A Downtown Brooklyn Gathering Place Rooted in Hospitality
Walk into Peaches Prime at 590 Fulton Street on any given evening and you’ll find more than a dinner crowd. Neighbors greet one another at the bar; couples linger over cocktails before a show, and the room hums with conversation. It’s polished, but not stuffy—and that balance is intentional.
Peaches Prime is part of the Peaches Hospitality Group’s Peaches family, founded by longtime collaborators Ben Grossman and Craig Samuel, alongside Chef and Partner Damian Laverty-McDowell. The restaurant opened in Downtown Brooklyn in 2022, but its story—and its relationship to the neighborhood—began nearly twodecades earlier.
From Kitchen Colleagues to Community Builders
Grossman and Samuel first met in 1996 while working in Manhattan kitchens, where Craig was a sous chef and Ben a young line cook eager to learn. What began as a professional relationship quickly turned into a lasting friendship rooted in shared values: hard work, respect for the craft, and a desire to grow beyond the line.
After years of working together, the pair opened their first restaurant, The Smoke Joint, in Fort Greene in 2006. Laverty-McDowell joined the team early on, becoming the first employee of what would eventually become the Peaches Hospitality Group and, years later, a partner.
Today, the group includes four Peaches restaurants, each with its own personality but a shared foundation.
L-R: Chef and Partner, Damian Laverty-McDowell; Founders + Partners, Ben Grossman and Craig Samuel, in front of a portrait of Peaches.
The Meaning Behind “Peaches”
The name Peaches is deeply personal. Each restaurant features a portrait of Peaches herself, Samuel’s wife’s grandmother, whose warmth and generosity continue to shape the group’s philosophy.
“She represents hospitality in its purest form,” Samuel says. “The way we welcome guests, treat our staff, and show up for the community all comes back to that.”
While menus across the restaurants are largely consistent, each location offers a distinct experience. Peaches Prime is the most elevated of the group—a place for crafted cocktails, pre-theater dinners, and special occasions—without losing the comfort that defines the brand.
Why Downtown Brooklyn
Though Peaches Prime feels like a new spot, the team sees it as a homecoming that places them deeper into Downtown Brooklyn’s cultural core, surrounded by institutions like BAM, BRIC, TFANA, the Brooklyn Paramount, and Barclays Center.
“This neighborhood has grown around us,” Samuel says. “But we still see the same guests we met on day one. We’ve watched their kids grow up and now those kids come in on their own.”
The restaurant’s location makes it a natural gathering place before and after performances, while also serving the growing residential community nearby. “We love watching a show let out and seeing people walk straight into the restaurant.”
The Menu and the Experience
Peaches Prime’s menu reflects the group’s philosophy: familiar dishes executed with care and intention. Guests will find everything from raw oysters and steak frites to roasted chicken and handmade pastas, food that feels comforting but considered.
“We want this to be a place where you can celebrate something special,” Grossman explains, “but also somewhere you feel comfortable stopping in on a Tuesday night.”
Whether guests settle in for a full dinner, gather at the bar for cocktails, or pop in for a quick bite before a show, the experience is meant to feel welcoming and unpretentious—an extension of home.
Favorite Menu Items
Ask the partners what to order, and the answers come with stories.
Grossman points to the oxtail fettuccine, Peaches Prime’s top-selling dish. Made with fresh handmade pasta and a slow-braised oxtail sauce, it blends Caribbean and Southern flavors into a rich, comforting plate meant for lingering.
Samuel’s favorite is the octopus, slow-braised and grilled, served with roasted potatoes, kale, and a vibrant harissa. It’s a subtle nod to North African flavors and one of the menu’s most thoughtful dishes.
Laverty-McDowell highlights the PSC fish sandwich, a Brooklyn classic consisting of a whiting fillet, fried crisp and served on a brioche bun with house-made slaw, pickles, onions, and tartar sauce. It pays tribute to a neighborhood staple while refining it for today’s diners.
PSC Fish Sandwich
Oxtail Fettuccine
Looking Ahead
At its core, Peaches Prime is about connection. The team hopes guests see it as a place they can return to again and again—whether for a milestone celebration or a simple glass of wine.
“This is your living room. Come in, warm up, and enjoy yourself.”
Looking ahead, plans include launching lunch service in early spring, expanding outdoor seating, and continuing to build relationships in a rapidly growing neighborhood.
“There are new neighbors moving in every day,” Samuel notes. “We want to meet them all. That’s how community grows.”
Building on nearly two decades in the neighborhood, Peaches Prime carries forward the Peaches Hospitality Group’s long-standing commitment to hospitality, welcoming neighbors, celebrating milestones, and creating a place people want to return to.
