New wave

Daphne’s (Bed-Stuy)

RESTAURANTS • First Word

The Skinny: On a Bed-Stuy corner previously occupied by a bodega, Daphne’s is a new restaurant with a rotating menu of Italian-inspired dishes and natural wines.

The Vibe: Unfussy elegance, with forest green leather banquettes, dark wood accents, candlelight, white tablecloths, and dainty flowers on each table. The walls, adorned with New York Philharmonic memorabilia, might be trying to trick you into thinking you’re at a Lincoln Center bistro. You might be fooled, if not for the wine, funky and orange, and the beef carpaccio, served with watermelon and sesame.

The Food: Leading the kitchen is Chef Jamie Tao, whose resume includes at least two of New York’s most prominent progressive-casual cool kid kitchens (Wildair and Roberta’s). The result, of course, is not your grandmother’s Italian cooking. There might be arancini with Calabrian chili, but there are also grilled octopus skewers with gai lan (Chinese broccoli) and garlic scapes. House-made pappardelle with mushrooms might be reminiscent of Tuscany, but also features Tête de Moine, a Swiss Alpine cheese.

The Drinks: A well-edited list of natural wines and an inventive cocktail menu, the first of which is the Daphne’s Spritz: Caffo red bitter liqueur, prosecco, grapefruit, and soda. Much like the food, Italian but with a distinctly Brooklyn twist.

The Verdict: Daphne’s identity is still in flux, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go. Maybe, to that end, all the more reason you should. Tao’s food is complex and comforting, familiar and progressive, in a date night-worthy setting — the kind of new neighborhood classic it’s easy to imagine sticking around for a long time. –Phoebe Fry

→ Daphne’s (Bed-Stuy) • 299 Halsey St • Wed-Sun 530-1030p • Reserve.