Brunch in NYC: Shopsin’s, Lower East Side
Talk about an experience—both culinary and culturally. Shopsin’s, a tiny (re: six tables and three bar stools) “general store” tucked away in the back of Essex Street Market, is where the notorious Kenny Shopsin serves up a 900-item brunch/lunch menu that seems straight from the mind of a four year old—or from mine.
French toast stuffed with s’mores. Mac ‘n cheese pancakes. A scramble that is more cheese than egg. Nutella milkshakes. Lord help me.
That mac ‘n cheese cake above—one of his most famous dishes—gets smothered in both hot sauce and syrup. Don’t ask, just eat.
Here’s one side of the 900-item menu (read it on the website). I highly recommend his cookbook, which of course is not sold at the restaurant, because that would just be too commercial.
The food is phenomenal, but Shopsin himself is half the fun. Yes, he’s there cooking, cursing, accosting customers, kicking people out, and just generally being a grouch. This man makes the servers at Ed Debevic’s seem like kind-hearted Christians. But you’ve got to admire his style—he’s passionate about what he does, and he’s not going to waste it on anyone he doesn’t like. It’s his way or the highway—and I’ll be cruising Shopsin Street until I keel over from too many peanut butter-stuffed “slutty” cakes.
