5. Garfield’s Cafeteria, Flatbush

In a 1971 New York Times article, Garfield’s Cafeteria on Flatbush Avenue was described as a “grand old cafeteria” where you could “stop in at midnight for a nosh, or something to nibble on after leaving the Alebrmarle dance parlor or to recover from the hilarity of vaudeville at the Flatbush Theater.” Like Dubrow’s, the cafeteria served blintzes, bialys, matzoh-ball soup, and more.

Since the cafeteria was open in the morning and late at night, it attracted different crowds at different times of the day. Families and old-timers usually came for breakfast and lunch, while the nighttime brought the after-theater crowds. The Times wrote that some elderly patrons would even bring their own food and sit at the cafeteria purely for the social aspect as they nursed a cup of coffee and chatted with their neighbors for hours.

6. Hoffman’s Cafeteria, Brownsville

Another famous Brooklyn cafeteria was Hoffman’s Cafeteria on Pitkin and Saratoga Avenues in Brownsville. This cafeteria is often mentioned alongside Dubrow’s and Garfield’s as one of the most popular. Like Dubrow’s and Garfield’s it closed in the 1970s. Hoffman’s made news in the 1940s for a butter heist. It was discovered that two of the countermen were stealing food, mostly butter, from the establishment for a period of three months. The stolen goods amounted to $15,000!