NOTE: THIS RESTAURANT HAS CLOSED
Boneshakers
134 Kingsland Avenue
(at Beadel Street)
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
718-963-0656 |
Vegiboys Rating (2.5/4) |
A vegetarian approach to the greasy spoon diner, Boneshakers Café offers hearty vegi-friendly interpretations of American classics. They also know their neighborhood: many of the Greenpoint restaurant’s dishes seem to have a Polish flare, and the space caters to the hipster crowd with a comfortably bohemian, bike-themed dining room. The restaurant is actually the closest all-vegi establishment to our Sunnyside abode, so we wandered over for a weekend brunch.
Boneshakers is a counter-service sort of place, so head straight back to peruse the blackboard wall of menu offerings. Burgers, salads, sandwiches, side dishes, breakfast items, desserts: it’s everything you’d expect from your typical diner, but all vegan or vegetarian. After placing your order, choose your own table;Â we took one in the front of the dining room with a cushioned seat in the dormer windows facing Kingsland Avenue.
It’s a diner-style variety of customers too; some just stopping in for a quick coffee to go, and others (like us) enjoying a full meal at a relaxed pace. Board games and cards are available for those looking to stay awhile; Brian and I played a round of Uno to pass the time while waiting for our food to arrive.
To drink we went with a fresh-brewed currant tea (served unsweetened in a Mason’s jar) and a Blue Sky soda.
For appetizers, Brian and I had some tasty steak fries, thickly cut with a soft, oven-baked skin. At the recommendation of the waitress, we also tried a bowl potato salad; Â a solidly savory side dish that included slices of raw carrots along with the more standard celery for a unique, homemade taste. Â The sizable portion in the bowl would have been just enough for a small meal.
We shared two sandwiches for our entrées. The Reuben was a thick, grilled sourdough affair. Its slices of faux-beef and real cheddar (they offer a choice of dairy or vegan cheeses) were maybe a bit dominated by the vinegar from a homemade purple sauerkraut. The Cubano had molasses-sweetened grill-pressed seitan sausage with a soy mozzarella, both of which were delicious, but once again (perhaps to draw in the Polish locals) the vinegar stood out (this time from dill pickles). Both sandwiches were served with a mass of fresh greens that made the dishes full enough to stand on their own (the appetizers were great, but not needed for a full lunch).
We wanted to try their buffalo wings and a dessert, but they had run dry on both (scones and cookies were available on the dessert side, but we decided to wait until our next visit and select from a hopefully wider variety of their usual offerings).
We spent $18.50 each on our meal, a little more than your average diner, but we received a lot of food (just one appetizer would have easily sufficed). The easy-going atmosphere and friendly staff also help to make up for any extra cost. Payment is cash only, so be sure to have bills on hand – there’s an ATM in the dining room (with a $1.75 surcharge) if you come unprepared.
| Food (2.5/4) |
    |
Atmosphere & Service
(2.5/4) |
| Value (2.5/4) |
Restaurant Review: Boneshakers
NOTE: THIS RESTAURANT HAS CLOSED
134 Kingsland Avenue
(at Beadel Street)
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
718-963-0656
Vegiboys Rating (2.5/4)
Boneshakers is a counter-service sort of place, so head straight back to peruse the blackboard wall of menu offerings. Burgers, salads, sandwiches, side dishes, breakfast items, desserts: it’s everything you’d expect from your typical diner, but all vegan or vegetarian. After placing your order, choose your own table;Â we took one in the front of the dining room with a cushioned seat in the dormer windows facing Kingsland Avenue.
It’s a diner-style variety of customers too; some just stopping in for a quick coffee to go, and others (like us) enjoying a full meal at a relaxed pace. Board games and cards are available for those looking to stay awhile; Brian and I played a round of Uno to pass the time while waiting for our food to arrive.
To drink we went with a fresh-brewed currant tea (served unsweetened in a Mason’s jar) and a Blue Sky soda.
For appetizers, Brian and I had some tasty steak fries, thickly cut with a soft, oven-baked skin. At the recommendation of the waitress, we also tried a bowl potato salad; Â a solidly savory side dish that included slices of raw carrots along with the more standard celery for a unique, homemade taste. Â The sizable portion in the bowl would have been just enough for a small meal.
We shared two sandwiches for our entrées. The Reuben was a thick, grilled sourdough affair. Its slices of faux-beef and real cheddar (they offer a choice of dairy or vegan cheeses) were maybe a bit dominated by the vinegar from a homemade purple sauerkraut. The Cubano had molasses-sweetened grill-pressed seitan sausage with a soy mozzarella, both of which were delicious, but once again (perhaps to draw in the Polish locals) the vinegar stood out (this time from dill pickles). Both sandwiches were served with a mass of fresh greens that made the dishes full enough to stand on their own (the appetizers were great, but not needed for a full lunch).
We wanted to try their buffalo wings and a dessert, but they had run dry on both (scones and cookies were available on the dessert side, but we decided to wait until our next visit and select from a hopefully wider variety of their usual offerings).
We spent $18.50 each on our meal, a little more than your average diner, but we received a lot of food (just one appetizer would have easily sufficed). The easy-going atmosphere and friendly staff also help to make up for any extra cost. Payment is cash only, so be sure to have bills on hand – there’s an ATM in the dining room (with a $1.75 surcharge) if you come unprepared.
(2.5/4)