A new pub house guided by the ethos of London’s enduring public houses opened its doors in Prospect Heights, where Brooklynites can enjoy martini flights with their wild boar sausage rolls.
The Vaux Social, located at 570 Vanderbilt Ave., offers classic American and British comfort dishes with a modern twist. Dishes include pani puri tuna tartare, house-made onion fritters prepared in the style of a bhaji, and a burger, alongside steak frites au poivre, crab and shrimp toasties, pickle tempura, and shrimp risotto.
The space is owned by Gold Duck Hospitality and sits on the Vanderbilt Avenue strip alongside several other popular restaurants. This pub, however, offers an elevated flair, perfect for brunch or an early dinner, solo or with friends.
"Prospect Heights chose us as much as we chose it,” executives from Gold Duck Hospitality said in a statement. “It gave us the perfect corner to build the modern public house we envisioned—a place where families can drop in for brunch, friends can meet for after-work martinis, artists can settle in during the day, and locals can end the night with dessert and drinks after a show."
The group said they tried to capture the area's vibe.
"There’s a real rhythm and history here, and we built The Vaux to match that energy—classic, welcoming, a little rebellious, and always ready for a martini," the executives said.
The menu is executed by Raymond Mohan, a chef with Guyanese roots. He is also the owner of Lolo’s On The Water, an island-style BBQ restaurant in Manhattan.
The martini mocktail float, with espresso, mashed green grapes and a nonalcoholic gin, was light and paired well with appetizers.
Food prices on the day menu range from $12 - $50, and includes classic dishes like pastrami, hash and eggs ($18) and signature dishes like the Vaux Burger ($19), a beef burger with American cheese, onions and pickles that can be served alongside truffle fries for an additional charge.
The spinach and artichoke dip is a popular starter. The dip is accompanied by homemade pita chips, adding the perfect amount of crunch to the warm, gooey dish.
There's also an in-house pastry program that operates from a secondary kitchen housed in the building’s historic carriage house. Known as The Dessert Den, the offerings include sticky toffee pudding, seasonal crostata, and chocolate mousse topped with airy white clouds, alongside homemade croissants, biscuits and banana breads to share.
A brunch highlight was the french toast with caramelized labneh and blueberries ($15). The double challah-bread french toast was warm on the inside with crispy edges and was paired with the restaurant's crispy smashed potatoes ($6) and pork sausage ($6), making it a great meal to start the day.
The Vaux Social is open on Thursday to Sunday, 4:30pm - 9:30pm, with brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am to 3:00pm.
