Fitzcarraldo
“A lot of Bushwick is overwrought with it desire to be over sophisticated against the stark contest of the industrial landscape.”
“Great location on a desolate stretch of Morgan Av. Take the walk or get a car its worth it.”
“Definitely recommend trying their farinata (a sort of small pizza dish, but gluten free!).”
Fitzcarraldo
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
7 reviews
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I really wanted to like it more. The room is lovely, the music was good and so was the wine. We got the tasting menu for the three of us but it was weird. We never got three plates. It was either portioned as two or one but we were charged for three people. The food was good but not outstanding. I'll try brunch next time.
This restaurant is a really great place to host a quiet and intimate dinner. We came here for a friend's wedding and had an awesome time. The food wad delicious. We had a meat and cheese platter as an appetizer and pasta, fish, and steak for dinner. The white chocolate mousse pudding for dessert was awesome! I think the service was the best part. The bartenders, staff, and manager are really cool and friendly. I would definitely come back here. They are open 2 nights a week as a bar and have dinner Friday and Saturday nights. Worth the trip to Brooklyn.
Love love love!
Always shocked to have a meal come out to under $100. Two apps, two entrees and bottle of wine included!
Definitely recommend trying their farinata (a sort of small pizza dish, but gluten free!). For pasta ya gotta go with the Cacio e pepe. Their spaghetti with clams was kinda bland once you got past the tasty clams.
Overall great, adorable spot and nice for dates!
I have to confess that I was partially drawn to "Fitzcarraldo" as a fan of German film giant Werner Herzog and his 1982 production of the same name. And perhaps like the eponymous film, Fitzcarraldo the restaurant represents a powerful vision of defiance, to set up shop where warehouses and factories are abundant and still functional, pioneers in a land ripe for development. Settling and thriving in his section of industrial Williamsburg may be as bold an idea as moving a steamboat over a hill in pursuit of rubber.
The search for Fitzcarraldo had us exploring the concrete jungle turned frozen tundra thanks to the well packed and unshoveled snow of the nearby sidewalks. Having parked a block away, we made it to Morgan and saw no sign of this establishment until I spotted a spray-painted sign with an arrow. (In retrospect, if you are approaching from south of 195 Morgan you'll see a much better and clearer sign)
But where would this arrow lead? Through an alleyway to the back of a building with two doors, one that read 3rd Ward, site of the former arts center. You'll want to choose the door on the left, past the curtains and greeted by high windows and an elevated view of the avenue. (The same height as a steamboat?)
Enter Fitzcarraldo, a space that immediately welcomes, rich in wood, open and airy, with plants nestled atop the windows defying the harshness of winter.
There are five choices for brunch, including yogurt, savory chickpea pancake, soft scrambled eggs, french toast and a country breakfast. Prices range from $6 to $11.
The country breakfast was the kind of dish that has me trying my best to eliminate every last morsel on the plate. Two fried eggs, once punctured, sensually oozed out onto the plate, meeting up with the spicy potatoes and reaching the barrier of thick country bread. All three elements joined together, my fork breaking off a piece of spicy potato to dip into the runny yolk, with a morsel of bread serving as a base. Did I mention that resting atop the bread was salumi, several slices of salami vastly superior to the typical sausage link or bacon?
Here was a breakfast plate that tasted homemade, made with love and artfully crafted for friends and family. Modest in size yet bold in flavor, this country breakfast should issue passports so full citizenship is within reach.
My wife's french toast was equally delicious as I stole a few bites. Once again, the use of a sturdy, hearty bread makes all the difference.
For about $12 per person, inclusive of warm beverage, we had a brunch that exceeded in all categories and only reinforced my opinion that other establishments are tired, pedestrian and flatly too expensive for average quality eats. Fitzcarraldo is a triumph, one that I hope people discover and visit as often as possible.
Now if only they played some Caruso…
In the movie Fitzcarraldo, an idealistic Irishman seeks to finance the construction of an opera house in the Amazonian city of Iquitos through a wild, desperate scheme to farm on a distant rubber source. He doesn't succeed. The movie celebrates the nobility of his effort with a wonderful final scene, where Fitzcarraldo stands on the deck of his now ruined boat, serenading the town with what will be just one shipboard performance.
This elegant parable stuck with me long after the first I saw it at a Harvard Square movie house. I even journeyed to Iquitos and sailed down the Amazon myself, visiting places from the actual production of the movie.
A couple times I've asked the waiters and managers of Fitzcarraldo what this northern Italian restaurant has to do with a tale of ambition and failure in the jungle, but none seems to have much of an answer. Certainly this restaurant is no failure. It operated straight through the disaster at the co-working/studio space attached. The pastas, small plates and drinks are simply top notch.
I've come for drinks, I've come for a snack, I've come for full meals and always been satisfied. I suspect the out of the way location – it's hidden between a couple of warehouses are the only reason this isn't more known.
I'm fine with walking a little bit for this cuisine. It certainly beats dragging a boat over a mountain, a reference, of course Mr. Herzog's wonderful movie.
Found this little gem of a spot in nowheresville Bushwick after attending a small art opening across the street. They have beautiful giant windows at the front, looks like the space was maybe an old factory once.
Getting in is a bit odd, there's no door off the street to the restaurant, you have to go into this weird apparently semi-vacant building and go through unmarked doors to the right. It's hard to tell if you're using the right door, and if it weren't for the massive picture windows out front you wouldn't know it was there.
In any event, it's a great intimate space. We only had cocktails, which are average Manhattan prices, about $12- $15/each, but expertly crafted. They have a nice by the glass wine selection, not too large, but given the menu it seems pretty good for their food options. The bartenders are friendly without being overbearing which is a great thing to have.
Overall, we really liked the space. Not sure we'd make the trek all the way out there again from Queens, but if we lived closer I'm sure we'd visit more often. It's a nice out of the way spot that has a great intimate, quiet vibe. Not always easy to find in NY.
I had no idea this was at the 3rd Ward space, so it was a bit bittersweet walking in.
As with most restaurants in BK, it was freezing. Don't sit by the windows – word of advice.
hoooweeevverr, the food was awesome.
Get the farinata. Throw in my wild boar for fun – it's got a bit of funk to it, but is tasty.
And definetly get your own bowl of the cacio e pepe. Pasta for days. Yum.
The chef's menu sounded awesome. They don't normally do this on a Sunday but if you ask, the chef will generally accommodate.