When people think of raw oysters in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, Five Leaves typically comes to mind. Before the recent opening of Sauvage, the Australian, New American outpost faced no local competition. With Sauvage’s offerings including oysters and other seafood items, plus enticing vegetarian friendly creations like carrot carpaccio and the petit farce, there’s more than enough to draw customers across the street.

Adding to the fire, Sauvage’s owners also oversee James Beard Award winning bar, Maison Premiere. The all-star team includes Joshua Boissy (also of Le Barricou), Krystof Zizka, and chef Lisa Giffen. Currently, Sauvage only serves dinner, but will eventually expand to Brunch, Breakfast, and Lunch. Like, Five Leaves, the restaurant overlooks McCarren Park, making for a perfect spot to hangout in the summer.

Coming from a bar-infused background, Sauvage mixes up wonderful craft cocktails. “Though this is less of a bar than Maison, booze is still a focal point, and bar director Will Elliott’s menu includes more than 200 “under-the-radar and small-batch” spirits. Impressively, he’s using six different forms of hand-chiseled ice in the cocktails. Natural, biodynamic wines are prominent, too.” – Grub Street

“What really sets Sauvage apart from the North Brooklyn restaurant pack, however, is its 200-odd small-batch liquors and “under the radar” spirits. “I don’t recognize one bottle,” Boissy said. Which shouldn’t be dismissed as hubris. “It’s not about: Look-it, we have a bunch of weird shit that nobody knows,” he explained. “It’s more about: We’re supporting a bunch of family-run, small producers.” – Bedford and Bowery