Balzem
“Beautiful NoLita/SoHo location, warm and inviting atmosphere that also manages to be chic and sophisticated.”
“The Zucchini Pancakes reminded me of Hanukah latkes, but much lighter and almost more enjoyable!”
“I had Quinoa, Octopus tapa, and Brochette Platter for 2 as our entree, which is a combination of Lamb, Stake and Chicken.”
Balzem
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Happy Hour: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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This place is as tasty as it is cute AND they have a great wine selection. From $9 a glass and up this is a fantastic place to grab a glass of wine and the staff is super friendly.
Plus – everything on the menu that contains gluten is marked with a little star so everything without is GLUTEN FREE! WOO (including the french fries which are excellent).
Both times I went I got lucky and was seated in the front window table which is so nice to sit and watch people walk by. This place is actually laid out kind of perfect with small 2 person tables perfect for intimate dates, a long table for larger groups, round tops and bar seating for those who like to mingle with others. Into it.
I love that Balzem takes reservations for large groups (6+). My friend had arranged dinner for a group of up to 10 and Balzem was one of the first results with a decent rating that would accommodate rezzies for that many people for OpenTable. I wasn't able to make the dinner, but was able to rely on said friend for a review of the vibe, food, and ability to handle the rowdiness of 7 girls having a bachelorette brunch.
When we came on a Saturday, we were actually 20 minutes late for a 12PM reservation. I gave them a call and they were absolutely understanding and chill. When we arrived, our seats were ready in the long and spacious series of tables situated in the middle of the restaurant. This restaurant is categorically rustic and therefore, in my opinion, gorgeous: exposed brick wall, shelves of wine (protected by chains), and just photogenic for this current generation of people who Instagram their food and dining experience.
The seven of us had a combination of essentially everything on the brunch menu: open faced scrambled eggs on rosemary focaccia dish, blueberry pancakes, steak and eggs, basted eggs in skillets, truffle mac and cheese, manti etc… The food was on point and definitely a great brunch spot. The coffee was not one of Balzem's strengths, but it could have been an off day, but not enough to take off stars.
The staff were super sweet and attentive, especially for 7 of us wearing what could be viewed as ridiculous matching T-shirts and temporary penis tattoos from the evening before.
Since I loved Balzem so much, a girlfriend and I came here for a nice dinner here to catch up last week. The vibe is perfect during the morning hours as it is during evening. Lots of dates and other pairs of gfs capitalizing on the great vibe. For dinner we had a bunch of small appetizers including the seared tuna, roasted eggplant, zucchini pancakes, and grilled portobello dishes. All good for a relatively cheap price. I'm a fan!
This is my go-to spot for yummy healthy good with cool, laid back ambiance. Doesn't hurt that it's in nolita, one of the few manhattan neighborhoods that's maintained a bit of charm.
I've been here thrice: once with a big group where we went nuts and ordered tons including the amazing mushroom flatbread. And twice post-workout (physique and 305 fitness respectively) for yummy brochettes and shepherd salad. Amazing. And the staff is very sweet and cares about my bizarre allergy.
What's not to love? I'll be back!
Cute little Mediterranean place in Nolita. We came for brunch and had a blast! Beer, wine and mimosas only, but it's enough to keep you happy. Food was great, the sharing plates at lunch were a bit limited, but there were some good options to share with the group.
Came for BRUNCH last Sunday! Take reservations (which is THE BEST)
Situated in a nice area, a lot of brunch places around it too, great area to get brunch if you are planning to shop around the area after!
It is a Mediterranean place but surprisingly has a lot of brunch choices
We ordered Mimosa which was really good, great portion as well for $6
Food we ordered:
1. Hummus ($8): really great hummus, they refill our pita bread too which is awesome
2. The Skillet ($14): it was recommended by the server and it was very heavy (in a good way) for brunch! it is very heavy in truffle flavor and i absolutely love it! But since the dish is pretty much potatoes and truffle in cheddar, make sure you are expecting a heavy brunch!
3. Open Face ($14): it is also one of the recommendations given by the server, it was like avocado toast but with poached egg on top and salad on the side, great choice as well!
4. Eggs Ratatouiille ($14):eggs on potatoes, tomatoes, my friend had it and he finished the entire dish right away – that says something!
5. Tiramisu ($10): it is one of our friend's birthday so we did this birthday brunch thing and server was really helpful to plan this surprise cake thing for us at the end! really impressed. and the tiramisu is very delicious!
Will go back next time for dinner and try out the tapas!
This is definitely not regular brunch but so worth a try!
I really enjoyed brunch at Balzem, an adorable tapas place in Nolita! There was no wait and the staff was incredibly sweet. I found the food to be solid and reasonably priced. Here are some favorites:
1) Artichoke dip- So delicious! Comes with chunks of artichoke and shrimp. Get this!!
2) Hummus- Freshly made and packed with spices! They also refill on pita bread if you need
3) Lamb chops with potato gratin- Although small, it was nicely done. I really liked the creaminess of the gratin.
Come for lunch (12-2pm) for $12 special where you can get a sandwich & soup or salad & soup
I order the shepard's salad with chicken or beef from Balzem quite often at work. The food is really good and the delivery is quite fast.
Came here on a Friday night around 6pm with2 friends. We each ordered 2 glasses of wine and 3 dishes to share (French fries, mushroom flatbread, prosciutto wraps). It's recommended to order about 2 dishes per person but we opted for something on the lighter side. Bill came out to about $45 per person, which is pretty standard for NYC and would have been even higher if we had ordered more.
The servers were a little too attentive — we had people stop by our table trying to remove dishes even though we had not yet finished. This happened more than a handful of times that it was noticeable and a little disruptive. Finally the hostess came by and told us someone was waiting for our table at which point we promptly paid our bill and left. Loved exploring a new spot but might not be back…