reason- the food is divine. Winner of multiple meat-smoking competitions, the owner and chef of Izzy’s, Sruli Edelman, knows how to do meat.
Izzy’s is famous for their Dino Ribs, an entire rack of beef ribs that are smoked to perfection.
The restaurant serves their iconic dishes- with plastic cutlery! If anything, it serves to make a point about the absolute softness and tenderness of the meat- no huge steak knives needed here.
If Dino Ribs are a little much for you, you can also get a Pulled Beef Sandwich, because it is made with smoked brisket, and served on brioche. And who wants to say no to that?
We don’t yet have a full review of Izzy’s Steakhouse, but it is in the works.
7. Pescada Dairy
Kosher Cactus Brooklyn Ranking: 4.7/5
An upscale dairy restaurant that is still affordable? Yes, please!
Pescada Dairy, in Midwood, serves house-made pastas, brick-oven pizza, fish dishes, custom cocktails and delectable desserts.
My favorite dish at Pescada Dairy is the Halloumi Salad, because hello- fried halloumi cheese. Also romaine lettuce, pickled onions, cherry tomatoes, and mushrooms. Yum.
All the salad options at Pescada Dairy are known showstoppers, made from the freshest ingredients and served with marvelous salad dressings.
Pescada also has a full wine list, and the waiters can make fantastic recommendations based on your choice of dishes. And just so you know, the service at Pescada is fantastic.
If you’d like to read more about Pescada Dairy, you can read our full review here.
8. Bison and Bourbon
Kosher Cactus Brooklyn Ranking: 4.7/5
Bison and Bourbon is happening. There are music events at this meat restaurant very often, and plenty of other events almost every week.
The restaurant is meat, and features mainly modern dishes, plus a few of the old favorites. With a huge indoor seating area, and an enormous outdoor patio, this restaurant can hold quite the crowd.
There is also a huge bar, with broadcasts of major sports games, and a full range of alcoholic drinks. Bison and Bourbon has a menu of meat-y pizza options, plus the standard apps, salads, steaks and sides.
It’s unconventional, but my recommendation for this restaurant is actually the Peanut Butter Cake, for dessert. It is SO good. Not crazy sweet, just perfect to end a delicious supper.
Rumor has it that a new dairy place is opening under the same management in 2021- stay tuned for more details on that.
Sadly, the Kosher Cactus has not yet officially reviewed Bison and Bourbon, but we will hopefully get to it soon.
9. Alenbi
Kosher Cactus Brooklyn Ranking: 4.9/5
Alenbi is an upscale Israeli-inspired meat restaurant in Crown Heights.
The dishes are heavy on tahini, fresh herbs and spectacular flavor. Alenbi is on the pricier side, but don’t let that deter you- the food is something you absolutely must try.
Every dish comes with stunningly plated food, and a sublime smell. The restaurant aesthetics are a surprising blend of living-room style and ultra-modern bar.
The best dish at Alenbi has got to be the Deconstructed Falafel, which looks exactly as it sounds, but tastes a thousand times more incredible. Tahini, fresh house-made falafel, pickled onions and fresh sale, plated elegantly on a bed of hummus? And a side of fresh pita? Yummmmm.
To learn more about Alenbi, click here.
10. Noribar
Kosher Cactus Brooklyn Ranking: 4/5
NORIBAR is a super-affordable sushi takeout place in Crown Heights.
They do have a menu, but the biggest draw of ordering from them is the insane customizability. You can literally order a sushi roll with anything inside it. Literally, whatever you want. Peanuts and pineapple? You got it, boss! (Also, gross. What’s wrong with you?)
NORIBAR has extremely quick local delivery, and curbside pickup if you are collecting your order yourself.
Personally, I’m a huge fan of the Magical Roll, which is a tempura-fried roll. With cooked salmon, kani, jalapenos and guacamole, it packs a punch of flavor and heat.
Although we don’t have a full review for NORIBAR, look out! There’s one coming soon!
11. Kasai Hibachi
Kosher Cactus Brooklyn Ranking: 4.7/5
If you have never been to an authentic Japanese Hibachi restaurant, this is your chance!
Kasai serves mouthwatering fish and meat dishes, and has an extensive wine menu and a bar. All the food is Japanese style, with sushi and sashimi appetizers, salad and fish starters, and an array of steak options for dessert.
In case you missed the memo, Hibachi is a style of food prep that is done table-side. The majority of what you order is pulled together by the chef in an open kitchen, directly adjacent to your table. Dinner and a show!
The menu at Kasai is actually not so long, but every single dish has been thought through to perfection. Kasai also serves desserts (I loved the Lemon Meringue, personally). The overall vibe is fun and upbeat, with loud music, fantastic service and delicious food.
We wrote an article all about it! You can read it all here.
12. Bordeaux Steakhouse
Kosher Cactus Brooklyn Ranking: 4.8/5
Located on Coney Island, the incredible steakhouse is right in the heart of Jewish Flatbush. An incredible representation of kosher restaurants in Brooklyn.
Three things that make this restaurant stand out are the enormous steaks, the fantastic service and the delicious appetizer dishes.
There are also spectacular desserts, a complete wine list and house-cocktails. Basically, this place has everything you could possibly want in a steakhouse, including terrific food.
One of my favorite dishes is the Crispy Lollipop Chicken. It’s a starter that comes with an awe-inspiring ginger and honey dipping sauce. If they ever bottle the stuff, I’d buy 10.
Alas, the Kosher Cactus has not yet written a review of Bordeaux, but we will.
Final Thoughts on Kosher Restaurants in Brooklyn
Brooklyn is one of the central kosher restaurants hubs of the world. In fact, it has the highest density of Kosher restaurants outside of Israel.
The competition is high, and the restaurants that fail to keep up struggle.
It is for this reason that the best kosher restaurants in the world are located in Brooklyn, and this will probably stay the fact for a long time to come.
If you believe that there are any restaurants that deserve to be on this list, feel free to send us a message.
