Zaca Cafe
Listen, we enjoy subtle flavors and elaborate presentation from time to time. But during this brick-weather time of year, we’re looking for big, well-seasoned plates of comfort food like the dishes served at Zaca Cafe.
Owned by Chef Inoussa Campaore — a native of Burkina Faso who learned to cook while working in the kitchen of a luxury resort in Saint-Tropez, France — the menu boasts a mix of French classics (crisp-and-gooey Croque Madame, savory quiche du jour, fresh croissants and other pastries) and American comfort staples (a béchamel-based mac and cheese, decadent pot pie, smooth and buttery mashed potatoes and a perfect roast chicken).
“People always come and ask for African food, but I don’t know how to cook African food,” Inoussa, 38, says of his Bed-Stuy restaurant, which is named for the word “house” in Burkina Faso’s Moore language. “Zaca Cafe is French and American — although I do make my own seasoning. Sometimes when I eat in America, I think it’s not enough seasoning. Mine is very strong.”
“I don't do African food, but I want to make people feel like they’re in an African environment.”
Zaca Cafe opened in May of 2018 with a small storefront on one side (great for grabbing a quick coffee) and a full-service restaurant and bar on the other. Yet folks often pass right by the charming dining room, mistaking Zaca for a grab ‘n’ go coffee shop. Don’t let this be you!! You’ll miss out on amazing eats that way.
We recommend the whole rotisserie chicken, generously seasoned with an herbaceous rub; the rich shrimp and cheddar grits with sauteed mushrooms, cut with acidic dollops of tomato jam and salsa verde; the sweet-savory chili-glazed salmon; and the juicy turkey burger mixed with green peppers, tomatoes, onion and pickles, topped with chipotle mayo.
Everything seems cooked with love, down to the sides, including quinoa, corn and cranberry salad with mint; sauteed brussels sprouts; paprika home fries; and roasted root veggies.
“I don't do African food, but I want to make people feel like they’re in an African environment,” says Inoussa, who moved to Brooklyn in 2007.
Zaca Cafe’s wooden benches and metal chairs are lined with colorful throw pillows, sewn by Inoussa himself using printed fabrics from Burkina Faso. (Fun fact: Before his foray into the restaurant world, Inoussa worked as a basket weaver, the family business going back several generations.) Sculptures and baskets dotting the walls are also from back home, while the restaurant’s soundtrack spans a range of African countries, tending toward Nigerian pop.
Of course, you can’t miss the Parisian-inspired menu chalkboard wall, artfully displaying an expansive list of options. The perfect spot for low-key hangs — whether a lingering brunch, coffee date, or group dinner — Zaca Cafe is an under-the-radar neighborhood gem.
426 Marcus Garvey Blvd., 718- 443-2500, www.zacacafe.com
