Casa Verde Opens at 540 Fulton: Chef Ana Morales Serves Oaxacan Flavors to Downtown Brooklyn

• Casa Verde opened June 18 at 540 Fulton Street in Downtown Brooklyn.
• Chef Ana Morales draws from her Oaxaca roots for the menu.
• Opening night saw over 100 guests, including Council Member Crystal Hudson.

Chef Ana Morales is betting her brand of Oaxacan cooking will stand out on a block better known for Chase branches than mole negro. Morales, who moved to Brooklyn from Oaxaca in 2012, told NYC Pulse at Tuesday’s opening, “I want people to taste the food I grew up eating, not just tacos and margaritas.” Casa Verde’s specialty is tlayudas—a sort of Oaxacan pizza—alongside smoky mole with chicken, and a mezcal cocktail list featuring local Bushwick distillers.

Downtown Brooklyn’s food landscape has shifted fast since Alamo Drafthouse opened two blocks away last year, and Morales sees opportunity in the neighborhood’s mix of NYU students, Fulton Mall shoppers, and longtime residents from nearby Fort Greene and Boerum Hill. “We’re already seeing folks stop by before BAM shows or after work,” she said. The restaurant serves lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch, with appetizers starting at $9.

The 540 Fulton address once held a Popeyes, but the new Casa Verde interior is a riot of green tiles and Zapotec textiles, with an open kitchen and Oaxacan pottery on the walls. On opening night, Council Member Crystal Hudson praised the “fresh energy” and Morales’s “labor of love.” Reservations for this week are filling up fast, with several weekend slots already waitlisted on Resy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly is Casa Verde located?

Casa Verde is located at 540 Fulton Street, between Flatbush Avenue and Duffield Street, in Downtown Brooklyn. The restaurant is close to Nevins Street and Jay St–MetroTech subway stations, easily accessible by the 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, and F lines.

What’s on Casa Verde’s menu?

Chef Ana Morales’s menu highlights Oaxacan specialties like mole negro with chicken, tlayudas, tamales wrapped in banana leaves, and mezcal cocktails. The kitchen also features rotating market specials from Morales’s family recipes. Prices range from $9 to $26 per plate.

Who is Chef Ana Morales?

Chef Ana Morales was born in Oaxaca, Mexico, and has worked in Brooklyn kitchens since arriving in New York in 2012. Casa Verde is her first solo project after stints at Claro and Oxomoco. Morales brings family recipes and a hyper-local Oaxacan focus to Casa Verde’s kitchen.