Crown Heights’ beloved community-driven cafe and wine bar, Daughter, has returned with a fresh new culinary and wine program. Spearheaded by the accomplished Ava Trilling, the revitalized wine selection boasts an array of natural wines from acclaimed producers, available by the glass or bottle, all while keeping an accessible price point. Pair these wines with a rotating menu of delectable meat and cheese plates, olives, and seasonal snacks created with the intention of complementing the wines.
“Ava understands that Daughter is a gathering place for the neighborhood, so she kept the price point for glasses and bottles accessible while also bringing in some really fun, crowd-pleasing options,” Adam Keita, Co-Owner of Daughter, told us. “There aren’t many “curve-balls” or wines with crazy complexity that require much pondering: these bottles are meant to be enjoyed and shared. Each bottle embodies Daughter’s charming, welcoming atmosphere, always inviting you back for another glass.”
The new shift also comes with a selection of new menu items designed to reinvigorate the overall offerings of Daughter. “It’s really exciting, honestly—right now, it’s starting with a few bar snacks, but as we figure out ourselves, the menu will eventually have more substantial dishes,” Keita said of the program. So currently, we sit with Olives, Cheese Plate, Meat Dish, beans, and a very tasty peach salad, and are continuing to expand.”
Daughter’s daytime menu now features a mouthwatering selection of rotating sandwiches made with bread from Winner and a new assortment of housemade pastries. The newly remodeled bar area now includes stools for coffee by day and wine by night, increasing the indoor seating capacity. “The new daytime menu will be spearheaded by our new head baker, Jaime Wilson. Our new pastry program is focused on being creative, decadent, and home vibes,” Keita told us. “So the new lineup is buttermilk biscuits with jam, coffee + cardamom cinnamon rolls, salted caramel buckwheat brownies, banana coconut muffin, lemon + lavender olive oil cake, brown butter chocolate chunk cookie, pistachio shortbread, and nectarine + blueberry slab pie. Sandwiches will roll out over the next week!”
Daughter will be collaborating with other local businesses, but one particular one stands out in Keita’s mind. “The main one is Winner! We are so excited to be using their bread in our space, especially for our sandwiches. I think my metaphor lies within the sandwich: the sandwich comes together by its many different components. A sandwich isn’t one ingredient, but many are working together to deliver flavor, and I think that’s what we are doing by using Winner’s bread–working together to deliver something delicious.”
On Wednesdays, jazz nights are back with a bang, and future pop-ups and collaborations with local businesses will undoubtedly leave you coming back for more. With their extended opening hours, Daughter is the perfect spot to start your day early or wind down late into the evening. “The Jazz night was inspired by one of my favorite cafes in Paris, a simple program that brings the neighbors out on a weekday just to relax in the bustle of it all while sharing some wine,” Keita said of the experience. “It’s really special to slow down, and jazz and wine is just right for it.”
If you’re a fan of Daughter, expect to find a new layout to accompany the fun new changes at this fantastic neighborhood spot. “The new design gives more standing bar and seating room,” Keita told us. “With our old design, we were only able to use about 60% of the space for service; now we are hitting a solid 85%, which is awesome. So much more breathing room and freedom in the space.”
