NYCReview
photo credit: Alex Staniloff
Sailor
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Dressed in nautical stripes and glossy navy paint, Sailor is a Fort Greene restaurant that refers to itself as a “neighborhood bistro.” And, while it’s technically in a neighborhood and serves European-influenced food that could be interpreted as “bistro cuisine,” that label seems purposefully modest.
At this roughly 10-table spot from the former chef of the Breslin and the team behind Joseph Leonard, you can sit near a flickering lamp and watch a server in a crisp blue apron carve a ginger cake on a kitchen island that looks like a 17th-century still life. The seafood-heavy menu is subtly inventive and infinitely comforting, and few things cost over $30—so if you want to treat this place as your neighborhood bistro, go for it. But even if you come with the most casual intentions, dinner will feel like a big night out.
photo credit: Alex Staniloff
photo credit: Alex Staniloff
photo credit: Alex Staniloff
No matter what you order, there’s always a surprising twist—but this isn’t precious food. It’s food you want to eat. A piece of toast with a vaguely named “green sauce” arrives under a layer of garlicky herbs and a sprinkle of parm, and what sounds like a standard roasted chicken shows up meticulously seasoned under the skin.
Even when they’re doing their own thing, Sailor’s dishes taste like classics. You take a bite of your mussel toast served like a deconstructed bouillabaisse, or smoked pork shoulder that falls apart if you breathe too hard in its direction, and think, “Ah yes, a perfect bistro staple.” Although good luck finding either at any other New York City bistro.
photo credit: Alex Staniloff
The dishware is plain, the plating isn’t fussy, and the words on the menu tend to undersell whatever you’re about to consume, but don't let those ploys confuse you. Sailor is a singular place. If it’s aiming for best neighborhood bistro in NYC, sure, fine—it already has a clear shot at the title. This is, however, destination dining. If you've had long month, and feel like you’ve been lost at sea, stop by for a deeply satisfying meal.
Food Rundown
photo credit: Alex Staniloff
Smoked Arctic Char Pâté
Housemade Brandade
photo credit: Alex Staniloff
Mussel Toast
photo credit: Alex Staniloff
Smoked Pork Shoulder
Roasted Chicken
Roasted Cod In A Soup
photo credit: Alex Staniloff