Williamsburg - Not For Tourists Guide to New York City - Not For Tourists

Not For Tourists Guide to New York City - Not For Tourists (2016)

Map 29. Williamsburg

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Neighborhood Overview

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Map 29

You’ve probably already made up your mind about Williamsburg, but let’s be honest, there is always something that brings you back to this hipsturbia on the river. Are the throngs of younguns “struggling” to make rent eight times the national median obnoxious? Sure. Is your mind blown by three-hour waits at ineffectually staffed no-reservation restaurants that sell “appetizers” like “bread and butter”? Whose isn’t? But do a handful of blocks around Bedford and North 7th have enough excellent restaurants, unique shops, live music, bowling alleys, enviable parks, real bookstores, and record stores for God’s sake to make the rest of us schmos salivate at what our own neighborhoods can’t possibly offer? Sadly, yes. Which is when you find yourself squeezing onto the L or the B62 with everyone else who knows the same to be true.

The hulking steel towers of the Williamsburg Bridge (1903), long before the L came to be, connected the working class neighborhoods of Brooklyn with jobs in Manhattan. Before the bridge there was the Grand Street Ferry, which departed from the end of Grand Street. That spot is now taken up by the scrappy and pleasant Grand Ferry Park, which was one of the few parcels of waterfront open to the public during the area’s industrial heyday.

The East River of today bears the fruit of Bloomberg-era rezoning in the form of gleaming high-rise rentals and condos and a manicured waterfront. East River State Park, reclaimed from the weeds and still slightly rustic around the edges, is a sunny, sometimes a little too sunny, spot along the river. On summer weekends, the park hosts all manner of fairs and events. Even after the tents and tables are gone, however, East River State Park is definitely worth a weekly trip; the picnic tables at the river’s edge are one of the best spots in Brooklyn to gawk at that gorgeous skyline and a killer sunset. A few blocks away is Brooklyn Brewery. Brooklyn branded long before Brooklyn was a brand, only a small portion of its beer is actually brewed on site (the bottles, for example, come from Utica), though this spiritual home has anchored Williamsburg’s identity since the late 1990s.

Just down the street from Brooklyn Brewery at the northern end of Williamsburg sits McCarren Park, with its 35 acres of ball fields, dog runs, and gardens where residents of every stripe convene when the sun is out. Although not the nicest looking park in the city, or even the neighborhood, there’s an anarchic spirit to the park that’s hard to resist, from the infantilizing children’s games being played by aging cool hunters to the pick-up softball, basketball, and soccer on dirt patches and concrete fields to the steady stream of low-key craft-film-food-music events that fill up the weekend docket during the summer; it’s a park that is well used and not fussed over, unlike some of the bigger, newer, “nicer” parks. McCarren Pool, shuttered for decades, reopened as an actual pool and recreation center in 2012, and as such is a state-of-the-art year-round facility.

Stretching south from McCarren Park is Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg’s main thoroughfare, full of shops, bars, boutiques, and activity. The Bedford Avenue L station at North 7th Street functions as a sort of millennial wave pool, casting shoals of young people into the hip thick as frequently as communications-based train control can allow. Williamsburg’s excesses ease the farther south and east you move from here. Along Metropolitan Avenue to the south is City Reliquary, a clever little (literally little) museum filled with New York City artifacts and historical tidbits, and a great way to connect with pre-gentrified Williamsburg. The south side of Williamsburg, especially south of Broadway, where stately Peter Luger has served steak since 1887, is one of the city’s largest and most established Hasidic neighborhoods. During the Bloomberg era the issue of bike lanes along Bedford Avenue became controversial when members of the Hasidic community objected to the idea of supposedly scantily clad (or at least less clad than they’re used to) cyclists riding through their neighborhood.

Williamsburg

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Map 29

image Landmarks

✵ Bedford L Train Station ✵

Bedford St & N 7th St

Williamsburg’s epicenter.

✵ Brooklyn Brewery ✵ 79 N 11th St [Wythe Ave]

718-486-7422

Connect with your beer by witnessing its birth; free samples also encourage closeness.

✵ City Reliquary ✵

370 Metropolitan Ave [Havemeyer St]

718-782-4842

Artifacts from New York’s vast and rich history.

✵ East River State Park ✵ Kent Ave & N 9th St

Swath of waterfront greenspace, Williamsburg style.

✵ Grand Ferry Park ✵ Grand St & River St

Ferry is gone. Park remains.

✵ McCarren Park ✵ Bedford Ave & N 12th St

Hipsters, Poles, and athletes unite!

✵ McCarren Park Pool ✵ Lorimer St & Bayard St

718-965-6580

Massive WPA-era pool and recreation center.

✵ Williamsburg Bridge ✵ Driggs St & S 5th St

Bridge of the chosen people—Jews and well-off hipsters.

image Coffee

✵ Black Brick ✵ 300 Bedford Ave [S 1st St]

718-384-0075

Cool exposed-brick-and-distressed-wood coffee hangout.

✵ Black Star Bakery ✵

595 Metropolitan Ave [Lorimer St]

718-782-0060

Oslo coffee and good croissants, too.

✵ Blue Bottle Coffee ✵ 160 Berry St [N 4th St]

718-387-4160

Bay Area masters with the long lines for pour overs.

✵ Caffe Capri ✵ 427 Graham Ave [Frost St]

718-383-5744

Classic café with incredible cannolis.

✵ Devocion ✵ 69 Grand St [Wythe Ave]

718-285-6180

Williamsburg via Colombia; emphasis on sourcing and fair trade.

✵ Gimme Coffee ✵ 495 Lorimer St [Powers St]

718-388-7771

Coffee genius from Ithaca comes to Brooklyn.

✵ Konditori ✵ 167 N 7th St [Bedford Ave]

347-529-4803

Cozy/packed mini-chain of Swedish coffeehouses.

✵ MatchaBar ✵ 93 Wythe Ave [N 10th St]

718-599-0015

Home of the Iced Vanilla Almond Matcha Latte.

✵ Momofuku Milk Bar ✵

382 Metropolitan Ave [Havemeyer St]

347-577-9504

Coffee and a bunch of other weird stuff.

✵ Oslo ✵ 133 Roebling St [N 4th St]

718-782-0332

Flagship store; coffee with attention to detail.

✵ Sweetleaf ✵ 135 Kent Ave [N 6th St]

347-725-4862

LIC-based West Coast bean importers share space with Realtor.

✵ Toby’s Estate ✵ 125 N 6th St [Berry St]

347-457-6155

Australian artisanal coffee powerhouse’s first US shop.

The legendary Knitting Factory, relocated from TriBeCa, symbolizes the shift away from Manhattan in the New York City music scene, joining Music Hall and Pete’s Candy Store in a target-rich environment. Even Brooklyn Bowl has a stage. After the show, head to Spuyten-Duyvil or Radegast for beers, The Richardson for a proper cocktail, or Barcade for 8-bit goodness.

image Farmers Markets

✵ Greenpoint/McCarren Park Greenmarket ✵ Union Ave & N 12th St [Driggs Ave]

Saturday, 8 am-3 pm, year-round.

✵ Williamsburg Greenmarket ✵ Broadway & Havemeyer St

Thursday, 8 am-4 pm, July-Nov.

image Nightlife

✵ The Abbey ✵ 536 Driggs Ave [N 8th St]

718-599-4400

Great jukebox and staff.

✵ Alligator Lounge ✵

600 Metropolitan Ave [Lorimer St]

718-599-4440

Ignore the decor, and enjoy the free brick oven pizza with your beer.

✵ Ba’sik ✵ 323 Graham Ave [Devoe St]

347-889-7597

Awesome cocktails this far East? Don’t tell them over in 11249.

✵ Barcade ✵ 388 Union Ave [Powers St]

718-302-6464

Paradise for ‘80s console champions and craft-beer guzzlers.

✵ Bembe ✵ 81 S 6th St [Berry St]

718-387-5389

Hookahville.

✵ Berry Park ✵ 4 Berry St [N 14th St]

718-782-2829

Williamburg’s best rooftop: great beer and plenty of skyline.

✵ Black Bear Bar ✵ 70 N 6th St [Wythe Ave]

917-538-8399

Bar in front, music in the back.

✵ Burnside ✵ 506 Grand St [Lorimer St]

347-889-7793

Midwestern-themed bar complete with brats and cheese curds.

✵ Charleston ✵ 174 Bedford Ave [N 7th St]

718-599-9599

Still going.

✵ Clem’s ✵ 264 Grand St [Roebling St]

718-387-9617

Classic narrow bar + drink specials = a neighborhood staple.

✵ D.O.C. ✵ 83 N 7th St [Wythe Ave]

718-963-1925

All-Italian wine list with upscale finger food.

✵ Daddy’s ✵ 435 Graham Ave [Frost St]

718-609-6388

Friendly hipster hideaway.

✵ Dram ✵ 177 S 4th St [Driggs Ave]

718-486-3726

NYC’s best cocktails that nobody knows about.

✵ Duff’s Brooklyn ✵ 168 Marcy Ave [Broadway]

718-599-2092

Heavy metal basement dive in the J train shadow.

✵ East River Bar ✵ 97 S 6th St [Berry St]

718-302-0511

Fun interior, patio, and live music.

✵ The Gibson ✵ 108 Bedford Ave [N 11th St]

718-387-6296

Quiet, classy Williamsburg bar.

✵ Greenpoint Tavern ✵

188 Bedford Ave [N 7th St]

718-384-9539

Cheap beer in Styrofoam cups.

✵ Hotel Delmano ✵ 82 Berry St [N 9th St]

718-387-1945

Classic cocktails. Great date spot.

✵ Huckleberry Bar ✵ 588 Grand St [Lorimer St]

718-218-8555

Solid cocktails, nice garden out back.

✵ The Ides Bar at Wythe Hotel ✵

80 Wythe Ave [N 11th St]

718-460-8004

Ridiculous city views (in a good way) for a chicster crowd.

✵ Iona ✵ 180 Grand St [Bedford Ave]

718-384-5008

Plenty of choices on tap.

✵ Jr. and Son ✵

575 Metropolitan Ave [Lorimer St]

Unabashedly hipster free.

✵ Knitting Factory Brooklyn ✵

361 Metropolitan Ave [Havemeyer St]

347-529-6696

Fifth-carbon of its former greatness.

✵ Larry Lawrence Bar ✵

295 Grand St [Havemeyer St]

718-218-7866

Laid-back bar with a lovely loft for smokers.

✵ The Levee ✵ 212 Berry St [Metropolitan Ave]

718-218-8787

Formerly Cokies, now a laid-back vibe with free cheese balls.

✵ Maison Premiere ✵

298 Bedford Ave [Grand St]

347-335-0446

Cocktails and oysters, New Orleans-style.

✵ Mugs Ale House ✵ 125 Bedford Ave [N 10th St]

718-486-8232

Surprisingly good food, great beer selection, cheap.

✵ Music Hall of Williamsburg ✵

66 N 6th St [Kent Ave]

212-260-4700

Brooklyn’s Bowery Ballroom; national acts.

✵ Nitehawk Cinema ✵

136 Metropolitan Ave [Berry St]

718-384-3980

Dinner, cocktails, and craft beer while you watch indie flicks.

✵ Pete’s Candy Store ✵

709 Lorimer St [Richardson St]

718-302-3770

Live music, trivia nights, awesome back room, and Scrabble.

✵ Post Office ✵ 188 Havemeyer St [S 4th St]

Get some cocktails and some perfectly-executed steak tartare.

✵ R Bar ✵ 451 Meeker Ave [Graham Ave]

718-486-6116

Locals call it “our bar.”

✵ Radegast Hall & Biergarten ✵

113 N 3rd St [Berry St]

718-963-3973

German beer hall with retractable roof. Only in Williamsburg.

✵ The Richardson ✵

451 Graham Ave [Richardson St]

718-389-0839

Proper cocktails and small plates served in the BQE’s shadow.

✵ The Shanty ✵ 79 Richardson St [Leonard St]

718-412-0874

Tasting room of local distillers, packed with all stars.

✵ Spuyten Duyvil ✵

359 Metropolitan Ave [Havemeyer St]

718-963-4140

Join the Belgian beer cult.

✵ This n’ That ✵ 108 N 6th St [Berry St]

718-599-5959

Lively gay bar with dancing and raunchy drag queens.

✵ The Trash Bar ✵ 256 Grand St [Roebling St]

718-599-1000

Punk rock, PBR, and free tater tots.

✵ Trophy Bar ✵ 351 Broadway [Keap St]

347-227-8515

Cool little bar under the elevated. Beware “skanks and thieves.”

✵ Turkey’s Nest Tavern ✵

94 Bedford Ave [N 12th St]

718-384-9774

Best dive in Williamsburg.

✵ Union Pool ✵ 484 Union Ave [Skillman Ave]

718-609-0484

Good starting point—or finishing point.

✵ The Woods ✵ 48 S 4th St [Wythe Ave]

Spacious non-hipster bar plus burgers, bacon, and tacos in back.

✵ Wythe Hotel ✵ 80 Wythe Ave [N 11th St]

718-460-8000

Home to rooftop bar The Ides, and hip restaurant Reynard.

For low-key, go for hipster fusion at Snacky. That said, don’t miss the dressed-up American spots: Walter Foods, Rye, and the more casual DuMont. For brunch (and believe us, we hesitate recommending brunch to anyone), Pates et Traditions has mouth-watering crepes. Carnivores must pay respects to Fette Sau and Peter Luger. If Luger didn’t empty your bank account, Zenkichi is another special dining experience.

image Restaurants

✵ Acqua Santa ✵ 556 Driggs Ave [N 7th St]

718-384-9695 $$

Bistro Italian—amazing patio.

✵ Anna Maria Pizza ✵ 179 Bedford Ave [N 7th St]

718-599-4550 $

A must after late-night drinking.

✵ Aurora ✵ 70 Grand St [Wythe Ave]

718-388-5100 $$$

Warm, friendly rustic Italian. Just about perfect.

✵ Baci & Abbracci ✵ 204 Grand St [Driggs Ave]

718-599-6599 $$

Old-world Italian in a modern setting.

✵ Bakeri ✵ 150 Wythe Ave [N 8th St]

718-388-8037 $$

Adorably Amish decor and hipster vibe. Excellent baked goods.

✵ Bamonte’s ✵ 32 Withers St [Union Ave]

718-384-8831 $$$

Historic Italian joint; mediocre food but a great space.

✵ Baoburg ✵ 126 N 6th St [Berry St]

718-782-1445 $$$

Delicious fusion, wings to die for.

✵ Bozu ✵ 296 Grand St [Havemeyer St]

718-384-7770 $$

Amazing Japanese tapas and sushi bombs.

✵ BrisketTown ✵ 359 Bedford Ave [S 4th St]

718-701-8909 $$$

Southside BBQ that’s a perfect lunch fix.

✵ The Brooklyn Star ✵

593 Lorimer St [Conselyea St]

718-599-9899 $$

Lovingly-presented southern classics from a Momofuku veteran.

✵ Cadaques ✵ 188 Grand St [Bedford Ave]

718-218-7776 $$$

Pricey but rich Catalonian tapas, flavorful brunch.

✵ Caracas Arepa Bar ✵

291 Grand St [Roebling St]

718-218-6050 $$

Arepas are to pupusas as crepes are to dosas.

✵ Cerveceria Havemeyer ✵

149 Havemeyer St [S 2nd St]

718-599-5799 $$

Delish Mex and you know, those drinks that start with “M.”

✵ Chimu ✵ 482 Union Ave [Conselyea St]

718-383-0045 $$$

Hopping Peruvian with giant drinks and fun vibe.

✵ The Commodore ✵

366 Metropolitan Ave [Havemeyer]

718-218-7632 $

Southern hipster cuisine. Good and cheap.

✵ Counting Room ✵ 44 Berry St [N 11th St]

718-599-1860

Gorgeous space. Great wine. Fine food.

✵ Delaware and Hudson ✵

135 N 5th St [Bedford Ave]

718-218-8191 $$$

Farm-to-table goodness and crab cakes hollandaise for brunch.

✵ DeStefano’s Steak House ✵

89 Conselyea St [Leonard St]

718-384-2836 $$$$

Fun old school steakhouse.

✵ Diner ✵ 85 Broadway [Berry St]

718-486-3077 $$

Amazing simple food like you’ve never tasted—never disappoints.

✵ Dokebi ✵ 199 Grand St [Driggs Ave]

718-782-1424 $$$

Cook your own Korean BBQ with tabletop hibachis.

✵ DuMont Burger ✵ 314 Bedford Ave [S 1st St]

718-384-6127 $$

The mini burger is even better proportioned than the original.

✵ Egg ✵ 135 N 5th St [Bedford Ave]

718-302-5151 $$

Organic breakfast and free range burgers.

✵ El Almacen ✵ 557 Driggs Ave [N 7th St]

718-218-7284 $$$

Buzzy Latin American. Give it a shot.

✵ Evil Olive Pizza Bar ✵ 198 Union Ave [5th St]

718-387-0707 $$

New York-style slices, bar in the back.

✵ Extra Fancy ✵

302 Metropolitan Ave [Roebling St]

347-422-0939 $$$

Extra good, extra pricey…extra everything, really.

✵ Fanny ✵ 425 Graham Ave [Withers St]

718-389-2060 $$

Cozy French bistro.

✵ Fat Goose ✵ 125 Wythe Ave [N 8th St]

718-963-2200 $$$

Locavore deliciousness a block up from East River State Park.

✵ The Federal Bar ✵

367 Metropolitan Ave [Havemeyer St]

718-388-8641 $$$

Lamb merquez corndogs and other delights.

✵ Fette Sau ✵

354 Metropolitan Ave [Roebling St]

718-963-3404 $$

Enjoy pounds of meat and casks of beer in a former auto-body repair shop.

✵ Frost Restaurant ✵ 193 Frost St [Graham Ave]

718-389-3347 $$

Piles of parm and a nightcap of ‘buca.

✵ The Grand Bar & Grill ✵ 647 Grand St [Manhattan Ave]

718-782-4726 $$$

Raw bar, burgers, and cocktails. A perfect plan.

✵ Grandma Rose’s ✵

457 Graham Ave [Meeker Ave]

718-389-1908 $$

Top-notch pizza and Italian hiding under the BQE.

✵ The Heyward ✵

258 Wythe Ave [Metropolitan Ave]

718-384-1990 $$$

The cuisine of Southernlandia.

✵ Jerry’s Pizza ✵ 649 Grand St [Manhattan Ave]

718-384-7680 $

Slices, heroes, and garlic knots.

✵ Juliette ✵ 135 N 5th St [Bedford Ave]

718-388-9222 $$

Northside bistro with rooftop deck.

✵ Kellogg’s Diner ✵

518 Metropolitan Ave [Union Ave]

718-782-4502 $

The ultimate diner/deli.

✵ La Locanda ✵ 432 Graham Ave [Withers St]

718-349-7800 $$

Fried calamari, chicken parm, and so forth.

✵ La Piazzetta ✵ 442 Graham Ave [Frost St]

718-349-1627 $$$

Family-style restaurant with Northern and Southern Italian dishes.

✵ La Superior ✵ 295 Berry St [S 2nd St]

718-388-5988 $$

Authentic Mexican street food.

✵ Le Barricou ✵ 533 Grand St [Union Ave]

718-782-7372 $$

Everyone’s all about the bouillabaisse.

✵ Lilia ✵ 567 Union Ave [N 10th St]

718-576-3095 $$$

Sunny upscale Italian in repurposed auto body shop.

✵ Llama Inn ✵ 50 Withers St [Meeker Ave]

718-387-3434 $$$

Elegant Peruvian, undoing ceviche/roasted chicken tropes.

✵ Lodge ✵ 318 Grand St [Havemeyer St]

718-486-9400 $$$

Great space. The Adirondacks in Brooklyn.

✵ Lorimer Market ✵

620 Lorimer St [Skillman Ave]

718-389-2691 $

Boffo Italian sandwiches.

✵ Mable’s Smokehouse & Banquet Hall ✵

44 Berry St [N 12th St]

718-218-6655 $$

Totally decent BBQ in hipster ambiance (babies at the bar!).

✵ Marlow & Sons ✵ 81 Broadway [Berry St]

718-384-1441 $$$

Oysters and beer, old timey-like—go for Happy Hour.

✵ Meadowsweet ✵ 149 Broadway [Bedford Ave]

718-384-0673 $$$$

Postmodern American in the old Dressler space. Nice.

✵ Mexico 2000 ✵ 367 Broadway [Keap St]

718-782-3797 $

Inner-bodega taco counter replete with Mexican soap operas.

✵ Moto ✵ 394 Broadway [Hooper St]

718-599-6895 $$

Triangular nook with horseshoe bar and comfort food.

✵ MP Taverna ✵ 470 Driggs Ave [N 11th St]

929-250-2312 $$$

Astoria Greek crosses Newtown Creek,

stops in Williamsburg.

✵ Northside Bakery ✵

149 N 8th St [Bedford Ave]

718-782-2700 $

Best Polish bakery this side of Greenpoint/Williamsburg. Perfect chocolate croissants.

✵ Nuovo Fiore ✵ 284 Grand St [Roebling St]

718-782-8222 $$

Rustic, delicious Italian at best-bargain-in-Williamsburg prices.

The Federal Bar is an import from LA featuring high-concept comfort cuisine. Lilia has been wowing diners with its elegant Italian in a former auto-body shop. Meanwhile, Llama Inn highlights Peruvian food’s true culinary qualities, and features the sort of haute deliciousness you might find in Miraflores. And MP Taverna is Michael Psilakis’ fantastic rendition of a classic Greek taverna.

✵ Okonomi ✵ 150 Ainslie St [Lorimer St]

718-302-0598 $$$

Photo-worthy bite-sized Japanese, with brekkie…

✵ Onomea ✵ 84 Havemeyer St [Havemeyer St]

347-844-9559 $$

Hawaiian cuisine lands in Williamsburg. Go for the poke.

✵ Pates et Traditions ✵

52 Havemeyer St [N 6th St]

718-302-1878 $$

Divine savory crepes, honestly worth the wait for brunch.

✵ Peter Luger Steak House ✵

178 Broadway [Driggs Ave]

718-387-7400 $$$$$

Best steak, potatoes, and spinach in this solar system.

✵ Pies ‘N’ Thighs ✵ 166 S 4th St [Driggs]

347-529-6090 $$

Comfortable, Southern-style where the chicken biscuits reign supreme.

✵ PT ✵ 331 Bedford Ave [S 3rd St]

718-388-7438 $$$

D.O.C.’s sophisticated older brother.

✵ re.union ✵ 544 Union Ave [Frost St]

718-599-3670 $$

Two shakshukas and then back to bed for us.

✵ Reynard ✵ 80 Wythe Ave [N 11th St]

718-460-8004 $$$

The Wythe Hotel’s in-house resto. It’s all good here.

✵ Roebling Tea Room ✵

143 Roebling St [Metropolitan Ave]

718-963-0760 $$$

Fancy tea eatery.

✵ Rye ✵ 247 S 1st St [Roebling St]

718-218-8047 $$$

Lush, lovely speakeasy (no sign!) that serves a mean meatloaf.

✵ Sal’s Pizzeria ✵ 544 Lorimer St [Devoe St]

718-388-6838 $$

Calzones, slices, heroes, and pastas.

✵ Santa Salsa ✵ 594 Union Ave [Richardson St]

347-683-2605 $$

Venezuelan hot dogs, parillas, and more.

✵ Sea ✵ 114 N 6th St [Berry St]

718-384-8850 $$

Outshines its Manhattan counterpart.

✵ Snacky ✵ 187 Grand St [Bedford Ave]

718-486-4848 $

Kitschy.

✵ St Anselm ✵

355 Metropolitan Ave [Havemeyer St]

718-384-5054 $$$

We have no reservations about this sizzling steak spot.

✵ Sweetwater ✵ 105 N 6th St [Berry St]

718-963-0608 $$

Just a cozy bar with nice bistro food.

✵ Tabare ✵ 221 S 1st St [Roebling]

347-335-0187 $$

Authentic Uruguayan food serving delicious family recipes.

✵ Taj Kabab & Curry ✵ 568 Grand St [Lorimer St]

718-782-1722 $$

Cheap takeout and delivery.

✵ Teddy’s Bar and Grill ✵ 96 Berry St [N 8th St]

718-384-9787 $

Best bar food ever. Hipster and Polish locals unite.

✵ Traif ✵ 229 S 4th St [Havemeyer St]

347-844-9578 $$$

Small plates brilliance under the Williamsburg Bridge. Go.

✵ Walter Foods ✵ 253 Grand St [Roebling St]

718-387-8783 $$$

Spiffed-up American classics in a warmly lit bistro.

✵ Yola’s Café ✵

524 Metropolitan Ave [Union Ave]

718-486-0757 $

Terrific, authentic Mexican in a claustrophobic atmosphere.

✵ Zenkichi ✵ 77 N 6th St [Wythe Ave]

718-388-8985 $$

Amazing izakaya suitable for a tryst.

image Shopping

✵ 10 Ft. Single by Stella Dallas ✵

285 N 6th St [Meeker Ave]

718-486-9482

Dress up like you’re in Dazed & Confused 2.

✵ A&G Merch ✵ 111 N 6th St [Berry St]

718-388-1779

A collection of utilitarian objects ranging from couches to candles.

✵ Academy Records Annex ✵

85 Oak St [Franklin St]

718-218-8200

Bins and bins of new and used LPs.

✵ Amarcord Vintage Fashion ✵

223 Bedford Ave [N 4th St]

718-963-4001

Well-edited vintage goodies, many pieces direct from Europe.

✵ Artists & Fleas ✵ 70 N 7th St [Wythe Ave]

Market for quirky jewelry, accessories, vintage, housewares.

✵ Beacon’s Closet ✵ 88 N 11th St [Wythe Ave]

718-486-0816

Rad resale with lots of gems.

✵ Bedford Cheese Shop ✵

229 Bedford Ave [N 5th St]

718-599-7588

Best cheese selection in the borough.

✵ Beer Street ✵ 413 Graham Ave [Withers St]

347-294-0495

Rotating taps, growlers, bottles, & more at Williamsburg’s craft beer store.

✵ BQE Wine & Liquors ✵

504 Meeker Ave [Humboldt St]

718-389-3833

Good selection, cheap.

✵ The Brooklyn Kitchen ✵

100 Frost St [Manhattan Ave]

718-389-2982

Awesome butcher shop and gourmet cooking supplies next to the BQE.

✵ Brooklyn Winery ✵ 213 N 8th St [Driggs Ave]

347-763-1506

Craft your own barrel of wine from crushing the grapes to bottling.

✵ Buffalo Exchange ✵ 504 Driggs Ave [N 9th St]

718-384-6901

Recycled clothing chain’s first NYC store.

✵ Catbird ✵ 219 Bedford Ave [N 5th St]

718-599-3457

Unique clothing and jewelry from up-and-coming designers.

✵ Crest True Value Hardware ✵

558 Metropolitan Ave [Lorimer St]

718-388-9521

Arty hardware store, believe it or not.

✵ Desert Island ✵

540 Metropolitan Ave [Union Ave]

718-388-5087

Comics, visual arts books, zines, and consignment finds.

✵ Earwax Records ✵ 167 N 9th St [Bedford Ave]

718-486-3771

Record store with all the indie classics.

✵ Emily’s Pork Store ✵

426 Graham Ave [Withers St]

718-383-7216

Broccoli rabe sausage is their specialty.

✵ Fuego 718 ✵ 249 Grand St [Roebling St]

718-302-2913

Handcrafted gifts made with passion from Mexico, Peru, Italy…

Beacon’s Closet and Buffalo Exchange require some stamina, but they’re worth it; Amarcord’s nicely edited vintage selection is the antidote. Vinyl collectors geek out within blocks of the Bedford stop at Academy, Rough Trade, and Earwax, while foodsters find gadgets at Whisk and Brooklyn Kitchen. Marlow & Daughters’s locally sourced, quality (i.e., expensive) meat is paired with helpful advice.

✵ Golden Calf ✵ 319 Wythe Ave [S 2nd St]

718-302-8800

Eclectic retro and modern housewares.

✵ Idlewild Books ✵ 218 Bedford Ave [N 5th St]

212-414-8888

Extensive foreign-language offerings and language classes.

✵ KCDC Skateshop ✵ 252 Wythe Ave [N 3rd St]

718-387-9006

Shop and gallery featuring locally designed gear.

✵ Marlow & Daughters ✵ 95 Broadway [Berry St]

718-388-5700

Gorgeous (yes, expensive) cuts for the discerning carnivore.

✵ Mast Bros Chocolate ✵ 111 N 3rd St [Berry St]

718-388-2625

Artisan chocolatiers that begat peak Brooklyn.

✵ Monk Vintage ✵ 496 Driggs Ave [N 9th St]

718-384-6665

Young and fun selection of vintage clothes, shoes, accessories.

✵ The Natural Wine Company ✵

211 N 11th St [Roebling St]

646-397-9463

Smart staff and excellent selection of sustainably produced, tasty wines.

✵ Open Air Modern ✵

489 Lorimer St [Nassau Ave]

718-383-6465

Old and rare books and furniture.

✵ Rough Trade ✵ 64 N 9th St [Kent Ave]

718-388-4111

NYC outpost of famous London record store; many live events.

✵ Savino’s Quality Pasta ✵

111 Conselyea St [Manhattan Ave]

718-388-2038

Homemade ravioli.

✵ SlapBack ✵ 490 Metropolitan Ave [Rodney St]

347-227-7133

Indulge your inner Jayne Mansfield.

✵ Smorgasburg ✵ N 7th St & Kent Ave

Massive Saturday food fest. Sunglasses mandatory.

✵ Spoonbill & Sugartown ✵

218 Bedford Ave [N 5th St]

718-387-7322

Art, architecture, design, philosophy, and literature. New and used.

✵ Sprout Home ✵ 44 Grand St [Kent Ave]

718-388-4440

Contemporary home and garden store.

✵ Treehouse ✵ 430 Graham Ave [Frost St]

718-482-8733

Quirky, one-of-a-kind clothing and jewelry.

✵ Two Jakes ✵ 320 Wythe Ave [Grand St]

718-782-7780

Furniture: Mod, metal, misc.

✵ Uva Wines & Spirits ✵

199 Bedford Ave [N 5th St]

718-963-3939

The staff knows and loves their small, meticulous selection.

✵ Whisk ✵ 231 Bedford Ave [N 4th St]

718-218-7230

Kitchen boutique stocked with basic gear and beyond.