AUNT BUTCHIES Brooklyn’s Italian Café - Bakery 383 5th Ave. Bklyn, NY 11215 718-757-9756

 Just arrived in Park Slope but feels like it has always been here. Perhaps because it has been in Bay Ridge  and other locations for some time. Maybe because its owner's are strongly connected to the community. This is a bakery and restaurant and caterer in modest space with a menu as long as your arm...as long as your arm is the Guinness winner for longest arm.Wait staff are charming and youthful and the Chef is experienced and brings his deep brooklyn roots to a love of  a wide variety of pressed paninis named for everyone from chef Tommy to cousin Danny and from Luigi to RAY RAY. They are filled with everything from sausage,broccoli rabe, provolone and ricotta to knish, pastrami, Swiss, and mustard. Vegetarians will love the Davinci with mozzarella peppers, arugula, balsamic, and Evoo. Plenty of pastas and plenty of sauces with plenty of extras can be found at the build your own corner of the menu.

On a recent sudden summer evening we only stared at the case of gorgeous cakes because the Park Slope salad and ravioli left us room to only crave   the deserts and think next time (chicken parm)

                                                          Park Slope Salad

                               Fried Zucchini with a side of red sauce

                                                                    Ricotta filled ravioli

                                                            HONOR TO AUNT BUTCHIE

rm!).