Ortine

CLOSED. Ortine is now Atlantic Co., a beer & wine bar with a few small snacks, but nothing near the food they used to offer before.
When I finish sobbing over the death of my favorite restaurant of all time (I’m not even kidding), maybe I’ll stop by for a glass of wine.
RIP sake bloody mary & kale pesto pizza I LOVED YOU SO MUCH!!!

This place is closed?
I have been here for adorable brunch and also dinner. It’s tucked not too far away from the usual spots and is kitschy without meaning to be so. I think. It looks like someone put together the place from stuff they collected. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this look. The food is decent. I like that they don’t hurry you.

CLOSED.
Very sweet place with lovely staff and delicious food.
It is now closed but according to the note on the door, they’re doing a remake of the café into a wine and beer bar.
To be continued.

This place has a quaint, neighborhood feel. The kitchen is tiny and the menu is limited, pizzas, a few salads, and some items like chicken pot pie… so don’t be in the mood for pasta or you’ll be disappointed. Everything we tried tasted made from scratch… great use of whole wheat in the pizza crust and pot pie. While entrees were a little pricey, they did offer a $ 20 bottle of tempranillo on the wine list, which was nice. I could have been persuaded to order dessert, but our waiter did not offer a dessert menu, so guessing they don’t have them. If this place could expand their menu, I’d be more likely to return.

The first thing my wife said when we walked in was that Ortine reminded her of the house of someone she knew when she was in the Peace Corps in Africa — random objects used as décor in random places, without much taste or style. Kinda like a hipster apartment trying to pretend to be from the countryside, but not in a good way.
The service was decent enough. The staff is very earnest and they really try hard, but they’re just not that great with customer service. An ‘A’ for effort though.
About the food:
The free popcorn was supposed to be spicy, but I couldn’t taste any hints of spice at all.
The kale pesto and potato pizza was delicious though. And the Poutine, while not authentic, wasn’t bad. I’d go back for the pizza.
The dessert ice-​cream sandwich was too frozen and not very appealing. Kinda half-​hearted.
I’d just order the pizza next time.

I waited way too long to try this place. It’s great. And it has a TON of vegetarian options!!! We had a late brunch and ordered the biscuits and mushroom gravy (I haven’t had this dish since I became a vegetarian 20 years ago!) and the breakfast pizza. It looked like, on almost every menu offering that included sausage, you could sub it for potatoes. We also ordered the goat cheese salad with beets, pickled carrots and kale. Everything was delicious. Can’t wait to try it for dinner.

You want Ortine to be great in the same way that it’s awesome that the quiet guy who lives down by the old mill is actually the midwest sudoku champ 5 years running. And it is, mostly.
I went here for brunch and got waffles, which were underwhelming but I think I may have ordered wrong. I’m not a huge fan of baked eggs and while opening a restaurant without gas burners is completely raw and takes stones, it can be a little limiting on the brunch end. I do want to try the pizza though.
But the coffee was strong and vitalizing, and from the beautiful backyard we could hear some Edith Piaf type stuff from inside. Also the service was laid back and excellent.

Yum!
When venturing to BK I leave it up to my friends to decide where we eat and what we do, after all, they are the experts, right?
«It’s just up ahead.»
My friend elected we go to Ortine. Correction — she said I had two options, one would have a wait and the other one focused on local/​organic goodness. «Local/​organic goodness!» I shouted.
«I think it’s on the next block…»
The place is totally kickin’, yet chill. Tables and chairs are mismatched, adding to the overall charm of the establishment. Our waiter was a young kid who seemed excited about the prospect of serving us two lovely ladies. The brunch menu was somewhat limited but he offered two fantastic suggestions and we took him up on both options to accompany our iced coffee.
«One more block.»
Our brunch consisted of the Poutine & Eggs ($ 12) and the Breakfast Pizza ($ 14). I was a bit nervous about P&E from the description, as I’m not usually a gravy fan… two baked eggs, roasted potatoes, mozzarella, mushroom gravy & toast with sausage (it was an additional $ 3.50 for the sausage, but it was worth it!). The dish was lovely! It was more of a skillet than anything else. Plus, there were buttery biscuits on the bottom.
«It’s the next block. I swear!»
The pizza was also excellent — not at all like my previous breakfast pizza experiences. However, two options were too much for us. We probably could have just went with one and split it. But, it was a treat to try them both.
«Oh, look! There it is! I knew we’d find it eventually.»
Despite the unexpected trek, a lovely low-​key brunch was had by all!

Interior: Basically a converted apartment building. I had read the word «homey» in atomosphere reviews, and I didn’t realize the term was quite literal.
Service: Laid back. Once we ordered our food, our server didn’t come back to check on us until it was time for the bill.
Drinks: The bloody mary is pretty unusual. I’ve had ones made with sake before, but this had an interesting tang to it, followed by a spicy kick (but it’s not the normal bloody mary kick. It creeps up on you). LOVE the homemade pickles in the drink. In fact, I rather enjoyed looking around the shelves in the dining room at all of their jars of pickled goods. Jealousy ensued that I didn’t have a shelf like that in my own apartment.
Food (brunch): Excellent pizza. Nice, crispy crust. I had the Eggs in Purgatory Pizza, with anchovies. I was surprised to see that the eggs weren’t scrambled (which, coming from upstate, is the norm). Instead, the two eggs came sunny side up on only two slices of the pizza. And they were overcooked, so I couldn’t even let the yolk run onto the remaining two slices. Boo to that.
Everyone at the table ordered various pizzas, with the exception of my friend who had the Kale and Eggs (though it was substituted with Swiss chard). It was pretty dang bland, aside from the flavor added from the goat cheese. I felt bad for her.
Overall, I would come again for the pizza, but would definitely avoid the dishes with eggs — none of the eggs at our table seemed to be cooked with any sort of consistency, which is pretty important when it comes to brunch.

I love this place x 10 000 000!
My friend and I had a perfect meal in the backyard, which is super adorbs. Our waiter was so nice and accomodating, and tall! I got bit by mosquitos, but luckily, there was bug spray on the table, provided by the resto. I felt like I was having dinner in the country (for a city mouse like me, at least). Also it wasn’t crowded at all — just a handful of tables in the back, and no one was seated inside.
We started with the poutine, was not traditional, but still delicious and hearty and cheesy. It was more like a potato casserole. I would’ve liked more gravy, but only because i love gravy.
We shared the turkey meatloaf and the kale pesto pizza. both were super delish and felt healthy! The pizza probs could’ve used a little more salt or flavor, but i was happy with it. The table next to me ordered salads, and they looked delicious also.
It was a great night of wine and local food. LOVE.

Nice little spot for breakfast. I’ll definitely come back even though the food and the coffee wasn’t all that spectacular. I had some of their baked eggs and the flavors were nice and unique. My girlfriend got the waffles and they were definitely less than excellent… pretty bland and the «assorted preserves» didn’t do much to help that, unfortunately.
The service was pleasant and the music was great.

I have returned to Ortine since my first review, it was just as good the second time but they have removed the gluten free pizza from the menu. They said there wasn’t enough interest. All the rest of their stuff is still great, I just won’t be going as much as I originally thought since there aren’t as many options now when bringing a Celiac diner.

Ortine is hands-​down my favorite restaurant in the neighborhood. The atmosphere — including the backyard — is charming. The servers are friendly and attentive. And most importantly, the food is fresh and delicious! Other reviewers have commented that it’s a bit pricey; however, considering that they source most of their products from local producers, I think it’s well worth the extra dollar or two that you’ll spend.
I’ve never had to wait for a table, and I never feel rushed. I’ll definitely continue to go back for their amazing seasonal pizzas!

I think Ortine is offers one of the better brunch options in Brooklyn. I have eaten brunch there several times with friends and family and have mostly gotten pizzas — trout, potato, margerita — all superb from crust to toppings.
The prices are reasonable, especially considering that they try to source a lot of local, organic ingredients — much appreciated, by the way. When we were there this summer, our waitress told us they grow some herbs and vegetables in a garden right next store.
Ortine’s menu also offers some nice surprises. Yesterday I got a baked egg dish dish with mushrooms and goat cheese and my husband and I split the roasted potato soup. He also got a baked egg dish with biscuits and gravy. Both dishes were rich and savory. His had lamb sausage in it, which our waiter told us is pasture raised and sourced from a New York State farm. I got a sake bloody mary (salty, with some kind of pickled vegetable, and better than I expected) and a chicory latte, which was sweet, creamy and a little nutty.
Ortine is open until 5 for brunch. The interior of the restaurant has a comfortable, lived in vibe — a little quaint, with a mix of prints and funky art on the walls and different tables and chairs. Our waiter had a really nice smile — thanks Ortine, what a lovely, lazy Sunday meal!

This place is around the corner from me so I’ve been here several times for brunch and dinner, and it’s always good.
However, they really get credit for hosting my 20-​person birthday dinner with literally no notice after I’d had another place fall through. I mean, I went in day of and was like, «uhm, got room for 20 tonight at 7? we’ll try not to be annoying…»
They warned me that our food would not all come out at the same time, since it’s a very small kitchen. I said this was fine. I mean, in a situation like this, who am I to make demands?
We ended up putting all the tables in the backyard together in a giant horseshoe shape, ordering a few pitchers of sangria, then going around and each choosing one dish for everyone to share. It worked beautifully — the dishes came out as they were ready, we passed them all around so everyone got to try a little of everything, we ordered and drank a great deal of potent, lip-​smacking white sangria, and everyone had a good time. Someone else figured the bill (I don’t have to deal with that shit on my birthday), but I think it came to somewhere around $ 30/​person, which is not a bad deal for a birthday dinner where everyone gets pretty tipsy.
I’ve deducted a star because I really wish their coffee counter was better. It’s the only decent coffee shop between me and the C train and their pastry selection is extremely limited and not very high-​quality (they sold me a burnt croissant once), and they don’t open until 10 a.m. on weekdays. It is SUCH a tease to pass their lovely little storefront all gated up when I’m totally craving coffee. Sigh.

Yummy and well-​priced. This place is out of the way, but a great choice if you’re already in Prospect Heights.
On Mondays, they have homemade pasta and salad for only $ 10, really tasty and well-​balanced. On Sundays, they have $ 5 pizzas between 5−7pm. Beyond these specials, they also have fruity and inventive sangrias (e.g. white sangria with peach and lavender) and desserts that will even entice non-​dessert cravers like me.

En route to the G train, I was walking up Washington and happened to notice Ortine. It’s one of those places that is tucked behind a corner and blends in with the condo buildings on the street, so you might miss it unless you were really looking for it. I happened to notice a sign proclaiming «gluten free pizza.» Not hungry that day, I decided to make a mental note and try Ortine later.
That later turned into several months down the road. Josh H and finally checked it out on a warm April night. Ortine is kinda confusing. It’s set up like a coffee-​shop BUT it serves dinner foods… I can see many people passing by assuming it’s just a latte slingin’ kinda place. I think Ortine needs to decide if it’s a café OR a restaurant. I think then they will build an appropriate clientele.
On to the most important part: the food. Josh and I split a gluten-​free pizza featuring sausage and mozz. The pizza was good… but it tasted cornmeal-​y. I’m not in the position to bite the gluten-​free hand that feeds me… I feel lucky that there is gluten-​free pizza in my hood… but I’ve had really terrific GF pizza at Mozzereli’s and Pala so this pizza fell a bit short. But it did satisfy my GF pizza craving. The accompanying salad with creamy garlic dressing was rather delish. Plus the waitress was extremely nice and adorable. Prices are excellent, with nothing going over 10 dollars per person.
Food alone is a 3.5 but I’ll bump it to 4 based on the warm-​fuzzy neighborhood feel.

I had brunch at Ortine this morning with family and friends. Everything was fine to excellent.
The coffee: fine. Strong-​ish.
The service: Better than fine. Friendly but not overbearing. Attentive.
The atmosphere: cute. Comfortable. Easy.
The food: superb. I had the breakfast pizza. Today’s was goat cheese, caramelized onions, eggs, smoked trout, and fresh parsely. Everything came together beautifully atop a thick, chewy brick oven crust. Generous portion of trout and goat cheese. Truly a perfect balance of ingredients to make a meal that I never knew I needed. But now I need to go back and get it again.
I also tried my sister’s polenta and eggs (awesome) and my friends reported that their biscuits and gravy and granola were also tasty.
Give Ortine a shot: I thought it was was awesome. Just don’t linger too long, because I’ll probably be waiting for a table.

We came Ortine at 3pm on a Saturday because Sit & Wonder was packed to the brim (as it often is). The place was dead besides a few stragglers from brunch (there were four tables eating in all).
We tried to order coffee at the bar to drink outside, but the guy at the bar instructed us that we were not meant to talk to him and that we would have to sit down if we wanted to order.
So we sit down and when the waitress has checked her iPhone and finished talking with the other waitstaff (two waitresses for 4 tables plus the I’m-too-busy-to-talk-to-customers guy behind the bar, mind you), she comes over.
When we tell her we want coffee she gives us a look of disgust like it’s hardly worth her time to go get the coffee pot. It takes her nearly 10 minutes to get our order and by the time the coffee makes it to us it’s luke warm. She never comes back.
When we try to order a muffin and a waffle we are informed that if that’s all we want we should order them from I’m-too-busy-to-talk-to-customers guy behind the counter. Right. At that point we leave.
While we didn’t get food, I can tell you the atmo is bland (although the patio looks alright), the coffee is weak (and luke warm by the time you get it), and service is the pits! Totally rotten attitude. And I tried! I’m just pleased that Ortine is doing so well that they can drive neighborhood customers away. Never again.

Bring your wallet– it’s spendy. And your penchance for whimsy– it’s twee.
Ortine serves food up like the bunch of slightly nutty, elderly «ladyfriends» one’s grandmother has tea with. Ladies called Bella Aunty or Aunty Pammie. And the vibe is complete Anthropologie, all the time. Great for NYU grads! And wistful emo fellows.
Food: lovely, odd, fresh, local and ethically provenanced.
We went for dinner.
We ate wild caught sardines. (I think they were wild caught sometime ago, internationally canned, locally pried from said can, and served up *fresh* to me.) Toast. Yup. Toast. A boiled egg. A very lemony dinner salad and a petite mushroom lasagna served with a few pieces of roasted patty pan squash. An arugula, parmesan and lemon zest pizza. Iced plum oolong tea and lemonade. There’s a story here and it’s called crazy elderly aunt. But she’s the one with the gorgeous Jaipuri rose cut diamond set so one just has to go with it to remain on the list. Can you dig it?
It all tasted lovely, don’t get me wrong … but friends: if I wanted to have a boiled egg, toast and sardines for dinner, I’d have married my first English boyfriend, a long-​ass time ago.
I’ll be going back, tho. I’m a sucker for Anthropologie.