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For 15 years, Superfine has been a Dumbo staple, and an unusually palatial sprawl for artists, techies, drifters, and diners

by derek de koff

Superfine bar and restaurant co-owners Cara Lee Sperry, Laura Taylor, and Tanya Rind (formerly of Between the Bridges Pub) met in the ’90s while shacking up in one of those illegal warehouses on Jay Street—or “artist’s collectives,” as they were often called.

Perhaps sensing their days were numbered, they collectively dreamt of opening an establishment in the neighborhood that was one part supper club, one part cabaret, and one part artist’s showcase.

Opening just weeks after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, Superfine has remained true to its original industrial flavor all these years later—no small feat in a Brooklyn ‘hood that continues morphing into ever-stranger iterations of squishy mediocrity.

With its expert balancing of high and low culture, it’s easy to see why the crowds keep congregating. On any given night, chalky minions await their next turn at the orange felt pool table (blissfully no change, hence the hysteria.) If unwilling to elbow through the hardcore sharks (who can sometimes be surly, and who always brandish sticks), patrons will find a dartboard against the exposed brick wall that eagerly awaits the flick of a drunken wrist.

Glob by works by local artists grace the walls, hanging haphazardly: a scary unicorn; the Seine (probably); and watercolor gulls that looks lively enough to desecrate your Gouda mac and cheese in a single swoop.

A steady stream of musicians jam out ’40s standards (bluegrass, and whatever else was in back then), but it’s not unusual for a jazz night to emerge seemingly from out of the blue(s). And as the pungent scent of garlic trickles in from the open kitchen, lithe hipsters settle in at the sunken bar, talking smack about their bosses (and occasionally the bartender) over $3.50 beers. If you’re a newbie looking for a dinner recommendation, you can’t go wrong with any of three signature dishes: the Pork Chop with torchiette, with English cheddar mac and cheese and grilled broccoli; the Spaghetti (roasted cauliflower, tomato comfit, garlic, walnuts, and whipped ricotta); or the Portobello Sandwich (smoked mozzarella, roasted peppers, and arugula), served with fries. Though the menu is prone to unexpectedly shape shift on any given day, diners will always find these items on either the lunch or dinner menu.

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And while live music probably sounds like the last thing one’s cranium needs on a gruesomely groggy Sunday, the country and bluegrass brunch—which goes from 11 A.M. to 3 P.M., with bands usually kicking into high gear at noon—is legendary for a reason.

Superfine also manages to effortlessly strip brunch of any degree of preciousness or pretension. The menu is a treasure trove of down-home hearty fare: fish tacos that are rightly heralded as some of the best in the city; overstuffed breakfast burritos with scrambled eggs, house-made sausage, green chili, pinto beans, and jack cheese; and heaves rancheros with Hatch New Mexican green chills, black beans, and jack cheese —spiced by banjo and mandolin tunes from touring acts sweeping in from Nashville, Austin, and New Orleans.

Now, kindly kick back and let us kick your ass at pool.

Superfine ne
126 Front Street / 718.243.9005 / superfine.nyc