Camera in the Kitchen: Cornelia Street Cafe

A welcoming red and white striped awning dawns the name of the Cornelia Street Cafe, a longtime West Village fixture with artist roots that recently celebrated its 30th birthday. Located on a "mini restaurant row" including the teeny Le Gigot, Home, and Pearl Oyster Bar, the cafe is much more spacious than its neighbors with four separate rooms on two floors, each dotted with the work of local artists. Though the West Village today is not the Village of 1977, artists still come and go from the Cornelia St. Cafe with fervor-- for the food, for the performance, or for both. The cafe continues to host nightly events and over the years has acted as stage to poet and senator Eugene McCarthy, members of the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Songwriters Exchange, and during the next week Eve Packer, a duo of Sondheim-singing sisters, and Cassorla are scheduled to perform.

Gothamist visited during a recent brunch, tempted by Cornelia Street Cafe's $16 prix fixe brunch. Steeper than our usual weekend splurge, the combo comes with a choice of beverage (fresh squeezed orange juice, mimosa, champagne, bloody mary, screwdriver), coffee, an entree, and the real clincher: either a homemade croissant, warm chocolate bread, lemon blueberry muffin, or baguette. We tested the waters with a reliable favorite--eggs florentine--where freshly steam spinach melted under poached egg and a pool of yolk complimented fresh mesclun greens and roasted new potatoes. Our dining companion opted for the farmer's breakfast--eggs atop a bed of greens with generous crumbles of rich, smoky bacon, roast potatoes, and whole cloves of tender roast garlic.

The breads--a croissant and a muffin--arrived late (after the entree), but service was otherwise attentive with coffee and water glasses refilled often. The noise level is conversational without being overwhelming and the dining room feels full of families and couples catching up over their leisurely meal. Lighting is warm, the atmosphere cozy, and when you go downstairs to use the bathroom you are reminded that this isn't just a sunny brunch spot, but also a performance space and mini concert hall. If you are lucky enough to get a seat by one of the windows at the front of the dining room, you'll be able to do some people watching of Cornelia Street passerby and sidewalk diners while noshing on your brunch.

Cornelia Street Cafe is located at 29 Cornelia Street, 212-989-9319. Sunday - Thursday, 10 a.m. - 10:45 p.m.; Friday - Saturday, 10 a.m. - 11:45 p.m.