Have you ever dreamed of a place where you could get an assortment of fancy hipster food, under one roof, with delicious bagels to boot, without walking through a gauntlet of insufferable neon plaid and fake exposed brick? Look no further because Gourmet Guild Williamsburg has got you covered.
Gourmet Guild Williamsburg is an upscale deli, bakery, expresso bar, speciality grocer, and kombucha bar all in one. Yes, my jaw dropped the first time I walked in too. It’s incredibly cute and cozy, great if you’re dropping in for a cup-of-joe and a sandwich to-go, or if you want a place to linger and chill.
What I love are the breakfast sandwiches. I enjoy the GGW breakfast sandwich: scrambled eggs with scallions, cheddar cheese, sriracha mayo, and amazingly perfect caramelized onions on warm brioche. The Eggwich with fried egg, avocado, and cream cheese on a bagel is also delectable. The bagel has that right "New York" texture with the ingredients perfectly balanced so they all stand out, but don't overpower.
GGW also has exceptional baked items, the donuts in particular, which definitely can go toe-to-toe with BK donut specialists Dough and Donut Plant. Also great are the specialty goods they stock to go along with your meal or for the ride home, such as New Orleans Zapp’s Potato Chips, which can be hard to find.
Despite having hodgepodge of counters with an overwhelming amount of delicious food choices, the space feels warm and airy instead of feeling packed and hectic like other establishments with a similar concept. GGW is the sort of place you can bring in a newspaper or a book and have slow breakfast and leave with a snack for later. It’s also a perfect place to hang out if you’re waiting for a spot at Peter Luger just down the block.
Another spot where GGW shines is in how much love is put into this place. Gourmet Guild Williamsburg takes the details seriously without being pretentious. The space is run as a family affair with different members manning the counters. The owners definitely give an old world hospitality to this place in a city and borough that is quickly losing that character.
I like getting high quality “hipster food” at an establishment that feels like a part of the neighborhood rather than the latest trendy incursion with manufactured minimalist interior and faux midcentury modern furniture.
I don’t live in Brooklyn, but whenever I’m in the area, I definitely go out of my way for a visit to GGW. It’s the kind of place where I’ll meet up with friends before heading out to enjoy the day or if I want some quiet time to decompress after a busy workweek. Highly recommended.
Bessie Chu
Contributing Writer
Bessie can be found exploring new places and being a wannabe hipster. She enjoys the arts, travel, food, beverages, soccer, and wikipedia.
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