Buttermilk Channel — A Girl's Guide to Drinking Alone

524 Court St at Huntington St, Carroll Gardens

The Place: A relaxed and charming neighborhood restaurant that I finally decide to try after passing it many times on long dog walks.

The Time: Wednesday June 8, 6:30pm. Now that I work fully from home and have no plans tonight other than watching Game 3 of the NBA Finals (in case you hadn’t heard, I’m a diehard basketball fan now), I need to leave my apartment. Dinner out with myself is as good a reason as any.

*The Honeysuckle and Sally Rooney’s latest at Buttermilk Channel*

The Vibe: It’s totally unassuming, with white walls, a wooden bar with wooden bar seats, no art or kitsch anywhere, exposed brick behind the back bar. There’s nice outdoor seating, with big Campari-red umbrellas providing shade on this beautiful day. I take my favorite corner spot at the bar after the host tells me I can sit anywhere. It’s clearly kid-time, since the few occupied tables inside all have kids, but there’s one (adult) couple near me. It’s very chill here, and I settle in with ease. My friend earlier today sent me a Vogue article about how it’s “the summer of the going-out book” and I’m happy to have Sally Rooney as my dinner companion tonight.

The Bartender: I’m greeted warmly by a man who says “if you need a drink, I’m your guy!” So I ask for a recommendation, then he tells me it’s his first day and that he doesn’t know anything. I love when people don’t lie to my face! He’s super nice and seems to say “one love” after almost every sentence. The bartender he’s training with is patient and has the aura of someone who’s worked behind the bar for a long time.

The Drank: I get the Honeysuckle, an easy-drinking cocktail with gin, sparkling rosé, lemon and honey. It kind of just tastes like the sum of its parts, tbh, and makes me want an actual glass of rosé afterward. The food is the real draw here (it’s a restaurant, after all) and I order the veggie burger. The bartender sets down a napkin as a placemat, which I think is a strange choice until my dinner arrives. It’s big and beautiful and spilling everywhere, and now the napkin-placemat makes sense. The veggie burger is good but the fries are bomb and I’m feeling great about my decisions.

*Veggie burger and a literal mountain of fries*

Was I Hit On?: The bartender-in-training is done for the night around 7 and takes a seat at the other end of the bar. I could’ve gone for a little more of his “one love” because he’s pretty cute but flirting with a guest on your first shift is a bad look, I get it. When I tell another person who works here (probably the manager) that I have a mountain of fries to work through so no, he shouldn’t take my plate just yet, he says, “I love that for you.” I love it for me too, sir.

Should You Drink Here Alone?: Yeah, absolutely. Buttermilk Channel is a perfect place to take yourself out for a nice meal. While the cocktail wasn’t anything to write home about, the internet tells me brunch is their thing. I’m already imagining sitting at the bar with a book, a stack of pancakes and a Bloody Mary. Is it the weekend yet??