Exchange Alley

I love this place! It is intimate enough for a date, friendly and spacious enough for groups, and the food is so good, really so good! Wine list is great as well.
It is a neighborhood restaurant not to be missed!

The first thing you notice about Exchange Ally is lack of attention to detail. Great example was the first wine on the wine list. It’s a pinot Gris. Says it is from Alsare, Gremany, see my picture for proof. If you know wine, you know there are more problems here than typos. Presumably, alsare means Alsace, which is where the wine is from. But Alsace is in France not Germany, or Gremany as exchange alley spells it.
Restaurant people know this wild lack of attention to detail doesn’t inspire confidence, particularly in consistent food preparation and even more importantly, cleanliness! Not surprisingly we experienced disappointments on both fronts: steak ordered medium came out rare, and someone in our party said she ended up throwing out all night. Not a surprise given how dirty the place is.
Some of the food was pretty good, spaghetti squash carbonara, and the priest stranglers pasta in particular, and The prices are pretty reasonable. But, based on the experience we had, I couldn’t say it was a good value, nor can I recommend anyone go there. Service was also pretty bad.

Be forewarned: EA doesn’t have a full liquor license, so they have to make due with beer/​wine/​sake cocktails and a hefty selection of brews. A hit or miss with the two cocktails we ordered.
The Boy made Valentine’s reservation for 7pm. We arrived at ten of, and were promptly seated. First off — the staff is super nice. Our waitress was super knowledgeable, refreshingly social, and had a good sense of humor — all of which were greatly appreciated.
We snagged the crispy beef cheek and brussel sprouts for apps — both highly recommended! The smoked mozz and the tomato sauce go absurdly well with the fatty, tender beef. The sprouts… I won’t even bother describing them — just get ‘em.
I had the hanger medium rare and The Boy ordered braciola and polenta. If you don’t know what braciola is (we didn’t) — it’s everything and the kitchen sink chopped and stuffed in a pocket of beef and pork. Taste, shape, and texture-​wise reminiscent of a meatball, it’s definitely not the best item on the menu. Because the hanger steak is. It’s pleasantly burnt, cooked to perfection, and accompanied by garlicky broccoli and greens.
The only reason this is a 4-​star place is because our drinks underwhelmed and the prices are kinda steep for the amount you’re getting.

Tucked away in the East Village, you’ll walk down a few steps to enter Exchange Alley. Upon entering the restaurant, you almost feel like you’re stepping into an old speakeasy. Cozy and inviting, the space is dimly lit, clad with black and white vintage photos, and playing music circa 1940.
They’re beer and wine only, but still have a «cocktail» menu, creating unique beverages using variations of their beers and wines as the base. I went for the Cocinero (fortified rice wine, lime, agave, cilantro, jalapeño). This was so great. You get the sweetness from the rice wine, basically sake, and then a nice citrus and slightly spicy quality that would make you feel like you’re having a margarita.
I ordered the Salmon with cauliflower and chilies. This was incredible. The salmon was tender and flavorful and set atop this wonderful, creamy sauce meets purée. The cauliflower had this great, slightly charred, crispness from roasting, a bit of a kick from the chili pieces, and then lightly dressed in a sweet and savory flavor that I would describe similar to soy sauce. All of these flavors are dynamic and compliment each other very nicely.

Great place for brunch. Has a more unusual menu compared to other places. Also has a nice atmosphere. Sort of dark and cozy.
Met up with a couple friends for a girls’ brunch. It was pretty empty there, so we kind of had the whole place to ourselves for a while. The server was very friendly and informative on the menu. The only note I will say is that most of the items on the menu are fairly heavy (french fry sandwich anyone?) so not the place for light eaters. I ordered the butter lettuce salad with green goddess dressing and jambalaya balls with dirty gravy.
I’m kind of a sucker for green goddess dressing, it’s not commonly served in restaurants. My salad was a big fluffy pile of fresh butter lettuce, lots of avocado and dressing. It was messy to eat, but very good. The jambalaya balls were hot and crispy and the gravy had lots of bits of meat in it, making it a rather filling dish. My friends enjoyed their dishes as well. Really enjoyed the laid-​back vibe of the place, as opposed to the noon rush feeding frenzy that happens in most NYC brunches.
Would definitely come back to try out more things (cheesy grits, praline bacon yup!).

My new «treat yourself once in awhile» brunch spot.
I’ve been here twice with the boo. The first time I ordered the poached eggs with tomato sauce and he had the hangers and eggs. I was jealous of his plate. My meal was a bit bland and soupy. However, my cocktail was relaxing and delIcious. I had ordered the lavender lemonade. They don’t have a full liquor license so they use sake, which is still some fun stuff. The boo ordered a bloody Mary that had mustard in it. Different, but surprisingly tasty.
Visit number two: learning my lesson, I ordered the hangers and eggs and he ordered the hamburger po’ boy. I was in heaven with my plate. Steak was tender and juicy. For drinks I got the maple tap (beer, maple syrup and sake) and he got the lavender lemonade.
Each time the bill came out to about $ 80 for two. Hence why I say it’s a treat yourself kind of place.

Really amazing time here for a bday dinner. Had never been, but friends love it and they had an open group reservation without silly rules. Why not?
Gave them a call and they explained my options — the best group table seats 12, but if I had more they could make it work for me. Super sweet, helpful, understanding.
Went in on Thursday with 10 people, table was ready for us. Server was chill, helpful, not stressed, directly us through an amazing dinner. People can and went early without issue — splitting the check no problem. Food, drink, service, atmosphere were all exactly what I wanted. Desserts were fantastic. From what I can tell this was just how they roll. I’ll certainly be back.

Great, fun place with cute décor, a rustic vibe, and great food. My friend and I split a bunch of apps for brunch, including cheesy grits, praline bacon, and a grilled peach with yogurt. Food was incredible, and affordable. Check it out!

Saturday night in the neighborhood around 8pm we were walking around to find a new dinner spot, without my trusty Unilocal guide! We stumbled upon this cute dark candlelit place which was warm and welcoming. Loved the atmosphere and our waiter kinda reminded me of Russell Brandt! Food was terrific, service was spot on! Only downside in the beginning was no full bar but did try one of there infused sake cocktails and it knocked my socks off!
I will definitely be back!

Great birthday dinner!
I found out about this place from a Thrillist NY email and wanted to check it out. Since it was my birthday I went with a couple of friends for dinner and we all enjoyed our meals. We had the jambalaya balls along with two other appetizers that no longer seem to be on the menu but everything was tasty.
What’s even better is that the vegetables are grown just out back in their own garden so everything is fresh and flavorful. For dinner we each had something different and shared, I had the black bass some had the lasagna edges and two had another dish. Each dish was wonderful. The service was great at first then when it became busier it slowed a bit which is expected. The cocktails were yummy too! All in all I would definitely go back for more exchange!

Service was spot on, the wait staff and our server was informative, very helpful, and just a cool guy. The food was amazing, and the artwork and overall atmosphere… you know that feeling you get when you seems just to fit into a place. That’s what I felt there.
The only downside was the noise level, while not over loud for a NY restaurant, I was hoping for something a littler quieter, but beyond that I’d highly recommend this was a wonderful date spot.

What a great little find! Tucked away on E 9^th Street between 1^st and Ave. A, it’s not in the most obvious of locations, but is well worth the trip. Two of my girlfriends and I went here with a Blackboard Eats code, and I enjoyed every bite and sip.
First of all, the cocktails — phenomenal. VERY unique. It’s one of the few places that I’ve been to that incorporates beer into the cocktails, and the result is tasty. I had one made with maple syrup, and it was great. The bitters in the beer balanced out the sweetness of the syrup.
Second, the fresh veggies! We had carrots. beets and kale, and all were served with ingredients that enhanced the veggie’s flavor. I don’t know if the menu rotates based on seasonality, but I’m betting that whatever other veggies are in season are just as great.
Third, excellent main courses. We had the zucca with pesto and sausage and the braciola, and it was mind-​blowing. The pesto and pasta were SO fresh. I’m pretty sure they rolled the zucca right before serving it. And the braciola was a delicious, large meatball, not a rollatini style dish. I can’t wait to go back and see what else is on the menu!
Finally, I cannot speak enough about the service. Our waiter was so nice and friendly and so appreciative of our business. He gave us hugs on the way out! What place does that?
I will CERTAINLY be back here. And I’ll look forward to it!

For someone who brunches as frequently as I do — it’s difficult to find a venue that truly distinguishes itself from the 9,000 other options in lower Manhattan. Exchange Alley pulled off that impressive feat this past Satruday.
Walking into the venue, I felt a warm embrace from the cozy interior that’s seemingly seen it’s share of good times. It’s the type of place that subconsciously compels you to linger just a tad longer than you’re accustomed.
I had the scrambled egg flatbread (picture:
) which was as delicious as it was unique. My friend Heather — who’s a vegetarian — couldn’t stop raving about the charred kale.
The garden in back is where their herbs and spices are grown. It’s not uncommon to see a waiter or chef run back there to pluck a few fresh chilies for your gumbo.
Only unusual thing is as of today (5÷28÷13), you can’t seem to find their brunch menu on their website or Menupages. So you’ll have to take a leap of faith and trust me on this one.
Bonus: Excellent live 3-​piece band for brunch on the Saturday I went. Reminded me of a group you’d see in Atlantic City in the Boardwalk Empire era.

Ate her last night with my mom and aunt and had an A-​OK meal. Here’s what we got:
–priest stranglers (type of pasta), sweet sausage, spiced tomato & vodka cream — very creamy and spicy
–spaghetti squash with egg on top — yummm
–mussels — came with fries on top
–brusselsprouts with bacon — very good
–fish over mashed potatoes and lemon rings (actual lemon rinds) — my favorite!
I’ve never been to New Orleans so can’t speak to the authenticity but it was a very cozy and intimate restaurant. I loved all the old pictures up on the wall and the incredibly vintage bathroom!

THOSE LEMON RINGS. Good heavens. Like, heaven on earth, good heavens.
When I was singing praises about those lemon rings after my 1.5 hour commute home, I knew they were keepers.
The other foods were pretty good too, but truly didn’t shine as much as those lemon rings. The jambalaya balls came with a delicious sauce that was slightly spicy, and the cod (that the lemon rings came with) was so soft and perfectly cooked. The sea salt seared cod sat atop a delish almond/​potato purée as thick as mashed potatoes. The French Connection cocktail tasted like yummy pink lemonade, but we weren’t a fan of the Negroni Gone Wrong cocktail (too much like cough syrup).
We absolutely loved the service too. Chase, our server, was delightful and a real pleasure. He’s super chill and checked in on us often, well-​versed on the food & drinks menu. Even the guys pouring our waters were polite and smiled while they topped off our glasses.
Exchange Alley is such a charming, rustic restaurant tucked deep in the East Village along my favorite street (e. 9^th st) during the holidays. I’d come back probably on special occasions for the pricier food, and more often for the drinks and of course, those lemon rings.
** Note: A bit out of touch with writing reviews so apologies for the stagnant/​boring first few. Hopefully I’ll get back to me old self shortly. :]

Really enjoyed this place for brunch yesterday. Wasn’t too crowded around 1pm. Our waiter was amazing. When we asked about one of the drinks he sent one over for us to try. He also explained everything and how it was related to Creole/​New Orleans cuisine.
Amazing coffee from La Columbe with infinite refills. We got the po’boy, the flatbread and some brussel sprouts to share. Everything was great Will be back!

Turns out exercise really can do you good! And by that I mean in helping me find new restaurants… On a leisurely run though the East Village I accidentally passed this hidden gem between 1^st and Ave A. I almost hate to even write a review of it because it will become known and then impossibly to get into but such is the life of a food blogger… This restaurant is adorable — it’s just big enough to do a big group but still small enough to feel homey. I liked it so much I went for dinner on a Friday and then returned for brunch that Sunday. You can make reservations too — an extra plus!
For dinner, we started with the blackened beets with walnuts, goat cheese and chives and the charred kale with calabrese peppers. The beets were sooo good. All the ingredients together made for a sweet, savory, crunchy, melty pot of tasty. The kale was good but I’m sort of over that trend. Move on.
Next was the beef cheeks with root vegetable risotto. The beef cheeks are slowly braised in red wine and herbs and is then classically prepared with butter, parmesan and sage and topped with fresh horseradish and thyme. It was a lot of ingredients that came together into a hearty dish that may have been slightly too rich for me to finish but was finger-​lickin good.
The spaghetti squash carbonara with a crispy poached egg was a fun twist on a classic dish. The egg was so soft that I thought it was goat cheese at first (can you tell I didn’t do the ordering?)! It melted under my fork and was a good complement to the slight crunch of the squash «noodles.» Squash «noodles» aren’t quite my thing (I prefer the regular pasta) but I thought it was inventive and still very good.
The grilled radicchio with smoked mozzarella and garlic chips was probably my least favorite dish. The radicchio was difficult to cut and to chew and the mozzarella wasn’t strong enough to compete with the saba and garlic so it got kind of lost.
From there I’ll move into the brunch items. We started with the brussel sprouts which were very good but again a trend that I’m over.
The bacon bread with bourbon maple, however was fun and sloppy delicious. I say this because I think more maple syrup ended up on my hands, lap and hair then on the slice of bread or in my mouth. But it really did taste like bacon bread! The chef, Paul, mentioned that it’s a dish that is grandmother used to make — «There was always a coffee can of bacon fat in the fridge!»
I also ordered the grapefruit slices. For some reason in my head I thought there would be more to them but they were just slices of grapefruit. Missed opportunity here. Paul get on it! :-)
Last up on the food front was the ricotta toast with meyer lemon and saba. It was very simple which I think is a good test but unfortunately it needed more. The cheese consistency was good but there just wasn’t a strong enough flavor to carry the dish. I ended up dousing it in saba which helped a little…
What really made this brunch were the cocktails. I think we tried one of each collectively as a table. My order was the Mamma Lady with is sake, djinn (house infused sake w/​gin botanicals), orange marmalade (yes like the jam) and jalapeño agave topped with Prosecco and an orange twist. It was magically. I had two. The marmalade added textural complexity to the juices and there was just enough sake and jalapeño for that spicy kick. Oh yes I’ll be back for more of you!
I would like to mention that my above reviews are very critical only because I really liked this place and on purpose tried a lot of the ancillary dishes because I think that’s where focus tends to get lost. But to be fair I tried the priest strangeler dish that my friend ordered which consists of rolled pasta (kind of looks like a joint if you ask me — not that I know what those look like…), sweet sausage, spiced tomato, and vodka cream. It was to die for. The sausage was spicy and crumbly and the cream was rich without being overpowering. And the tomatoes were soo juicy. God it was good.
And the very best part of this place is the service. They are knowledgeable and friendly.

I think I just found my new favorite neighborhood restaurant.
The staff here could not be more welcoming and sweet. The menu will most decidedly make your mouth water. I think I could let the staff pick and serve me anything and I would be happy just by virtue of the combinations and descriptions.
The music tracks oozed upbeat festive funky jazzy vibe that said, «let’s commence to party rockin’!»
The food was great. Sort of like elevated comfort food. We got a trio of vegetables for $ 18, including acorn squash with pecans (which was incredible), kale with vinegar (that had a little blackened pop taste, which was great) and beets with chives, walnuts and goat cheese. The jambalaya balls ($ 10) are fried, crunchy-​on-​the-​outside spheres with a filling that– though I could not pick out individual flavors– were satisfying. The accompanying gravy was good but not great– it tasted to me like a little more of a vegetarian style gravy (though I don’t think it really was). The entrees go from the $ 18 to mid-​$ 20s range. We rounded things out with a ½ roast chicken marsala dish with grits ($ 24) and it was very good.
After opening three months ago, Exchange Alley provides a fun and festive backdrop to enjoy good food with friends. I will definitely back soon!

Last week a bunch of friends and I went to check out Exchange Alley. As soon as I read the «made ones» section on their site, I know I had to go! So glad we did, it was the perfect dining experience. They have an huge table in the back that seats large parties (this is where we sat).
Sides/​Starters: Ricotta & Lemon Flatbread, BBQ Shrimp, Sishito Peppers and Pickled Watermelon, Burrata, and Raw Vegetables, Farro, with Sherry Vinegar
Mains: we ordered Halibut, and Broken Braciole Cavatelli, I didn’t try the pasta, but the Halibut was outstanding. LIght and refreshing, definitely will order again.
Dessert: Chocolate Cake, Peanut Pie (tasted like a snickers), and Key Lime thing — the chocolate cake and peanut pie were amazing! I’m not one for Key Lime anything so I can’t be a good judge of that one :)
All the food was fantastic, but the **Stars** were: Ricotta & Lemon Flatbread, Burrata (it was paired with plums and was delish! not average tomato/​basil thing) and BBQ Shrimp, Halibut, Peanut Pie.
I love that have their own garden in the back, and the attention to detail in the décor is fabulous and music was properly paired with atmosphere. It’s definitely someplace I could «spend the whole day» if I could.

Read the NY Mag article so I brought some GF’s along for a birthday celebration.
Starter Cocktails were delicious. Then they brought not only a few but all the wines to the table for us to taste before choosing.
Blackened Beets — Halibut — BBQ Shrimp — Jambalaya Balls all were outstanding.
Chef stopped by to say hello, the owner/​manager checked in on us also.
Ladies, have you seen these two? W… O…W…
Great choice, great food, great space. Definitely recommend!!!