There are so many restaurants that do a decent job at providing somewhat healthy options that have a dual way of working for a lunchtime or dinnertime type meal. Generic ones like Panera and Au Bon Pain have done a good job at shelving out sandwiches, soups and salads to the masses at moderate prices yet really don’t go the extra mile when it comes to unique taste and ultimately value. Health seems to be a concern for them but the majority of what people buy at those things tends to be the fattier items such as heavy soups for instance. What if there was a fantastic place that took health and flavor to a whole new level with a great, innovative twist? This is where Bröd Kitchen comes in. Bröd Kitchen, a super healthy, Nordic inspired, seasonal ingredient obsessive restaurant on the Upper East Side, 1201 Second Ave. is here to make lunch (and dinner) great again.
As someone who has had nordic type cuisines in the past, but not on a level of any expertise, I was excited to try this place out as from the reviews I saw online it seemed to be all the rave. The location is quite convenient as it is located a mere two avenues away from the 63rd/Lexington Avenue. The look of the store isn’t abundantly huge but doesn’t need to be seeing as a lot of people are come and go. In a way it is designed for you to go from left to right when it comes to ordering. If you start that way, you can order from their array of healthy but absolutely tasty soups. Some of the highlights that I recommend ordering are their Mushroom and Butternut Squash Soup as the flavor that is packed into them is just incredible. Next, they have a variety of cold salads available at your disposal, which is perfect as the warm weather is slowly but approaching nonetheless. For salads, I would try their Kale Salad with Green Apple, Pasta Salad and Chickpea Hazelnut Salad as they all have a fresh and great taste to them.
Those items pair incredibly well with their line of sandwiches that they provide. The signature dish is the Smørrebrød- the open faced rye sandwich piled high with everything from speck, roasted beets, egg salad, smoked Norwegian salmon and avocados. Another sandwich that was insanely tasty was the Burrata Sandwich which consists of focaccia bread topped with burrata cheese, balasmic and fig. The variety of tastes that hit your mouth are incredibly appetizing and is the perfect size for a lunch sandwich. One to highlight as well is the Smoked Salmon Sandwich, which is topped with cucumber, salmon, ricotta and dill. This can blend between breakfast and lunch and is great for all you fish lovers out there. If you would like something on a different, try their roast chicken as the skin and meat is delicious. Pair it with their AMAZING Lingonberry Chipotle sauce to add even more flavor to the moist chicken.
They also have a wonderful line of pastries, which is a great way to end your already fantastic meal. Whether you are looking for a tasty tartlet, mousse, cookie or croissant, Bröd Kitchen has got you covered. I would highly recommend trying this place out the next time you are in the UES. For more information, check out their official site and Instagram.