NYCReview
photo credit: Noah Devereaux
Egg Shop
This review has been a long time coming. Not because we couldn’t decide how we felt about Egg Shop. But because we couldn’t get a table.
We had a feeling this might be the case when we walked down Elizabeth Street a few months ago around noon on a Saturday, and passed by a girl we hadn’t seen since sorority rush anxiously searching for Egg Shop. “Wait, where is Egg Shop?” An apathetic boyfriend shrugged.
A block down, we were quoted a wait: 90 minutes. We tried again a week later, just before noon on a Sunday. An hour wait.
Egg Shop has all the elements of a popular weekend brunch venue: a Nolita location, a brightly-appointed space, and a menu largely centered around oozing yolks, avocado, bacon, and bloody marys. It also happens to be quite small, which contributes to the long lines.
Anyway, spoiler alert: we finally went to Egg Shop (on a dreary Monday right before Christmas) and very much liked it. The eggs are cooked just right, but it’s actually more about the variety of sandwiches and bowls they’re mixed into. And there’s one for pretty much everyone: whether you want your egg in a pulled pork sandwich called “The Beast” or a quinoa bowl called “The Spandex.”
We don’t know how long you’re willing to wait in line for brunch, but we do know that Egg Shop is actually open until 1am on weekends.
OVER EASY AND OUT.
Sign up for our newsletter.
Be the first to get expert restaurant recommendations for every situation right in your inbox.
Food Rundown
The BEC
A fancy bacon, egg, and cheese. There’s a runny yolk, chunks of cheddar, some thick bacon, pickled jalapeno, and tomato jam, all on a squishy bun. We enjoyed it, but expect a fancy sandwich - this is not what you get at the bodega.
Avo & Egg
Egg Shop knows what the people want. The people want smashed avocado on whole grain bread. With an egg on top. Instagram gold. (And perfectly enjoyable, if not terribly exciting).
The Beast
Playing the role of The Beast in this Off Broadway production of Brunch is this pulled pork sandwich that comes with a sunny side up egg and pickled onions. Like most everything else we tried, it tasted good.
The Spandex
After ordering a sandwich called The Beast, we felt it necessary to order a quinoa bowl called The Spandex. For the bread- and oil-averse, this is a good option. It comes with a poached egg, carrots, and avocado.
