NEW ORLEANS (press release) – The Lower Garden District’s newest hot spot, Crack’D Brunch Restaurant (1901 Sophie Wright Pl.), is thrilled to officially announce its grand opening. Led in the kitchen by Chef Joshua Wetshtein, Crack’D Brunch is the newest endeavor by locally owned restaurant group, OnePack Hospitality, known for iconic fixtures in the New Orleans restaurant scene, including the Legacy Kitchen Collection and The Vintage.
Joined by State Representative Mandie Landry; Jabarie R. Walker, Deputy Chief of Staff to Mayor LaToya Cantrell; and stakeholders celebrated the new restaurant with a short ceremony and ribbon cutting, festooned with disco ball cups, a vibrant balloon showpiece and biodegradable glitter confetti to complement the restaurant’s exuberant décor.
“Crack’D Brunch is the culmination of decades of experience feeding hungry brunch guests across the Crescent City, and from all walks of life,” said Bernard Stolberg, CEO OnePack Hospitality Group. “We want to bring a fun energy and atmosphere of surprise to our community when they walk through our doors.”
Crack’D Brunch’s pork-free menu combines nostalgic classics (bananas foster pain perdu, steak and eggs, shrimp and grits) with adventurous leaps such as the duck bacon tower, fried chicken + waffle cone and the smokin’ Paris models – a toasted croissant eggs benedict sporting poached eggs, avocado, smoked salmon and lemon hollandaise.
As true brunch aficionados demand, the restaurant’s plucky menu is complemented by a breezy cocktail menu where mimosas are the star. Classic, bottomless and a bubbles flight accompany light alternatives such as the cold brew-tini, blood orange mezcal paloma or the lady blue (showcasing gin, ginger beer, dessert pear syrup and edible flowers).
Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, chef Wetshtein’s impressive galaxy of mentors include Michelin starred chefs Carrie Nahabedian, Wolfgang Puck, Lee Heftner and Food Network Iron Chef Spain’s Jose Garces. Following work in Chicago and Washington, D.C., chef Wetshtein spent years opening restaurants around the world, including Wolfgang Puck’s re Asian Cuisine and the Blue Moon Lounge in the Four Seasons Hotel, Bahrain.
For more information, follow @crackdbrunch on Instagram. As of March 7, Crack’D Brunch is officially open seven days a week – Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Guests are encouraged to book a table in advance via Resy or via the Crack’D Brunch website.