Where To Eat After A Run In Prospect Park

If you ever want to smell fresh-mown grass and breath some air that isn’t full of car exhaust and pigeon feathers, Prospect Park is here for you. It’s a great place to go for a run, and once you’re sufficiently exhausted, there are plenty of restaurants nearby where you can grab a meal. Here are some great options where you won’t feel self-conscious about all the sweat dripping down your back.

THE SPOTS

Risbo is a counter-service spot with a full bar and a big backyard filled with plants and cushions. It feels like the kind of place you'd stumble across in a more-walkable section of LA, and it’s open all day, serving platters that come with your choice of protein (chicken, lamb, duck, etc.) as well as sides like hummus, plantains, and rice pilaf. Stop by when you want to eat a big tray of food while wearing whatever you just worked out in, and grab a cocktail if you feel like making a night of it.

At Pasta Louise, they make one shape of pasta every day. You pick a style—like cacio e pepe or lamb sugo—then choose from a list of toppings that include burrata, shrimp, Calabrian chiles, and breadcrumbs. It's a fun concept, and there are always lots of kids running around, so you won't feel undressed in your shorts and Hokas. The dining room is decked out in flowers, and it's about as casual as a neighborhood cafe, but if you need to air-dry your clothes, we suggest a table on the outdoor patio.

For a quick to-go meal, head over to Brooklyn Suya, a counter-service spot on Franklin Ave that tends to smell like grilled meat. This place specializes in suya bowls, and you can get them with everything from steak and chicken to salmon and tofu. Pick a base (either rice or kale), choose from add-ons like plantains and mushrooms, then specify your spice level. Just keep in mind that even the mild option will get your mouth tingling. Due to its minuscule size, Brooklyn Suya doesn't have any seating, but there's usually some kind of bench situation out front.

Sometimes, you just need a neighborhood spot where you can sit down and eat a sandwich or a piece of salmon. That’s what Cheryl’s Global Soul is for. It’s just north of Prospect Park, and the menu consists of things like bowls, burgers, soups, and salads. The space has colorful string lights, a little disco ball, and a bunch of wood paneling that makes the restaurant feel like a tiny log cabin, and it’s open all day. Come here after your run, do your best to wipe the sweat off your face, and grab a seat at the tiny bar in the back.

You just ran several miles or at least sprinted for about 30 seconds or so, and now all you want to do is eat a big portion of extremely good food. Go to Peppa’s, and order a large serving of jerk chicken over rice and peas. The chicken is juicy and smoky, and you should accessorize it with some additional jerk sauce. If chicken isn't your thing, go for the oxtails or escovitch fish. You'll be happy either way. Once you grab your food from the person at the counter, it should only take you about a minute to walk back to the park and find a good bench.

During your run in Prospect Park, you may find yourself fantasizing about fried shrimp, oysters, and endless quantities of Crystal hot sauce. If that happens, plan a post-run trip to Lowerline, a casual New Orleans-inspired restaurant in Prospect Heights that serves gumbo and po' boys worth running toward. You can get a po' boy with shrimp, catfish, or oysters, or you can go for a muffuletta or some crawfish etouffee. There are no wrong choices, and no one will judge you for looking like you just left a track meet.

The best Mexican restaurant in Crown Heights, Chevela’s is one of our go-to spots for brunch, tacos, and margaritas (often at the same time). It’s a nice venue for a casual group meal, and there’s a long bar for when you need to sit by yourself and stare into a plate of rice, beans, steak, and fresh tortillas. The staff is friendly and, with its brick walls and chandeliers, the space feels like a festive house party. For $5 beers and $9 margaritas, stop by during Happy Hour from 4-7pm Monday through Thursday.

Maybe you always end your runs at the bottom of the park because you like observing wedding photoshoots at the Greek-style building that looks like the Parthenon. If that’s the case, walk down to Krupa Grocery, a Windsor Terrace mainstay with a great back patio. The ricotta pancakes are a mandatory order, but if you prefer something savory, the gnocchi are always a very safe choice. There are also about 20 other things on the menu—like roasted salmon and a hot shrimp burger—so you’ll have plenty of options.

You'll need some shade after your run, and you can find it underneath a Vienna Beef umbrella outside of Dog Day Afternoon. Swing by this Windsor Terrace nostalgia emporium for a chocolate milkshake and a Chicago dog topped with sport peppers and bright green relish, and enjoy these things on a little bench in front of the shop. While you wait for your food, you can dig through some old vinyl records and play a vintage Pac-Man machine.

Pancakes, eggs, bacon, and more pancakes. That’s what you’ll find at Tom’s, a classic diner in Prospect Heights. This place has been around for decades, and it still gets packed at brunch—but they serve breakfast all day, so you can stop by anytime and pretend it’s 8am. Get some crab cakes, an omelet, or one of the roughly 15 kinds of pancakes (which taste like better versions of whatever you try to make at home). If you come here at brunch, you’ll probably encounter a wait, but just think of this as an opportunity to cool off and do some stretches.

Another great brunch option, Edie Jo's is a charmingly kitschy American restaurant featuring blue leather booths and school desk chairs. Located just off the east side of the park, it's the perfect place to eat french toast or a fancy BEC with a few friends who ran alongside you for moral support. If you want to grab a drink, there are plenty of cocktails to choose from, in addition to beer and natural wine. Later in the day, you can get some mac and cheese, a fried chicken sandwich, or steak with chimichurri.