Mac's Landing: Seattle-Style Coffee and Incredible Breakfast Burritos

There’s a new cafe called Mac's Landing on Halsey Street off of Throop Avenue, next door to Royal Rib House and across the street from a new Rocco’s Pizza.

Mac’s Landing served its first cup of coffee on August 11, and will open officially for dinner at the end of this month.

While there seems to be several cafes opening around these parts, Mac’s Landing offers wonderful food, outstanding coffee, plenty of space to suck up their free WiFi, and a warmth and welcoming attitude that drives a diverse community to its doorstep.

“I like everyone to know all of our customers by name,” says Manager Rana Bates. “I want it to really feel like we are a part of the community, and that they are a part of us.”

And indeed, Bates greets every customer who walks through the door with enthusiasm and grace. She introduces herself to new customers, and welcomes regulars like old friends. The mood is contagious. Infected by the ease and comfort of Mac’s, you might find yourself chatting up a random coffee addict or joking with the employees.

Bates, who hails from Seattle, is especially invested in the coffee at Mac’s Landing. I opted for a French Vanilla Latte, which was creamy, frothy and deliciously sweet without any bitterness. Mac's gets all their beans from Kitten Coffee, a Bed-Stuy company that roasts beans weekly, making for, as Bates explained, “probably the freshest coffee you’ll ever have.”

“We shoot for creamy, luxurious foam and milk, and, of course, the best shots possible,” said Bates.

The menu here is simple and classic. Menu options include all day breakfast, salads, paninis, burgers and tuna melts.

“It’s your favorite things,” said Bates. “We try to stay more on the healthy side. Pancakes are always whole wheat, turkey bacon and turkey sausage are our defaults.”

But none of the healthy ingredients cut back on flavor. I tried the Coby Cobb Salad made with roasted rosemary chicken, egg, iceberg lettuce, red onion, bacon, blue cheese, feta, green pepper, avocado, and tomatoes, topped with lemon vinaigrette. This is an almost overwhelming parade of flavors, but they compliment each other surprisingly well.

The stronger ingredients, such as the sharp and tangy blue cheese and feta and strong rosemary flavor of the chicken, are mellowed out by the cool and refreshing lemon vinaigrette, crunchy green peppers and iceberg lettuce. The red onion adds a slight spice, the avocado a mild creaminess. And, of course, thick, smoky bits of bacon are always a plus.

I can never turn down a breakfast burrito on any menu and was excited to see that the one at Mac’s Landing includes avocado and chipotle mayo. The burrito is a sundried tomato wrap packed with light, fluffy eggs, stringy mozzarella, and something the cafe calls “paprika hash,” which is made up of potatoes roasted with peppery and almost sweet seasoning, neither too dry nor too soft.

The avocado and eggs go amazingly well together, and the two are almost indistinguishable, giving the eggs a noticeable creaminess. The chipotle mayo adds a spicy and smokey flavor, as does the huge chunks of bacon (again, always good).

The breakfast burrito comes with a small pile of walnuts, dried cranberries, and fresh strawberries. I was skeptical - fruit and nuts with an egg-and-potato dish? Turns out the pretty garnish is also a sweet and refreshing way to clean your palate after a heavy meal.

Or, if you want to go for a real dessert, the pastries are from the famously delicious Choice Market, baked at Dough on Franklin and Lafayette (way to keep it local, Mac’s!).

Act quickly, and visit Mac's Landing during Bed-Stuy Alive! week for a free cup of fresh coffee with your meal!