The slick interior of the newly opened Boulevard Cafe. — Photo by Joel Myers

When you’re walking past the string of bodegas and hair salons that line Bushwick Avenue, a slick new restaurant called Boulevard Cafe might not even catch your eye. The narrow storefront makes it look small from the outside, and it can easily blend in with the neighboring businesses. But once you step inside, the cozy atmosphere and great line of sandwiches, paninis, and espresso drinks transports you far from the grit and concrete of Bushwick.

 
Panini and a salad for about seven bucks. Click to enlarge.

The Boulevard opened in November, and people living in the Montrose-stop area have already noticed and put in their (mostly positive) two cents at Yelp. I stopped in on a Sunday afternoon and it was the most packed I’ve seen it yet. Seating is somewhat limited inside, but they’re planning to open up the back area when spring rolls around.

“The place is still kind of a work in progress,” said owner Eric Wygart. He lived in Williamsburg for several years and felt like it had gotten oversaturated with bars and restaurants, and decided to bring good food and not-so-outrageous prices to the Bushwick area, which is lacking in food amenities. Given the landscape of this stretch of Bushwick Avenue, the restaurant should have the “classy sandwich shop” market cornered for some time to come. Wygart also plans to add beer and wine to the menu in the coming months, which would round out the already sizeable menu.

The interior is spare, with hardwood floors, some framed photos on the walls and a few tables at the front and back. The service area is at the center of the café, and one or two workers handle everything, from taking orders to mixing espresso drinks to making the sandwiches. At night, the low lights make for an intimate setting, perfect for an on-the-fly, recession-conscious date.

The fresh mozzarella, pesto, and tomato panini was tasty, but I should have added the suggested prosciutto. The grilled chicken chipotle sandwich also caught my eye; I may try that out next time. Along with my americano the total came out to under 10 bucks, so the prices are reasonable. The service is friendly, but can be slow at times… though given the lack of options in the area there’s little room for complaint. I’ve been getting a caffeine fix pretty regularly here for the past couple months and the espresso drinks are among the best I’ve had in the neighborhood.

So if you’re hungry and in the Montrose area, stop by for a bite. The café serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and you can just as easily come for a full meal as sit down with a cup of coffee and read your favorite book.

Boulevard Cafe
253 Bushwick Ave | 718 381-2442
Sun-Thur 8:30am-9pm, Fri-Sat 8:30am-9:30pm

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