A new ALL DAY restaurant in Greenpoint

aims to offer a moment of long breakfasts, lunch, and dinner menus that makes it worth returning to. Sereneco opened in late September in Greenpoint, owner Billy Van Dolsen hopes to begin the venture on a tranquil frequency.

After years of working in hospitality, Van Dolsen also became a certified meditation instructor before signing the lease at 113 Franklin Street.

“I got into meditation as a way of handling stress and pressure and the intensity of hospitality.”

”And it kind of carried over into when I was planning on opening a restaurant, thinking about the intensity and pressure that comes with opening a restaurant and the importance of the management team and owner setting an example.””

— Sereneco Owner Billy Van Dolsen

The restaurant seats 70 in a corner spot that is bright and airy, with a 13-seat white oak bar, high ceilings and an abundance of sunshine beaming through the skylight and big windows.

“The Overall feel and what I wanted to build with the restaurant has been pretty similar {to 2018}, but to me, in my experience opening restaurants with other people, I prefer to see the space, feel the neighborhood, and then kind of tailor and alter the concept and offerings, and even possibly the meal periods that you’re open based on what would be most well-received in the neighborhood.””

— Billy Van Dolsen

Based on some neighborhood research that Van Dolsen did, he says that locals wanted a spot that opened a little earlier than the nearby norm. Sereneco offers take out as early as 7:30am. Casual sit-down breakfast and lunch will be available from 9am to 3pm, then a service break before dinner at 5:30pm.

The restaurant also wanted to create a menu that guests won't get tired of, with ingredients sourced from local vendors like Greenpoint Fish & Lobster Co. "When Dennis and I talked about what we wanted to create with the dinner menu it was to make it really approachable and to make it a place you could find something if you came multiple times a week or 5 times a month where you could find multiple things on the menu that you want," Van Dolsen says.

Dennis comes from a fine-dining background and pays a lot of attention to detail to each meal. For example, if you read the roasted chicken description on the menu, it's pretty clear what you are going to get on the plate. When you get it, it tastes special and presented in a special way and it's cooked very well. The idea is to execute dishes extremely well and consistently have items that are approachable for everybody.

Van Dolsen's other certification includes being a sommelier. The beverage program is largely wine-focused. A play on classic cocktails and also a variety of gin and tonics inspired by his trips to Barcelona.

Van Dolsen's goal is to keep the menu simple, straightforward, and recognizable. He wants the food to be special — and also be the best version of that dish you've ever had.