6 Haitian restaurants to check out across New York
From Crown Heights to Jamaica, Queens, these Haitian-owned restaurants are helping define how Haitian food is experienced across New York City. The post 6 Haitian restaurants to check out across New York appeared first on The Haitian Times.
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Haitian cuisine continues to expand across New York City, with a growing number of restaurants bringing fresh energy and new perspectives to traditional dishes. From Brooklyn to Queens, both newly-opened and under-the-radar spots are helping to shape how Haitian food is experienced across the diaspora. Here are six Haitian restaurants to check out across NYC.
Lakou Café: Crown Heights/Weeksville, Brooklyn
Founded by Weeksville resident Cassandre Davilmar in 2018, Lakou Café has grown into a neighborhood anchor on Utica Avenue, drawing on the Haitian concept of the lakou — a communal gathering space where people exchange knowledge and nourish themselves — as both its name and its guiding philosophy. The menu spans fresh coffee, Haitian baked goods, smoothies, and crafted cocktails, with a strong selection of plant-based options alongside traditional dishes.
What to try: Haitian patties, espresso drinks, griot platters
Why it stands out: A creative space that doubles as a cultural hub, highlighting Haitian art and community events
Antilles Cafe: Flatbush, Brooklyn
Run by a culinary duo with roots in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, Antilles Café leans into the shared heritage of Hispaniola rather than its divisions: their motto is “One Island. One Love.” The food and drinks draw on both culinary traditions, nodding to the nostalgia of island cooking while pushing it in new directions, as with their signature plantain brûlée latte.
What to try: Plantain brûlée latte, griot, patties
Why it stands out: More than a café, Antilles has become a cultural hub in Brooklyn, hosting events and bringing together Caribbean communities through food and shared space
Djon Djon: Flatbush, Brooklyn
Named after the prized black mushroom central to Haitian cooking, Djon Djon in Prospect Lefferts Gardens builds its menu around that ingredient as a throughline, incorporating it into pasta, seafood, and signature dishes alongside more familiar staples like lambi and griot. The result is a sit-down experience that takes Haitian cuisine seriously as a fine dining proposition.
What to try: Djon Djon rice, griot, seafood dishes
Why it stands out: Combines authentic Haitian cuisine with a more modern dining experience, making it a go-to for both a casual meal or a night out.
Bonbon Lakay: Downtown Brooklyn
Open since 2018, Bonbon Lakay is a Haitian bakery based in Brooklyn known for its traditional sweets and savory patties, offering a taste of home for many in the diaspora.
What to try: Haitian patties, pain patate, cakes
Why it stands out: A go-to spot for classic Haitian baked goods, blending nostalgia with everyday community life
Bunnan: Flatbush, Brooklyn
Founded by Nadege Fleurimond, this Flatbush spot puts a creative spin on traditional flavors through burgers and casual street-style food.
What to try: Griot burger, loaded fries
Why it stands out: It reinvents Haitian cuisine in a way that feels new and appeals to younger crowds
Kreyòl Flavor: Brooklyn
With three locations across Brooklyn, this Haitian-owned takeout spot brings classic, home-style dishes to Canarsie, Church Avenue and Flatbush, serving neighborhoods with a strong Haitian presence.
What to try: Griot, diri kole ak pwa, fried fish
Why it stands out: Reflects the continued growth of Haitian-owned food businesses in Queens, offering traditional flavors in a more casual, community-centered setting.
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