Based on its impossibly small kitchen, Gabriel Stulman conceived Jeffrey's Grocery as a luncheonette that would serve a small roster of sandwiches and salads alongside a raw bar and cheese plates, but over four months chef Eric Milley transformed the menu into one you might find at a full fledged restaurant. Now you'll find five appetizers, five full entrees, and four to five nightly specials—all executed by the same dual induction plate, sandwich press, convection oven, and a cheese melter.
The fire that closed Joseph Leonard across the street actually precipitated the changes at Jeffrey's. "It was definitely unfortunate," says Milley of the fire, "but at the same time, we had a place to employ everybody and we had a miniature army here everyday." Just Tuesday, Jeffrey's introduced a menu of share plates like marinated octopus and salmon rillete. As for additional expansion, there is one new investment: An extra cheese melter. "A few weeks ago, our cheese melter went out completely during brunch and it was a nightmare," notes Milley.
Jeffrey's Grocery, 172 Waverly Place; (646) 429-8383
Jeffrey's Dinner Menu
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