Jack’s Wife Freda, Home to ‘Best Waffles’ In NYC, Opening on Columbus Avenue

Jack Wife Freda, a restaurant with three popular downtown locations, is planning to open at 148 Columbus Avenue between 66th and 67th Streets next to Kiehl’s, according to the Lincoln Square Business Improvement District.

The restaurant is known especially for its brunches, though it’s open all day. It serves mostly Mediterranean food. “Our menu is filled with dishes we know and love from our childhoods in Israel and South Africa (with a few New York favorites),” owners Dean and Maya Jankelowitz wrote on their website. “Our love for our adopted hometown is reflected in everything at Jack’s Wife Freda, from our lively atmosphere, all-day dining hours, and understated digs.”

A review in The Infatuation gushed over the brunch, while giving the dinner menu a more mixed review.

“The food here is an interesting collection of culturally specific dishes from different parts of the world, many of which will be familiar to those who know Middle Eastern or Israeli cooking. What that means is that the menu is very unique, but it’s somehow not at all intimidating. Things like green shakshuka (baked eggs in a spiced sauce) might sound adventurous and strange to many, but when presented at Jack’s Wife Freda, it’s very appealing. Maybe that’s because the menu is hand drawn, with little doodles all over it. The doodles are meant to soothe you.”

Its waffles were named the best in New York by PopSugar. “These are rosewater waffles, topped with Lebanese yogurt and mixed berries and drizzled with honey syrup. Need I say more?”