Familiar Face Brings New Restaurant To Park Slope's Flatbush Ave

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — A new restaurant coming to Flatbush Avenue next month will have a familiar face in the kitchen.

Chef Michael Roberts, who once cooked at local favorite Flatbush Farm, is heading back to the Park Slope-Prospect Heights border with a new eatery planned for the space once held by beloved pizza joint Franny's.

The new restaurant, named Flatbush Counter, will harken back to the farm-to-table style of "the Farm," which closed in 2017, Roberts said.

"Flatbush Farm is one of Chef Mike's favorite chef positions and he is bringing back that style of cooking to the neighborhood...Farmy dishes that look great, taste great, and you also feel great afterwards until you get hungry again," he wrote in a description of the restaurant shared with Patch.

The Flatbush Farm connection will even include reconnecting with some of the same farms that Roberts' used at the former restaurant, including his favorite Blooming Hill Farm, he added.

Blooming Hill will provide weekly deliveries to the new eatery and eventually help supply a community-supported agriculture program Roberts hopes to run out of the storefront's backyard. Neighbors will be able to sign up to receive "the same great veggies" the restaurant gets from the farm, Roberts said.

The farm focus is part of Flatbush Farm's mission of sustainability.

"Our focus will be on serving healthy wholesome dishes that are as sustainable as possible while always working to decrease our carbon foot print in the world," Roberts said.

One twist on the Flatbush Farm model, though, will be Flatbush Counter's style as a fast-casual restaurant, meaning it won't have full table service.

The restaurant will serve up its American cuisine menu directly to customers who can then bring it to their backyard, dining room or a counter set up on Flatbush.

"Our idea is to serve sit-down restaurant quality dishes while removing the hassle and process," Roberts said.

The eatery will also include cafe service in the morning complete with pastries, egg sandwiches and a variety of coffee once it gets settled, Roberts said.

A full menu is expected to be unveiled next week on their website. It will open in early June, Roberts said.

Flatbush Counter is the latest new restaurant to open in the 295 Flatbush Ave. space (not to be confused with 295 Flatbush Avenue Extension, the health offices building in Downtown Brooklyn) since Franny's moved from the spot in 2012. Franny's eventually closed completely in 2017.