FORT GREENE, BROOKLYN
Ikigai
A twelve-seat, not-for-profit kaiseki counter in a Fort Greene townhouse, with Polish accents.
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IllustrationDinner at Ikigai begins in the backyard of a Fort Greene townhouse, with a glass of kombucha in a space made over as a Japanese tea room. Inside is a twelve-seat counter of wood in every shade from pale to charred. The restaurant is a not-for-profit: proceeds go to fighting food insecurity.
The menu is kaiseki — a seasonal progression of courses — with Polish touches that nod to the chef's heritage. Recent menus have opened with milk bread and miso butter and a truffled chawanmushi, and moved on through raw fish and a potato-mochi dumpling. Guests leave with a pair of chopsticks.
Editor’s tip
Save it for a birthday or anniversary, arrive a little early, and take your time in the tea room before you sit.
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Editorial draft — core details last reviewed October 14, 2026. Confirm practical details with the official site before you go.