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The Ultimate Guide To Eating In At Wegmans
By
Scott Lynch
Published Nov 5, 2019
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By
Scott Lynch
Published Nov 5, 2019
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Our latest installment of Quick Bites brings us to the Brooklyn Navy Yard to dine in with the Wegmaniacs.
THE VIBE
By now you've heard that the feverishly adored, suburban-style supermarket Wegmans, with more than 90 megastores in places like Buffalo, Wilkes-Barre, and Charlottsville, arrived in NYC last week — a 75,000 square foot behemoth in the Brooklyn Navy Yard complete with a gigantic parking lot where historic Admirals Row once stood. Wegmaniacs went nuts, others were baffled by all the fuss, and still more people might have been excited if it were easier to get to via public transportation.
In an effort to sort it all out I went to the Brooklyn Wegmans three times during opening week, which is three more times than I'd ever been to any Wegmans in my life. First, yes, it's a very large store (though still the smallest in the entire empire!) filled with lots of things that look good to eat and drink. And also yes, it's not a really practical place to do your grocery shopping unless you have access to/are willing to use a car. The closest subway station, the F stop at York, is a solid 15-minute walk from door to platform, and though there are four MTA bus lines that get you within five minutes of the place, you'll have to contend with roundabout routes and the vagaries of traffic.
That said, if you just want to come and check it out, a 15 minute walk is fine if you're not hauling groceries, and there is a modest, 18-dock Citi Bike station a block away, as well as 50 bike racks on the property. And while you're playing supermarket tourist, you might as well make a day or night of it and eat something from Wegmans's vaunted selection of prepared and made-to-order meals. There's plenty of seating outdoors, or upstairs (and you can buy booze up there too if you want).
THE BITES
There's an overwhelming number of eat-in options available in the Market Cafe and Bar section of the store, which takes up a considerable amount of interior real estate and has its own separate entrance and check-out line. Most (but not all) of what I ate over the course of two large feasts was surprisingly good, but the big winner was the Pizza, the sauce not too sweet, the cheese adding character, the crust just floppy enough. I'm not sure why it's called "Authentic Italian Pizza," but these are solid slices that will make you happy.
The Chicken Wings, self-served from a steam table, were also better than expected, the plump bird bits cooked to perfect juiciness, and all four varieties—Sweet n' Spicy, Garlic Parmesan, Buffalo, and BBQ—were, if not terribly sophisticated, certainly satisfying. The sushi, too, is top-notch for its price class, served chilled but not overly so, the fish bright and fresh. And I was impressed that my quarter-pound Burger was griddled exactly medium-rare as requested, though next time I'll definitely skip the oddly sour "hometown meat hot sauce" that makes it Danny's Favorite. Ordering a side of Fries proved to be a smart move.
There are also some real clunkers here. All seven items I tried from the Asian bar were terrible, lacking flavor and lifeless after sitting way too long under heat lamps. Much better were the two dishes I tried from the other hot food bar, called "Seasonal Favorites," a tangy BBQ Pulled Pork, and a creamy Rasta Pasta, so-called because of the chunks of Jerk Chicken mixed therein. And considering how much space and Wegmaniac-love the bakery receives, I thought the two things I tried—a slice of Cherry Crostata, which is like pie but with more crust; and a super cakey Black and White Cookie (they call it a "Half Moon")—would be much better than these blah, generic treats.
A big complaint among loyalists at the opening was the lack of a Sub Shop, which they've since semi-rectified by opening a "pop-up" sub counter. I had the "Danny's Favorite" (my guy has a lot of favorites), which is basically an Italian hero with hot ham, capocollo, salami, and provolone — it was a fine, well-balanced sandwich. The Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup was a worthy companion, especially after adding salt and pepper, though the Golden Grain Vegetable Soup was pretty forgettable.
THE VERDICT
Wow, there's a lot of food to eat here, and much of was better than I expected. You never forget you're eating in a grocery store/food court (except I suppose after three or four drinks in the bar), but for walking-distance locals, Navy Yard workers, and curiosity seekers, Wegmans is not a bad place to grab some inexpensive food.
Wegmans is located at 21 Flushing Avenue in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, just east of Navy Street, and is open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. (347-694-8510; wegmans.com)
Tagged
quick bites
wegmans
Scott Lynch
Photojournalist, food writer, preschool receptionist. Love NYC.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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