Butterfunk Kitchen — Southern hospitality in the heart of Brooklyn
Update: As of December 2018, Butterfunk Kitchen permanently closed.
Butterfunk Kitchen is a holy grail of Southern fried delight, located in the heart of the Prospect Park, Brooklyn. My mother and I, proud Southerners, were skeptical of any soul food created North of the Mason-Dixon line. We figured we’d give this place a shot, and we were not disappointed.
We arrived to the restaurant at a quarter after 5pm, 15 minutes before they opened. There was already a line of hungry folks waiting outside the door. Our rumbling tummies joined the queue and we were able to be seated immediately (others who showed up later had to wait… this is not a big place. Get there EARLY!) The dining room is humble and homey, with green walls, wood trimmings, and family photos adorning the perimeter of the room. I felt like I had just arrived to Sunday dinner at a church elder’s house, where folks would come after service, stop in for a plate a food, and sit for a spell before heading home. I was met with a sense of familiarity and comfort. I felt like I was with family.
The nostalgic feeling this place fosters is founded in it’s family history. Chris Scott and his wife Eugenie Woo opened Butterfunk Kitchen in April 2017. In 1863, after the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified and the slaves were freed, Scott’s ancestors moved up north to Pennsylvania, to live amongst friendly Quakers. Scott has taken his family’s traditional Southern cooking (his grandmother’s touch blesses this menu) and gifted us with his culinary talents. You’ll come to this restaurant for the food, but you’ll stay for the sentimentality of the place; the brick and mortar surroundings rooted in years of familial love and tradition.
Being on a recent vegetarian stint (much to my mama’s chagrin) I ordered the Chicken Fried tempeh (a black bean patty of sorts) that comes with a beautiful variety of okra and mixed vegetables. This dish was as tangy and delicious as it was unique; I had never heard of tempeh before! My mother ordered the Lemonade Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Biscuits which, despite my vegetarian leanings, I tried some of… I was immediately filled with the the happiness and peace of the Holy Spirit; praise hands flew in the air. This chicken was a spiritual experience, nothing less. The biscuits were buttery and flaky and melted in my mouth. And to finish off a perfect meal, we split a slice of delicious and timeless Shoofly Pie for dessert. It tasted like home.
Head on over to Prospect Park and take a taste for yourself. They don’t take reservations, but get there early enough and you’ll get a table. You’ll head over there curious about this tiny Southern wonder and you’ll leave full of delicious food and rich memories.
