A polished, creative neighborhood restaurant with excellent food, cocktails, and hospitality, but reservations, patience, and a premium budget are advisable.
Scratch & Co. earns its standing through strong food quality built on house-made elements and well-seasoned dishes, backed by knowledgeable bartenders and servers who guide cocktail and menu choices. Brunch execution is less reliable, with occasional reports of cold dishes and long waits, which keeps it just short of the very top tier.
Scratch & Co. is a cozy Troy Hill neighborhood restaurant that feels equally suited to a date, a celebration, or a carefully planned brunch. Reviews describe warm brick-and-beadboard surroundings, welcoming staff, and cocktails that can be tailored to a guest’s taste; one diner captured the appeal as a place that feels like a hidden gem before a show. Reservations are wise, especially when the small, popular room is busy. The cooking is contemporary New American rather than plain tavern fare: familiar formats meet ramp pesto, muhammara, tahini buffalo, furikake, aji amarillo, and other globally influenced touches. Focaccia with spreads, trout, smashed potatoes, meatloaf, shakshuka, and seasonal cocktails generate the strongest enthusiasm, though the supplied menu confirms that dishes rotate and several review favorites are not currently listed. The restaurant earns its premium reputation through ingredients, technique, cocktails, and hospitality, but some diners find brunch and drinks expensive, and a minority report cold, bland, or overcooked dishes. Families can succeed here, but this is not a dedicated kid-oriented restaurant. Reviews include a three-year-old warmly welcomed, children enjoying chess and books, and a family brunch described as excellent; the menu also offers approachable burgers, chicken sandwich, cottage pie, doughnuts, cookies, sundaes, and milk-and-cookies. Still, the creative seasoning, darker atmosphere, reservations, and occasional slow service may suit adventurous children better than very picky eaters.
Area vibe: Trendy, creative neighborhood with independent shops, bars, and restaurants.
Safety: Generally safe with active street life and outdoor seating; stay aware late at night in quieter blocks.
What's nearby: Near Butler Street dining corridor, art spaces, boutique shops, and easy access to the 62nd Street Bridge and downtown via Butler St.
The menu ranges from ramp-pesto fusilli and shakshuka to a S'mores Sundae, with cocktails that can be tailored to your taste.
Plan ahead for a busy small room, creative seasoning, premium prices, limited parking, and occasional service delays.
Its warm neighborhood setting suits dates, celebrations, and some family meals, but the creative menu and darker room are not for every diner.