This Nostalgic New Brooklyn Restaurant Is a Love Letter to the Midwest
Patti Ann’s channels chef Greg Baxtrom’s childhood memories and love for his mom with a fresh take on Midwestern comfort food classics.
Channeling his childhood memories of growing up in the Midwest, Patti Ann’s is Olmsted chef Greg Baxtrom’s latest Prospect Heights venture.
The casual restaurant is named after his mother, Patti Ann, a retired schoolteacher, and pays tribute to passed-down family recipes and time spent growing up on their family farm in the suburbs of Chicago.
This eatery is the fourth for Baxtrom in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Prospect Heights, and joins his existing Vanderbilt Avenue lineup of spots like farm-to-table favorite Olmsted, French-influenced yakitori spot Maison Yaki, and next door all-day cafe Patti Ann’s Bakery (previously named Evi’s Bäckerie).
For the menu at Patti Ann’s, diners can expect Midwestern comfort food-inspired dishes upleveled with fine-dining technique.
Among the shareable starters there’s the Blooming Onion; Chips and Goop (housemade potato chips, onion dip); and Pig in a Blanket (braided potato roll, honey mustard glaze). On the lighter side, there’s the Lemon Brussels Sprout Caesar salad (grated parmesan, boquerones). Entrees consist of interpretations on homestyle favorites such as the Cherry Ketchup Glazed Duck Meatloaf; Saltine-Encrusted Cedar Plank Salmon; and Chicken Fried Country Pork Chop (topped with mushroom gravy). For sweets, there’s a rotating menu that includes offerings like Seasonal Cobbler and a Root Beer Float.
Helmed by beverage director Andrew Zerrip (Olmsted, Maison Yaki), the drink menu touts whimsical cocktails named after nostalgic school events like the Spring Fling (tequila, dry sherry, grapefruit, mint) and Ditch Day (rum, banana, lemon, egg white), alongside Midwestern brewery-sourced beers, and natural wines.
The interior of Patti Ann’s offers a laid-back ambiance in the bright 70-seat dining room with hanging chalkboards, framed family photos, and a long wooden chef’s counter built by Baxtrom’s father, Mike. Along the shelves, sentimental touches can be found honoring Patti Ann’s decades-long elementary school teaching career like globes, maps, and classroom artwork.
Patti Ann’s is open Wednesday–Sunday from 5 pm–10 pm at 570 Vanderbilt Ave in Brooklyn. Reservations can be made via Resy.