The Springs in Brooklyn is one of those places that is really perfect for many occasions. You can bring a date here. You can bring family here. And you can definitely enjoy after work drinks with colleagues and friends. The space really transports you to a place that feels super retro and inviting.

Socially Superlative got a sneak peek of the reopening of the backyard and the new cocktail menu that will be debuting to the public on May 4th. We also were introduced to the new food truck called Dessert Hideaway that will be stationed in the backyard during the summer featuring dishes from Executive Chef Natalie Mitchell.

There were too many cocktails for us to try in one sitting on a weekday, so we’ll have to come back for the rest, but the ones we tried were super tasty. We began with the super Instagram-able Flamingo Springs, a hot pink refreshing mixture of Reyka Vodka, ginger beer and prickly pear, which is where the drink gets its color from. The Dunes, a bourbon-forward drink featuring Old Forester Bourbon, was still light enough to pass a backyard bevi with allspice dram and lime.

A trip to the Springs would not be complete without having an alcoholic slushie, and we opted for the Crime of Passion and the Enchanted Oasis. The Crime of Passion is a fruity concoction of Milagro Blanco Tequila, passion fruit, coconut, pineapple and lime while the Enchanted Oasis is again, brown spirit focused with Monkey Shoulder Scotch, blackberry liqueur, guava and lemon.

To soak up all the booze, we moved onto the menu fit for a barbecue. We started with the Fried Pimento Cheese, which reminded me of zeppoles filled with cheese but my friend felt it was more like a jalapeno popper with pimento cheese. They are light and airy and served with a side of tangy ranch. We then moved on to more fried food with the country tomatoes, served with a very flavorful corn salsa with feta cheese. An unexpected but delightful pairing.

A perfect summer dish, the Baja Shrimp Tacos, are balanced well between the fried shrimp, pickled cabbage and sweet pineapple garnish. The Grilled Cheese with Bacon Jam is probably one of the more hearty dishes because it oozes bacon out of every bite and features gruyere and sharp cheddar cheeses to elevate it a bit.

The signature burger was an item that we knew would be good, but ended up being great due to the pickled onions, housemade pickles, fry sauce and lovely brioche bun.

The pièce de résistance is really the Fried Chicken. Served with a spicy date syrup, very much like all the fried options, the skin is light and airy, leaving the meat super juicy.

Overall, The Springs is consistently a fantastic time and an outdoor space that is highly coveted without being pretentious. We can’t wait to spend too many sunny days and warm nights in the backyard!

– Stephanie Carino

The Springs
224 Franklin Street
Brooklyn, NY 11222

Photos courtesy of The Springs and by Stephanie Carino