Franklin Avenue in Crown Heights isn’t short on neighborhood spots, but Agi’s Counter earns its following honestly. Chef-owner Jeremy Salamon named the place after his Hungarian grandmother, who imagine is chic as hell if the restaurant is any indication of its namesake. The menu is a loving, contemporary reworking of Eastern European and Jewish comfort food, with a casual cheffy edge. Since opening in 2021, it’s picked up a Bon Appétit Best New Restaurants nod, a Michelin Bib Gourmand, and a James Beard nomination — the kind of pedigree that could easily tip a place into precious territory. Agi’s doesn’t.

Everything on the menu is hit, from the fan favorite confit tuna melt to the delicately buttery palacsinta. It’s comfort food elevated, in the context of a dining room that reads more neighborhood haunt than special-occasion destination, though there’s guaranteed to be a line on weekends. On a weekday though, a leisurely solo breakfast is as luxurious as it gets.