The perfect Italian comfort food spot. I love bonafini so much I'd go every day if I could. The pizza dough is so soft, and the pizza itself is the perfect size. The service is always amazing, especially if you get Karli. The restaurant has the coziest vibes and a covered backyard dining. My menu favorites are the Brooklyn Queen, the broccoli rabe (it's spicy and crunchy), and the arugula salad (I didn't know I could love a balsamic so much). I would also not skip dessert-- tiramisu or olive oil cake, literally no wrong choices here. read more

The food is always good here. Must try: the cacio e pepe pizza and the Montrealer breakfast sandwich.

So very pleasantly surprised by this restaurant. Great service ( seamless, professional and friendly) . We had multiple pastas all of which were extremely great ! This small place has a phenomenal feel to it that makes you want to come back over and over again. ( and dam I will!!) read more

We had a great time at this restaurant. The service was excellent, the atmosphere was wonderful, and our waiter was friendly. I love the atmosphere and the food here is amazing. Everything i tried was delicious and the service is great. The waiters are very friendly and attentive to your needs. If you haven't been there yet, I definitely recommend you try it out! We can't wait to go back! read more

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I regret eating the patty melt at Bonafini. That is a compliment. I offer a rave. If you like this type of sandwich, this has short rib, and it is wonderfully juicy and rich and filling. That, however, is why I need to avoid it. As a middle aged male, I have to take pills for cholesterol and blood pressure, respectively. I can indulge only intermittently. In this case, I picked the right restaurant for this menu item -- this may be the best patty melt I have ever eaten. The French fries were not bad either. My friend and I had run a 7 mile race in Prospect Park before brunch. That is my excuse. When we got to Bonafini, it was full. They had a nice table toward the back, and they did not rush us. They have a less desirable table right at the front, and they were so busy they had to put folks there. My friend, with a third person who joined us, enjoyed the meal. I rarely am in this area. If I were and hungry, I would remember this restaurant. It is casual and priced well. read more

Was craving Italian so I went to Yelp for some help. I saw good reviews and went for it. I had a glass of Cabernet (red). I started with the burrata that was surrounded with butternut squash and pine nuts. The burrata was okay. I more so enjoyed the squash which gave the burrata some taste. For the entree, I went with the tagliatelle with short rib which was good. I still felt that they can kick up the taste a bit but still enjoyed. I will try the lasagna or another dish next time. The customer service was great and loved the lowkey ambience. I will be back...not counting them out. read more

Bonafini - Burrata with butternut squash - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Bonafini is a charming little restaurant in PLG. I always pass this place on my way home, but never tried it until now! This is the perfect place to take your date out to dinner. It's small and intimate -- it just screams romance! I ordered the pappardelle with beef short rib ragu. It was absolutely delicious! I was so full just after having a few bites. Lucky me I can have the rest for left overs! My friend ordered the branzino with a side of potatoes. A little heavy on the lemon sauce, but the fish was cooked to perfection. Overall we had such a great experience! The staff was super accommodating, and our food was enjoyable! read more

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Now called "Bonafini", the former "Blessings Cafe" has gotten a little makeover and she's looking good! They removed that awkward high counter table that used to greet you and the "No laptops in dining area sign" that felt aggressive. It's no longer sometimes maybe a cafe and sometimes might could be a dim-lit dinner spot. It has a more uniform look now and I like it. They also seem to have made some changes in staff, which gives an authentic Italian feel. We came for brunch and our bartender Francesco was a delight. I had the French toast (pyramid). It was a little too sweet for me since they drown it in syrup for you, but the mascarpone? (cream) on the side was delicious. I didn't try, but the Bloody Mary mix is made in-house and got excellent reviews. My peach mimosa was delicious! And I love that it's served in a wine glass instead of a champagne flute. Glad for the makeover and will definitely be back for a lazy weekend brunch, but pancakes next time! read more

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So the brunch was good- but Lord was I missing out before I had dinner at this place. Dinner is phenomenal- and fairly priced! I've also been here many a time for dinner since my last review and felt terrible that I had not updated the review. I'm also tempted to not post this, so the place stays somewhat a well-kept secret- but I want to see the business do well. So of course there are great Italian restaurants in Brooklyn and NYC. Some people forget that Italy has different regions with different foods. The owner is a wonderful woman from the Emilia-Romagna region in Italy (sorry, miss, I forget the exact town!). Bologna is the capital of this region and the region is home to foods like lasagna, ravioli, tagliatelle, and more. I would argue it's possibly one of the best regions for food in Italy! Most Italian Americans are descended from immigrants in the Naples area, so some of these foods might be different from what your nonna used to make you- all the more reason to try it! Finally, as covid is possibly coming back in Brooklyn (who knows at the exact time of this post- as clusters are further to the south), you can do take out meals for two and other cool items. Give this place a shot for not only great Italian food, but possibly Italian food you might not be used to. Yes, please. Salmon read more

Bonafini - The short ribs & parmiggiano parppardelle with wine. The meal comes with focaccia and olive oil. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

So it's just like your Mom said - breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and maybe she should have also advised you to go to Blessings Café to do it right! Already armed with a personal endorsement by my sister who's a chef, i gathered my in-law siblings from outta town to accompany me in getting some good grub one late morning. And i was ultimately commended for my wise judgment in choosing Blessings. *cue pat on the back* Everything we ordered was great! - The Blessings version of chilaquiles: corn tortillas, seasoned ground beef (i got mine sans meat and it was good too), stewed black beans, two fried eggs (hard), a dollop of guac, sour cream, and some lovely shredded radish and chopped scallion on top. [They also provided me with Crystal hot sauce cuz i need that heat at all times in my plate, and it def kicked it up several notches!] - The blueberry and chocolate pancakes with whipped cream on top. i swooned over the punctuating bites of nutella tastefully (pun intended) tucked between the pancakes! The plate of chilaquiles was enough for my husband and i to share, and the pancakes provided the perfect sweet finish we needed to our meal. Overall, a solidly good experience. Estimable food, friendly service, really peaceful vibes, and the perfect view of their slice of Flatbush Avenue. We also sat at the front table which looked like it had been repurposed from an vintage door - yay upcycled décor ftw! Note: The restaurant the day we went had the entire front open, so there was no AC. Surprisingly, we were all quite comfortable with the air circulation they had going on with some well-placed fans. Just be aware of this if you're a person who needs AC, but like i said, it was quite comfortable without regulated cold air. Get thee to Blessings - your tummy will be happy. read more

Bonafini - The Blessings Chilaquiles (without ground beef) - so filling and so good with the addition of Crystal hot sauce! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Gem of a weekend brunch place in Flatbush ave. We called 30 mins in advance for a reservation and they quickly found us a spot. When we got there, it was packed. Servers quickly sat us down. Very nice Italian decor, outdoor patio and indoor seating. Menu has a few options, but they're all great looking based on our neighboring tables' plates. Went with the breakfast sandwich and it did not disappoint. Shared a pancake and the portions are massive and filling. Solid choice of drinks. 5/5 experience will be back for more read more

Bonafini - Chocolate chip pancake - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Bonafini was the first restaurant we went to since covid began. NYC was in phase 2 and restaurants had begun opening outdoor seating. Bonafini has a cute backyard patio that they fitted out with mostly distanced tables, all with a bottle of hand sanitizer. We went on a Sunday evening for dinner and were happy to find a mostly empty patio -- just one other 2-top occupied. At first they tried to sit us right next to them, which happened to also be the table right next to the door, despite the entire remaining patio being empty. I found that slightly alarming and asked if we could be seated on the other side and they quickly accommodated. No one else arrived during our 1-hour meal until the last 5 minutes, so we certainly weren't putting anyone else out. The meal itself was delicious -- I had my favorite, the chicken milanesa, and he had the gnocchi, which he said was super rich and satisfying. Service was friendly and attentive -- she wore a mask the whole time. Overall, a nice experience. Fast forward a couple weeks, we ordered Bonafini brunch to-go for a park picnic. We ordered online and were told it'd be ready in approximately 60 minutes and that we'd receive a text message when it was ready. We never did get a text, so eventually we walked in a little after the 60 minute mark, and sure enough the food was ready and had probably been sitting for 10 minutes or so judging on how warm the food was. The food was pretty good -- we ordered the "Brunch for 2", which comes with 2 entrees, 2 grown up drinks, and mini pastries. My boyfriend loved his sausage panino. I didn't care for the sponginess of my frittata, but it still had a nice flavor. The mini pastries were 2 pieces of a chocolate babka-type bread which I loved. The real star of the show were the drinks. We were worried they'd be watered down by the time we sat down, but they were still cold and they packaged them up in the cutest little jars. We'd order from them again. read more

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The best thing on the menu is the SALMON PASTRAMI ON OLIVE TOAST. To be fair, I say that as a first-time diner at Bonafini. But it was so good. I ordered the avocado toast (playing it safe), and once I tasted my friends salmon pastrami, we switched, and I never looked back. Hashbrowns are yummy! Wish they came with tongs so I could eat them faster. Overall drinks were great, and on top of amazing food, the vibe and service matched. read more

Great local spot, reasonable prices, with a small outdoor space in the back. I always enjoy the food.

Ugh, I really wanted to like this place because it's right by my house, but the dining experience left a lot to be desired. We sat outside which would have been great but the chairs did not fit under the tables, and the tables did not have room to but your legs through them. So we all were man spread and trying not to block the walkway. We ordered a bottle of wine and a couple cocktails. Wine was a solid selection of $50+ bottles. My friend got the mojito and it was tasteless and kinda gross. The spicy watermelon margarita was delightful though. The food was really not worth the $20+ per plate. The seafood pasta and cacio pasta were delicious but the chicken Milanese and halibut were very bland and disappointing . It also took us 1.5 hours to be served our food, and we ordered probably 10min after being seated. It was ridiculous. It was not very busy either so there was really no excuse. Rating would be higher if the service wasn't so sub par. read more

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A cute cafe to go to for brunch on the weekend. However heads up, I came at 2:30 on a Sunday and was told last order for the kitchen was 2:45. I ordered the grilled cheese with bacon which came on brioche bread and tomato soup. Pros: The bread was buttered to perfection with a perfect blend of cheese. Pretty sure it had gruyere in it. (Disclaimer: I love butter, I love bacon and I love cheese so I was biased to begin with.) I liked the relaxed atmosphere of the place and the community table in front. Cons: The tomato soup I had mixed feelings about. It was a little thin and orange and it had a bitter after taste. Also I don't like rating based on one person however our waitress kept messing up our orders and forgetting things which was a little annoying. Overall, this is a place I would pop into if I just happened to be in the neighborhood. read more

Bonafini - Grilled cheese with bacon, tomato soup and coffee - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

They just added a pizza oven and it is DELICIOUS! We ordered delivery of the Cacio e Pepe and Funghi and the flavors and bake was perfection. The Insalata Vede salad is also a delicious mix lettuces and watercress with an herby vinaigrette that is the perfect fresh and acid balance with the pizzas. I'm excited to sample all the others! read more

I've both been here for brunch and have ordered pizza from here, and was very impressed both times. At brunch, our waitress was personable, offering recommendations from the menu and attentive. I was also recommended the Cacio e Pepe pizza by a local friend, which was among the best pizza I've found in the neighborhood to date. Love this spot! read more

I came here for brunch on a Saturday afternoon with a couple of girlfriends. The staff here are very friendly. They have a creative menu. They also have a band that plays live music on Saturdays. However, this location as limited seating. As a result, my party of 3 waited about 20 minutes to be seated for brunch. Overall, this a great local spot for brunch. Be prepared for long wait times during the weekend read more

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My millionth time in bonafini once known as blessings. Just cant say enough good things, i really cant. It's simply exquisite!!!!!!! The food gives me goosebumps it's so good! The drinks are unreal! The staff are cool as hell! They keep updating there menu, I just cant get enough. I would eat there for breakfast lunch and dinner if I could lol. Since day one years ago the place just keeps getting better. The owner is a genius, the place is always clean and I mean super clean. I'm literally struggling to explain because of how much I love this place!!!!! Keep it up Lilly!!!!! read more

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Overall, I have mixed feelings about this place and would probably rate it a 3.5/5. I came here for brunch and the food was absolutely delicious. I decided to go with the "Montrealer" which is a breakfast croissant sandwich with bacon, mustard, maple, an egg with your style choice (I got mine sunny side up), and hash browns on the side. I would highly recommend everyone to try it at least once. All the ingredients complement each other very well. Now for what made me give this place a subpar review was due to the atmosphere. Upon arrival, you'll see that there are pitchers of water already on each table. I would've preferred if the water was served after the customer arrives. Not only would this be more sanitary (there were no lids on the water pitchers), but it would prevent the ice from melting before the guests arrive. Also, I came on a warm day and could barely feel the air conditioning. There were a few acs, none of which were very strong. The front and back doors were open as well, which invited the hot summer heat to come inside the restaurant. Overall, the prices were reasonable and the food was really good. I would come back again if I'm in the neighborhood and the weather is cooler. PS - The restroom had a broken light when I went and I was only able to see because of the slight sunlight shining in through the window. I'm really curious how the evening guests will be able to see, perhaps a candle is set up? Either way, I surely hope the light situation is fixed now! read more

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Great service and delicious food and drinks! Finally someone who understands just how crispy hashbrowns should be! read more

Bonafini - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The food was good. We got the papardelle and the bk queen pizza. I was happy with both. This place makes you forget you're in Flatbush. Our waiter and everyone working was very attentive. Will definitely come back. read more

Went for a Sunday brunch with friends, latte was delicious, girlfriend enjoyed her capouchino and friends got mimosas. My modified Montrealer was amazing, in place of bacon I got avocado, super satisfying. Great vibes would return if in neighborhood read more

We were in Brooklyn for a few days and ended up at Bonafini twice. A quaint upscale little Italian restaurant with great food, good wine and very kind staff. Several tables both inside (with AC) and out back in a garden area make it very comfortable. Get the whipped ricotta and the Sancerre wine and any one of their delicious pasta dishes. You won't be disappointed. read more

Blessings cafe is a real gem that popped up in Flatbush relatively recently. I heard about it through a friend who recommended it for brunch, but now they also have a dinner menu. Ironically, both times I've been there, I've come for dessert, which they don't readily advertise on their menu, but they have upon request! At first I was disappointed to hear that they only had pies. However, I took them up on their offer and boy am I glad I did! So far I've gotten the pecan pie (one of my all time favorites) and also the lemon pie (it was all they had left at the time). First off, they gave a very large slice of pie for $6 a piece. It was probably the size of two normal sized slices. The pecan pie was classic and went great with their rich coffee. What I wasn't expecting was how good the lemon pie was! The lemon custard was light and creamy with just the right balance of tart and sweet. It came in a thin, buttery crust and completely satisfied my sweet craving. Next time, i will be back to try their dinner options! Also of note - they have an outdoor patio in the back that's quite lovely. If you find yourself looking for a restaurant in Flatbush, give this place a try! read more

Bonafini - Lemon custard pie - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

I love this place! The food is amazing and fresh. The owner is so sweet and wonderful. My favorite restaurant in the neighborhood

I read great reviews on Bonafini's dinner menu (which has their Italian dishes.) I was bummed that their brunch menu does not have any Italian dishes. I wish there were more savory options for brunch. My group of 3 and I all chose the croissant sandwich with eggs, bacon and hashbrowns. It was good. We enjoyed their drinks as well which were refreshing. There was nothing that stuck out about brunch and so I do wish to come back and try their dinner. As far as ambiance, indoor dinner for myself was too crowded. I waited longer for a table outside. Also, staff was nice. Our waitress gave us the wrong check (about to undercharge us by a ton.) Make sure you check your checks! read more

Food is well prepared and often original. Their brunches are creative and delicious and their pastas are really something special., The place is always packed with neighbors -- making the ambiance feel welcoming. Highly recommended! read more

Was dreaming about going to this this place and having an amazing time. Instead I experienced a hangry nightmare. Maybe it was a bad day at this establishment but the behavior by the staff was unacceptable. It's NOT ok to be condescending to your customers. The story: 4 gal pals decided to meet up for brunch. We were told that the wait was 15 min or so. Ok so we waited and while waiting were served mimosas that we ordered at the bench in the front. The mango mimosa was OK. So people came in after us and were seated promptly. At one point the tables in front of us that if combined would seat 4 became empty. We did not get seated. The host told us that there were people who paid in the back who were done. " I cannot forced them to leave". Ok, understood but can't you sit us elsewhere that opens up? We see open tables. Our party arrived at 1:30pm and it took until 2:26 to get seated. As soon as we sat down waiter told us we were in the last 10 min before the kitchen is closing. We weren't told any of this during the HOUR we spent waiting. She came back and was really rude in inquiring whether we were ready. When one member of our party wasn't ready she states " I can't place an order until everyone is ready. " But it was said in the most condescending way. Are you kidding me? Half of the party left to eat at another establishment. Also, they don't substitute anything for meat. The chilaquiles you can get with just black beans. It would be nice if they did substitute and they should consider it. Sorry, I cannot support a business with such poor customer service. The manager seemed nice enough and I'm shocked at the behavior of the employees. The manager did not charge for the mimosas but I also ended up chugging and not enjoying itz 1 star because the decor and atmosphere seemed nice. 1 star because the manager was understanding. Cannot rate it higher because frankly, I did not enjoy my experience. read more

Bonafini - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Would write zero stars if that were an option. Just ate here for New Year's Eve, and brought an almost 2 year old very spirited toddler boy. The food is phenomenal, that should be noted. That being said, the last 20 minutes of our meal our son started getting rowdy, we had already paid and were just wrapping things up. We put on a video of Ms Rachel at the table, we never do screen time and literally save it for moments like this for a moment of peace. God forbid a hardworking mom and dad enjoy a glass of wine in peace for 20 minutes on New Years Eve. The video had not been on 5 minutes , the volume was very low (we couldn't even hear it, it's a loud restaurant with loud music), and immediately our waiter came over and asked if we could turn the video down. We were then asked how old our son was, told he was adorable and very "phone savvy". If you like judgement as a side with overpriced pasta, go to Bonafini!!! read more

I really liked the meal I had a Bonafini. I came here with a friend for brunch and was seated outside in their patio area. The ambiance of the place is very pretty and laid back. The waiter was very attentive and checked on us periodically. I had the grilled cheese and tomato soup which was delicious. The bread used was amazing. Drinks were also worth the price point, very taste and packed a little punch. All in all I had a great experience here and would love to go for dinner one time. If not dinner, definitely brunch with friends again! read more

WELL! First time visitors at a neighborhood spot for the win, again! It's been a cozy Christmas week, and we wanted brunch without the train ride so our search for places in close proximity and that we'd never tried had begun when stumbling across the Yelp page of Bonafini. It's about 7-10min walk from the Winthrop 2/5 train stop or 3-5min walk from the Prospect Park Q stop. A boutique establishment, making for a home-y environment with just enough hustle and bustle; we could hold comfortable conversation for close quarters. I ordered the Montreal Croissant sandwich w. sides of arugula salad and hash browns though I initially grappled between this and the Frittata. My date ordered the French Toast w. Hash browns and scrambled eggs. I'd give my meal a 10. Delicious components! The salad was a great palette refresher and the hash browns a light complement. Order 2 had some comments about the French Toast (the edges were too well done) he did enjoy it overall. If I could give one word of constructive criticism- it would be to soften the look of the dish. All in all it was a good choice for Sunday brunch and we'll be back to try dinner soon. read more

Bonafini - A devoured croissant sandwich platter - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

My go to, and favorite spot. The food is always delicious. Everything on the menu tastes amazing. I recommend going with multiple guest, so you can try a little bit of everything. Brunch menu is great. My favorite are the pancakes. They have a yogurt like topping. Yummy. Also, it is a perfect dinner spot for a date night with a variety of wines, and cocktails. The staff make every experience seem like a meal at home. We feel like family. This place is A MUST GO! read more

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Bonafini makes my heart melt every time I walk through the door. The welcoming smiles of the owner Lilly & her employees just draws you in and makes you never want to leave. Bonafini which is Lillys last name is built on her strong Italian heritage and no doubt you can taste it in the food she serves. The brunch menu has all the good things from steak and eggs, to a chia bowl to a delicious pastrami salmon olive toast. Recently the dinner menu changed to highlight some incredible pasta dishes. Last night I had the opportunity to dine in and boy was I pleased. My favourite dishes were the lasagna and papperdelle but I will say every single dish is incredibly phenomenal. I just have a liking to meaty pastas. All the pastas are available in gluten free which in this day and age you know you love that option. The steak was tender, lean and deliciously topped with a mushroom ragu. I'm a huge fan and highly recommend Bonafini if you are, as I am, a pasta person. The dishes will blow your mind and at a really reasonable price! read more

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This place is absolutely AMAZING!!! Came here for brunch on Labor Day. It was pouring rain so we didn't want to stray too far from the apartment and found this gem. The ambiance was wonderful - music was on point (soundtrack was like Buddha Bar for you native New Yorkers). Servers were very sweet too (don't remember her name but the blonde girl with glasses was a sweetheart). We ordered the salmon pastrami on olive toast: A MUST!!! I've never had something more delicious in my life. I've been craving it since the moment we left. My boyfriend ordered the chocolate chip pancakes topped with blueberries: these were delciousssss. Super moist, and the chocolate and blueberries were the perfect combo of sweet and tart. Portion sizes were nice and big so come here if you're feeling hungry! Def want to come back again and try all of the things on the menu. read more

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Service is great. Delicious breakfast! Steak and eggs were a bit pricey, but overall great food. read more

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My boyfriend and I had one of the best restaurant experiences in a pandemic world. We booked a dinner date reservation on Resy and were seated promptly in the outdoor back patio with a heater and blankets. We were warm and cozy and had a great experience with our waitress. We ordered the Burrata appetizer which was very refreshing in taste and a great way to start the night! For cocktails, we got the Jungle Bird and Brooklyn After Dark (?) both of which were pleasantly bitter and balanced. And wow the pasta! We ordered the Pappardelle and Taglierini with Clams. The pasta noodles themselves were cooked al dente and were soft. The sauce was perfectly seasoned and very well-flavored! Would definitely recommend Bonafini! We are definitely going back! One of the best restaurants I've been to in the neighborhood. read more

Service was cold, unwelcoming, and extraordinarily slow. I have no idea how this place has a four star average. It took 30 minutes for one drink to come out with zero apology and then 15 minutes for the second (which was a beer (?)). The bathroom has no working lock and a sign saying "lock does not work so knock loudly." Or perhaps you could drop $50 to fix your bathroom lock and avoid a privacy disaster. Overall very surprising for what otherwise looked like an upscale Brooklyn restaurant. read more

Amazing food ! Great customer service and definitely better for dinner than brunch just because is crowded