Akhtar Nawab is an acclaimed chef, restaurateur, and author known for his innovative approach to Mexican cuisine and his significant contributions to the New York City dining scene. He is the owner of multiple...
Insights
ItalianPizzaIndianMediterraneanVegan-friendlySeafoodUpscaleDinnerCasualWine Bar
Last updated: 6/30/2026, 4:15:25 AM
Key Information
Wayward Fare is a delicious Italian trattoria, led by Chef Akhtar Nawab, nestled in the heart of Brooklyn's Prospect Heights neighborhood. It offers a warm, modern, and inviting ambiance, highlighted by an illuminating wood oven. The restaurant is known for its seasonally inspired Italian dishes with globally influenced flavors, an excellent happy hour, and thoughtful touches like complimentary welcome and closing drinks.
Customer Perception
Customers consistently praise Wayward Fare for its high-quality, creative dishes and attentive, friendly service. Many describe the food as fantastic and impressive, with some calling it a 'Michelin-star caliber experience'. The ambiance is frequently noted as warm, inviting, and sleek. The cocktail and wine lists are also highly regarded, including zero-proof options. While overwhelmingly positive, one review mentioned a crudo dish being 'borderline bland'.
Additional Details
Located in the vibrant Prospect Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, Wayward Fare provides outdoor seating options. The menu is designed to bring people together, offering a globe-trotting culinary experience that is ambitious without being pretentious.
The restaurant offers a popular Happy Hour Monday through Friday from 4 pm to 6:30 pm, available at the bar, dining area, and outdoor cafe. Dinner service is also highly recommended.
This is a great neighborhood spot serving high-quality food inspired by Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. The service here is excellent, and all the servers, especially Steven, are friendly and attentive. Their cocktails are good, but their wine list is even better. I love that they offer a welcome drink and closing drink, either with alcohol or zero-proof, as a way to bookend the meal. Their bread and antipasti platter is one of my favorite things to get. The bread is fluffy, and their dips are always good. The grilled king prawns and the branzino are also my favorites.
Dinner was fantastic. The chickpea crepes & pecorino fondue with hazelnut thyme honey, pomegranate, molasses was one of the best dishes I have had. Done incredibly well. I was very impressed. The bronzino, king prawns, and tagliatelli were all wonderfully done as well. I highly reccomend this restaurant. I’m very tough on Italian restaurants. I find most lazy. These dishes really impressed me. Please check them out!
5
I came to Wayward Fare with a group of friends for dinner, and we loved it. The interior is sleek and modern, but warm and welcoming at the same time. The illuminating wood oven at the back set the tone for our evening: the atmosphere was warm and inviting, service was friendly, and food was great.
First off, they hand an excellent happy hour with 2 cocktails for $10, including the excellent Olive Branch[1], and $8 wood-fired bread plus an antipasto with choice of eggplant (with roasted peppers, black garlic, and walnuts), black lentil hummus (with black truffle and herb purée), and whipped cured lardo (with pink peppercorn). The 2 choices of pizza (bianca and amatriciana) are a great option to share.
The cocktail list holds its own beyond happy hour: four negroni variations, a molasses-and-bitters Figment, an espresso martini available with tequila or vodka, and a rotating spritz selection[2]. AND a choice of 4 zero-proof cocktails for $14. The wine options include Vermentino, which is a white wine variety I absolutely love[3].I think I just found my favorite HH spot in Brooklyn...
For starters, we shared the crudo with hamachi, ajo blanco, cucumber, black lime, tamarind-tomato water). The presentation was beautiful, and the dish was very delicate in taste, borderline bland. Perhaps it needed some more seasoning.
The housemade tagliatelle with shrimp, preserved lemon, and bottarga (I love bottarga!) were bright and briny; just excellent.
The gnocchi alla romana with vadouvan curry, sweet potato, and parmesan was equally great.
The special uni spaghetti with black ink was amazing. I love both uni and squid/cuttlefish ink pasta, so I HAD to try this dish. Order it if it's on that night
The branzino filet with baharat spice, garlic-herb vinaigrette, cherry tomatoes was perfectly cooked and super-tasty.
For dessert, we shared the freshly-made bread pudding with toffee caramel and olive oil chocolate gelato. A perfect finish to a fantastic meal.
Wayward Fare is the kind of neighborhood restaurant that's genuinely hard to find: ambitious without being pretentious, globe-trotting without being unfocused. And perfect for any occasion: a meeting with friends, a date, or even a business dinner.
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[1] vodka, gin, Cocchi, olive oil.
[2] $15 spritz with 3 choices: classic, nysa, and Tropez.
[3] Highly underrated, Vermentino is hard to fin at restaurants and wine shops alike.
5
I had the pleasure of dining at Wayward Fare and I’m still raving about it! This new gem in Brooklyn effortlessly combines outstanding culinary creativity with impeccable service. It’s truly a Michelin-star caliber experience in every sense.
The ambiance is warm and inviting, with a perfect balance of modern elegance and cozy charm. But what truly steals the show is the food. Every dish is a work of art, crafted with attention to detail and an adventurous twist on familiar flavors.
I have to highlight the prawns—absolutely divine. The oysters were fresh, briny, and perfectly complemented by a delicate mignonette. And the squash dish? It was nothing short of extraordinary. The balance of flavors and textures was a true testament to the chef’s skill, with each element enhancing the next.
Service was equally exceptional, with staff who were knowledgeable, attentive, and passionate about the menu. From the moment we walked in, we were made to feel like honored guests.
Wayward Fare is a standout. It’s the kind of place you’ll want to return to again and again for both the food and the experience. I can’t recommend it highly enough!
5
Absolutely phenomenal! Was lucky enough to try several dishes across the menu, and was blown away by everything. Some must try's were the steak, the tartare, and king prawns, but a true show stopper was the wood-fired bread and mezze to start, my favorite being the Haleem style paté. From the food, friendly staff, and ambiance, it was a perfect night!
