To eat in Brooklyn—the stuff that dreams are made of…
Welcome to Italy
You got ya two kinds of Italian places in Brooklyn—the old ones and the new ones. And, with a few notable exceptions, the new ones are waaay better than the old ones. A few exceptions—Ferdinando’s (Map 8) for killer Sicilian (no pun intended), Queen (Map 5) for classic white-linen Italian, and Joe’s of Avenue U (Eastern Brooklyn) for buffet-style. But for daily life in the 21st Century, almost every nabe in BK has got it goin’ on—so check out Acqua Santa (Map 2) in Williamsburg, Locanda Vini & Olii (Map 6) in Clinton Hill, Al Di La (Map 9) in Park Slope, Po (Map 8) and Frankie’s 457 (Map 8) in Carroll Gardens, The Good Fork (Map 8) in Red Hook, Bocca Lupo (Map 8) in Cobble Hill, Scopello (Map 6) in Fort Greene, and The Tuscany Grill (Map 14) in Bay Ridge. Trust us—any one of these “new” joints will make you feel quite close to the old country.
Liberté, égalité, fraternité!
In case you thought that the other great cuisine of the world was underrepresented, think again. There is pretty much at least one, if not more than one, French response to the Italian options above—so be sure and check out Belleville (Map 9) in Park Slope, Quercy (Map 8) and Bar Tabac (Map 8) in Cobble Hill, Chez Oskar (Map 6) and Chez Lola (Map 6) in Fort Greene, Le Petite Marche (Map 5) in Brooklyn Heights, Petit Oven (Map 14) in Bay Ridge, Pomme de Terre (Map 13) in Ditmas Park, and Fada (Map 2) and Juliette (Map 2) in Williamsburg.
The Rest of the World
The entire world’s ethnic make-up is represented in Brooklyn, somewhere or other. Fortunately this translates into an abundance of food choices—from the great Mexican at Alma (Map 8) in Carroll Gardens West to the extremely simple and unpretentious Middle Eastern Bedouin Tent (Map 8) on Smith Street. And then, everything else…Michelin-starred Ki Sushi (Map 8), Madiba (South African, Map 6); Lomzynianka (Polish, Map 1); Convivium Osteria (Portuguese, Map 9); Thomas Beisl (Austrian, Map 6); Joya (Thai, Map 8); Nyonya (Malaysian, Map 11); Kush (African, Map 6); Pacificana (Dim Sum Chinese, Map 11); La Maison de Couscous (Moroccan, Map 14), Sheep Station (Australian Map 8); Tacos Matamoros (Map 11), etc…
The Unquestionably Hip
While we know that what is “hip” tends to change with the wind, there are some places that we’d like to call out as useful for when your Manhattan friends deign to come to Brooklyn and think they’re going to eat at some sort of craphole diner. The following places should shut their damned hole(s): in Williamsburg, Zenkichi (Map 2), Diner (Map 2), and Dressler (Map 2). In Bushwick, Northeast Kingdom (Map 4). In Vinegar Hill, the Vinegar Hill House (Map 5). In Brooklyn Heights, Jack the Horse (Map 5). In BoCoCa, Char No. 4 (Map 7), Po (Map 7), and Buttermilk Channel (Map 7). In Fort Greene, The General Greene (Map 6) and No. 7 (Map 6). In Clinton Hill, Locanda Vini & Olii(Map 6). And in Park Slope, Flatbush Farm (Map 9) and, of course, Blue Ribbon (Map 9). That should shut them up.
The Pizza War
You just can’t beat Brooklyn for pizza, although trying to come to some sort of consensus as to which is the “best” is beyond impossible. Newcomers to check out are Motorino (Map 3) in East Williamsburg, voted #1 by Frank Bruni in the New York Times, South Brooklyn Pizza (Map 8) in Carroll Gardens, and hip Roberta’s (Map 3) on the Bushwick border. The classics in each neighborhood include Grimaldi’s (Map 5) in Brooklyn Heights (always top-rated by Zagat), the utterly fresh+brilliant Franny’s (Map 9) in Park Slope/Prospect Heights, Totonnos (p. 136) in Coney Island (the thinnest thin-crust of them all), DiFaras (Map 16) in Midwood (see Dominic DeMarco take the pizzas out of the oven with his bare hands), Lucali (Map 8) in Carroll Gardens, and the furthest out there of them all, L&B Spumoni Gardens (Eastern Brooklyn) in Bensonhurst (get the Sicilian).
Where Everyone Knows Your Name
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but there just happen to be a few places in each nabe that are simply cool, friendly places to go to. The Hope & Anchor (Map 8) is close to the top of this list (that’s three Red Hook mentions so far for those of you counting at home), followed closely by Tom’s (Map 9) in Prospect Heights, DuMont (Map 2) in Williamsburg, Northeast Kingdom (Map 4) in Bushwick, and Sherwood Café (Map 8) in Carroll Gardens. Insert your own here:________.
Our Favorite Restaurants
Again, just a few picks to stir things up: Applewood (Map 9)—slow food comes to Brooklyn; Blue Ribbon (Map 9)—surely you didn’t think we’d forget; Stone Park Café (Map 9)—any place with marrow is a friend of ours; Relish (Map 2)—cool in every possible aspect of the word; Bar Tabac (Map 8)—solid French food that never lets you down; Convivium Osteria (Map 9)—one of the best interiors (especially the basement) this side of the Atlantic; Henry’s End (Map 5)—elk chops + Samuel Smith’s Nut Brown Ale = Bliss; Fette Sau (Map 2)—its killer bare-bones BBQ is worth the wait, newcomer Vinegar Hill House (Map 5) —possibly the best cast-iron chicken on the planet; and, of course, Peter Luger (Map 2)—the best steak this world has ever seen. And the best spinach. And the best potatoes. And…you get the point.
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Thursday, April 12, 2012
Posted By:
Alisha Miranda
Photo:
Alisha Miranda
Beso
Bed-Stuy does it again. This time, it's a kiss from the Caribbean at Lewis Avenue's newest restaurant, Beso. I don't get to eat much of my favorite Spanish dishes so when I heard Beso opened its doors, I wanted to revisit those Latin flavors. To my pleasant surprise, Beso fed me well: arepas with shredded and stewed beef plus a trio of tostadas layered with black beans, queso fresco, and bacalao (cod fish) were our start to the meal. Delicious, familiar, and enough to be a meal on their own. Next up: grilled skirt steak for two - juicy and served medium topped with chimichurri and a side of fried potatoes. For dessert, we kept it simple - chocolate cake. The dinner was familiar and exciting, as I pieced together ingredients and flavors I grew up with and more recently have come to love.
And the drinks are NOT to be played with: served to the brim and packed with a punch. Order wisely.
Look out for Beso to make its mark in the neighborhood this spring.
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Thursday, August 18, 2011
Posted By:
Alisha Miranda
Photo:
Alisha Miranda
SUD
Southern Italian enthusiasts have found a new home in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. SUD offers a small, seasonal menu that makes for a perfect date night out as summer heats up. Forget the pretentious plates and attitude, SUD is friendly and its straight-from-Italy owner is passionate about introducing his cuisine to new stomachs. You'll find a versatile group of customers packing the tables--from girlfriends tasting the wine and cheese plates, to whole families sharing main courses--SUD makes everyone here feel like you're having dinner at home. Not to mention the interior decor is stunning and their outdoor patio is rustic with home-grown herbs and veggies. Make room for your next Sunday evening out at SUD, and be sure to impress someone special.
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Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Posted By:
Alisha Miranda
Photo:
Alisha Miranda
Umi Nom
For an Asian cuisine newbie like me, Umi Nom looked like a fair introduction to fusion. Tucked under a rusty LAUNDROMAT sign, Umi Nom brings tapas-style Filipino meals to Bed-Stuy. It's a perfect spot to have group dinners as their menu offers a number of yummy plates to share like crispy wings, marinated grilled pork chops, everyone's favorite pad thai, and bbq ribs. Here, you'll need to make extra room for drinks and desserts as well.
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Thursday, August 04, 2011
Posted By:
Alisha Miranda
Photo:
Clay Williams
Dough
Nothing says an afternoon sugar rush like taking a bite out of one of Dough's donuts. Giving a whole new meaning to sticky fingers, these donuts are about the size of your head and fuel those sweet tooth cravings just by looks alone. I often come here on weekend afternoons to indulge in a selfish summer time snack, so far I've learned that arriving just before closing (4 pm) scores you some free extra donuts and sitting time with the owner. I highly recommend ordering a tasting plate of whichever donuts are that day's special but nothing beats some classic glazed ones and an iced coffee!
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Thursday, July 14, 2011
Posted By:
Dawn Hoffman
Photo:
Dawn Hoffman
Sam's Restaurant
That's the sign that greets customers as they enter Sam's
Restaurant Pizzeria. For a place that has existed for over 80 years (it
opened in 1930), Sam's has remained surprisingly under-the-radar making
it a great alternative should waits at near-by Lucali be too long. Dimly
lit with vinyl, red booths, and red and white checkered tablecloths,
Sam's attracts a mix of Cobble Hill originals and recently transplanted
post grads. Pies are solid with a saucy, tomato base and a generous
helping of cheese--a greasy alternative to the prosciutto-arugula
Neapolitan pies that have dominated the New York pizza scene as of late.
The restaurant also has an enormous menu dedicated to red sauce
favorites like baked ziti and chicken cacciatore as well as a Mad
Men-esque cocktail list (Rusty Nails, Sidecars, and Stingers are just a
few of the drinks offered). Service moves at a leisurely pace and can be
either friendly or gruff depending on whether Brooklyn Lou, the
restaurant's owner/waiter/bartender, likes you. Those looking for a
taste of old-school Brooklyn would be remiss to not pay a visit. As to
be expected, this joint is cash only.
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