This isn’t Europe, where lunch lasts two hours and time slows down so life can be enjoyed a bit before trudging back to work. No, this is New York City. That sacred in-between meal called brunch is a relaxing rarity to be relished only on Saturdays or Sundays. Those of us who look forward to reuniting with friends or the paper over a cup of coffee and a wholesome feast on the weekend, will appreciate Get Fresh Market and Table, a modest, eco-friendly establishment in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Brooklyn may be bubbling over with green eateries, but that didn’t stop chef and owner Juventino Avila from opening this market turned restaurant earlier this year. A menu comprised of healthy and sustainable food, Get Fresh has quickly become the locavore’s go-to source for a hearty weekend brunch. Offered daily from 10a.m. to 4p.m., brunch here is a refreshing thing as much for its $6-$12 prices as for its seasonally delicious ingredients.
On a recent Saturday, the small round table tops were filled with a variety of colorful dishes: a mushroom frittata, cage-free eggs with potatoes and heirloom beans, Irish Steel-cut oatmeal, and a deep bowl of Giannone chicken soup. Two plates kept coming out of the kitchen, a sweet and savory brioche egg sandwich with farmstead cheddar and creamy-colored organic pancakes dripping in nutmeg and butter. If you’re dining with friends, the bread basket is a good choice. All homemade on-site, for $8, there are cheddar and rosemary scones, warm pear muffins, and brioche, accompanied by vanilla butter, and orange and strawberry marmalade.
The walls are lined with an array of top quality groceries, cooking utensils, drinks, their own ‘Get Fresh’ cookie dough, cooking stocks, and chutneys to make you feel as if you were in your own kitchen. The chefs actually use the food store as their own extended cupboard as most of the ingredients on the shelves are essentials in their own recipes. Not only is all the dairy and meat antibiotic and hormone free, but this is also a ‘Nose to Tail’ restaurant. The whole animal is purchased so that the farmer doesn’t have to waste meat and effectively slaughter more at less quality in order to run his business. This is as sustainable and wholesale as trade gets these days. For the squeamish, be prepared to witness a whole frozen pig if you happen to be around for the ‘Whole Hog’ Sunday special.
Now that summer is supposedly finally here, have your brunch on the outdoor back porch area before enjoying a food coma in Prospect Park four blocks away.
How to get there: Take F train to 9th St./4th Ave. and walk 5 blocks to Get Fresh. For public transportation directions from anywhere on Manhattan, click the HopStop link below. (Get Fresh Table and Market, 370 5th Ave., Brooklyn, 718.360.8469, getfreshnyc.com)
Photos: Courtesy of Sophie Gore Browne and Arancia Project
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram