Brunch to Ring in the New Year? Here’s Where to Go?

Croissant french toast with a mandarin and date compote, blood orange, walnuts, and mascarpone (Image: Loulous)

In case you hadn’t noticed, we have an odd calendar this New Year. New Year’s Eve falls on a Saturday, and since New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday, the gods have decreed that Jan. 2, a Monday, be treated as New Year’s Day. Accordingly, many New York restaurants are featuring their brunch menus on Monday. If you plan to do a fair amount of “celebrating” Saturday night, the extra day will give you a chance to recover before heading out to party fresh.

You can renew your hangover at Ainslie‘s via its $30 prix fixe brunch, which includes an hour and a half of unlimited spiked iced tea, bloody Mary’s, or mimosas. A complimentary champagne toast comes with all brunch bookings at both the restaurant’s original Williamsburg location (76 Ainslie Street) and new Manhattan outpost (199 Bowery). The restaurant’s Italian roots are evident in, among other things, its Eggs Benedict, in which prosciutto stands in for the Canadian bacon, focaccia for the English muffin; hollandaise and two poached eggs play themselves.

At Isla & Co.‘s two city locations — 25 W. 38th Street and 107 N. 12th Street in Williamsburg — you and your compatriots can kick off the first brunch of the New Year  by sharing a dozen raw oysters served with a bloody Mary mignonette. And if you book your table through Resy, those bivalves will be marked down from their listed price of $20 to $12. The Brekkie Roll brings soft scrambled eggs and white cheddar together with bacon, arugula, peperonata on a toasted brioche bun with either fries or salad.

If you are a believer in hair of the dog as a remedy to a night of over-indulging, you might consider brunch at Loulou (176 Eighth Avenue), the stunning French bistro and speakeasy in the heart of Chelsea. Owner Mathias Van Leyden’s rescue dog is the mascot, and you’re welcome to bring your own pooch … once the weather warms up enough to eat outdoors. (A New York ordinance prohibits bringing your best friend inside with you.) The kitchen turns out a mean egg white frittata with chicken sausage, roasted tomato, herb pistou, goat cheese, and fingerling potatoes.

Carnegie Diner & Cafe (205 West 57th Street, at Seventh Avenue) serves up an extensive all-day breakfast/brunch that includes a bottomless mimosa option for $19.95 (two-hour maximum). Food possibilities include steak and eggs, pancakes (with peanut butter chips and bacon if you’re of a mind), and something billed as “protein sunshine” — egg whites, spinach, grilled chicken, and feta cheese.

New Year’s for many of us means New Year’s resolutions. If yours is to eat more healthfully in the coming year, then start yours at Sunday to Sunday, on the Lower East Side (88 Orchard Street). Many of the items on the brunch menu are gluten-free and/or vegan. Umaro bacon is listed among the sides that might accompany your tofu scramble, and an item designated as “YoGurp” contains labne, granola, seasonal compote, strawberries, and bananas.