Seafood bistro Estuary opens at Brooklyn Bridge Park marina, alongside Ebb & Flow takeout

July 26, 2019 Mary Frost

Award-winning pastry chef François Payard, culinary director of Estuary and Ebb & Flow, stands next to some of his creations at Ebb & Flow. Eagle photo by Mary Frost

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Brooklyn Heights locals and visitors to Brooklyn Bridge Park have two new dining options.

Estuary, an ambitious 150-seat bistro headed by Michelin-starred Chef Danny Brown, opened its doors on Tuesday at 159 Bridge Park Dr., in the northwest corner of One Brooklyn Bridge Park and facing ONE°15 Brooklyn Marina. Award-winning French pastry chef François Payard is culinary director.

The restaurant includes a raw bar and 48-seat outdoor dining terrace with river views. The interior features a 28-seat wraparound cocktail bar showcasing Brooklyn craft distilleries and breweries. The wine list is curated by Olivier Flosse, previously the sommelier for Daniel Boulud and Missy Robbins.

Also open is a sister “grab-and-go” shop, Ebb & Flow, which offers boaters and park-goers take out: traditional viennoiserie (rich, sweet pastries), Pullman sandwiches, filled croissants and over-the-top layer cakes.

Estuary opened Tuesday at the ground level of One Brooklyn Bridge Park. Ebb & Flow is just south of the bistro. Eagle photo by Mary Frost

Estuary is a brasserie, Payard told the Brooklyn Eagle on Tuesday, “serving a lot of seafood fare with tartar, seafood, raw bar, a lot of tarts” and a bouillabaisse inspired by Singapore.

On the other hand, Ebb & Flow “is a very small shop. You can pick up a tart, go to the park, go for a walk on the promenade, enjoy the boats,” Payard said. “It’s very different.”

His team created five types of layer cakes because layer cake is an American icon, he said.

“One whimsical, for the kids, two very decadent chocolate, and a layer cheese cake, [also] very decadent.”

“The world-renowned Payard brings decades of experience and award-winning recipes to our Brooklyn location, where his French-inspired fare, locally sourced ingredients and unique menu design will please boaters, New Yorkers and ONE°15’s many guests,” Estelle Lau, ONE°15 Brooklyn Marina’s deputy CEO said in a statement.

Payard is a third-generation pastry chef who honed his skills at La Tour d’Argent in Paris and Le Bernardin in New York City. He later joined Chef Daniel Boulud for the opening of Restaurant Daniel, where he was named “Pastry Chef of the Year” by Bon Appetit and “Pastry Chef of the Year” by the James Beard Foundation.

Executive Chef Danny Brown is formerly chef-owner of Charc on Manhattan’s Upper East Side and Danny Brown Wine Bar & Kitchen in Queens, which earned him a Michelin Star. He is also an alumnus of Circa Brewing Company, Town, Artisanal and The Cub Room.

Elaine Payne is Ebb & Flow’s bakery manager.