The Bluebell Café

• Cuisine(s): American, Traditional
  Price: $$
  Payment Types: All Major Credit Cards
• Serving: Brunch, Dinner, Lunch
  Alcohol: Full bar
  Reservations: Accepted
• Parking: No Parking

Description

This Gramercy café, run by the people who own Molly's Shebeen, is the epitome of quaint, like someone dropped in a country house into the middle of the city. Diners sit at wooden tables with images of bluebells brushed on them, surrounded by crystal chandeliers and antique cabinets festooned with cute bric-a-brac. The menu is similarly comforting, with everything from crab cakes and roasted chicken to apple-brined pork chops and macaroni and cheese. The small international wine list is very reasonably priced, with bottles under $40 and glasses under $10. Craft beers, including four on tap and eight by the bottle, are also available. As one might expect with such a homey restaurant, brunch is big here; crabcake Benedict, brioche French toast and more, which all come with a glass of OJ. Weekend mornings are usually crowded, but on other nights you usually won't find any intimidating waits, meaning you can just drop in without a reservation.—Keith Wagstaff