Guidebook for Brooklyn

Marjorie
Guidebook for Brooklyn

Parks & Nature

For landscape architects Frederick Olmstead and Calvert Vaux, Central Park in Manhattan was a practice project on the path to their masterpiece, Prospect Park. From Dog Beach to the Vale of Cashmere, the farmers' market to Smorgasburg, the Friends Cemetery to the Lefferts Historic House, Prospect Park is, in my humble opinion, leaves most other city parks far behind.
3418 residents recomanen
Prospect Park
3418 residents recomanen
For landscape architects Frederick Olmstead and Calvert Vaux, Central Park in Manhattan was a practice project on the path to their masterpiece, Prospect Park. From Dog Beach to the Vale of Cashmere, the farmers' market to Smorgasburg, the Friends Cemetery to the Lefferts Historic House, Prospect Park is, in my humble opinion, leaves most other city parks far behind.
The Cherry Blossom Festival, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden - beautiful and relaxing
2030 residents recomanen
Jardí Botànic de Brooklyn
990 Washington Ave
2030 residents recomanen
The Cherry Blossom Festival, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden - beautiful and relaxing
Great place to relax and take in the view.
951 residents recomanen
Parc del Pont de Brooklyn
334 Furman St
951 residents recomanen
Great place to relax and take in the view.
I know it is probably in every guidebook, but it really is THE park worth visiting if you will only go to one. The High Line is in a class by itself! Beautiful plantings and totally unique views of the City.
2323 residents recomanen
Parc High Line
2323 residents recomanen
I know it is probably in every guidebook, but it really is THE park worth visiting if you will only go to one. The High Line is in a class by itself! Beautiful plantings and totally unique views of the City.

Food Scene

Low-key, great food, very attentive service overlooking Washington Park and the Old Stone House, a battle site during the Revolutionary War. It can be super-busy on weekends, but lunch and dinner during the week tend to be fine. My go-to place.
88 residents recomanen
Stone Park Cafe
324 5th Ave
88 residents recomanen
Low-key, great food, very attentive service overlooking Washington Park and the Old Stone House, a battle site during the Revolutionary War. It can be super-busy on weekends, but lunch and dinner during the week tend to be fine. My go-to place.
So good! Another secret little Park Slope restaurant that is no longer a secret. Lunch during the week is the most accessible now.
205 residents recomanen
al di la Trattoria
248 5th Ave
205 residents recomanen
So good! Another secret little Park Slope restaurant that is no longer a secret. Lunch during the week is the most accessible now.
It's a barbecue beach-y Tiki-bar kind of place overlooking a Superfund site! But it works! Wooden tables and benches filled with families in the summertime. Gowanus is still a bit off the beaten track so its a great neighborhood to discover the original quirkiness of Brooklyn that will soon be lost to gentrification.
51 residents recomanen
Pig Beach
480 Union St
51 residents recomanen
It's a barbecue beach-y Tiki-bar kind of place overlooking a Superfund site! But it works! Wooden tables and benches filled with families in the summertime. Gowanus is still a bit off the beaten track so its a great neighborhood to discover the original quirkiness of Brooklyn that will soon be lost to gentrification.
Beautiful fruits and vegetables, straight from the farmers!
206 residents recomanen
Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket
Flatbush Avenue
206 residents recomanen
Beautiful fruits and vegetables, straight from the farmers!
Great Thai food. My guests love it!
58 residents recomanen
Song
295 5th Ave
58 residents recomanen
Great Thai food. My guests love it!
Ulrike mentioned returning day after day for "the crumble"!
35 residents recomanen
Kos Kaffe A Roasting House
251 5th Ave
35 residents recomanen
Ulrike mentioned returning day after day for "the crumble"!
Great coffee, nice laid-back vibe.
85 residents recomanen
Cafe Regular
318 11th St
85 residents recomanen
Great coffee, nice laid-back vibe.
The Best Burgers! Even a portobello mushroom burger!
993 residents recomanen
Shake Shack
Madison Avenue
993 residents recomanen
The Best Burgers! Even a portobello mushroom burger!
One of the newest dining scenes, conveniently located near BAM venues.
15 residents recomanen
Gotham Market at The Ashland
590 Fulton St
15 residents recomanen
One of the newest dining scenes, conveniently located near BAM venues.
Brooklyn's Chinatown is more authentic than the one in Manhattan, and this is the place to do dim sum on a weekend morning.
12 residents recomanen
Pacificana
813 55th St
12 residents recomanen
Brooklyn's Chinatown is more authentic than the one in Manhattan, and this is the place to do dim sum on a weekend morning.
Ice cream!
370 residents recomanen
Ample Hills Creamery
623 Vanderbilt Ave
370 residents recomanen
Ice cream!
Seasonal, farm-to-table concept. Yum!
58 residents recomanen
Rose Water
787 Union St
58 residents recomanen
Seasonal, farm-to-table concept. Yum!
My new fav! Just a fabulous little neighborhood place around the corner with great food and a nice vibe. The brioche and egg with a salad is heaven!
125 residents recomanen
Milk Bar
620 Vanderbilt Ave
125 residents recomanen
My new fav! Just a fabulous little neighborhood place around the corner with great food and a nice vibe. The brioche and egg with a salad is heaven!
Well-loved Brooklyn brunch institution.
225 residents recomanen
Tom’s
782 Washington Ave
225 residents recomanen
Well-loved Brooklyn brunch institution.
Outdoor space with a bar and great Mexican food!
El Atoradero
Outdoor space with a bar and great Mexican food!
Oh. My. God. This is why New Yorkers are pizza snobs. I could eat here every day!
LBK pizza
669 Union Street
Oh. My. God. This is why New Yorkers are pizza snobs. I could eat here every day!
The new cool food and drinks scene is the Gowanus area - what Soho in Manhattan was in the 1980s. It's all about farm-to-table, exposed brink and the wood burning oven. Not inexpensive, but great food.
15 residents recomanen
Freek's Mill
285 Nevins St
15 residents recomanen
The new cool food and drinks scene is the Gowanus area - what Soho in Manhattan was in the 1980s. It's all about farm-to-table, exposed brink and the wood burning oven. Not inexpensive, but great food.
I can't have an argument about the fine points of Texas barbecue versus Kansas City or anything. I just like to eat it! And Dinosaur is great!
409 residents recomanen
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
700 W 125th St
409 residents recomanen
I can't have an argument about the fine points of Texas barbecue versus Kansas City or anything. I just like to eat it! And Dinosaur is great!
Of the moment Oaxacan-style Mexican restaurant. The New York Times review called the mole "riveting"!
25 residents recomanen
Claro
284 3rd Ave
25 residents recomanen
Of the moment Oaxacan-style Mexican restaurant. The New York Times review called the mole "riveting"!

Shopping

It's a community! It's an institution! It's a 40+ year demonstration project in socialist economics, which I was taught couldn't work! Get a visitors pass and take a tour (even though you won't be able to buy anything). Take photos of the produce!
14 residents recomanen
Park Slope Food Coop
782 Union St
14 residents recomanen
It's a community! It's an institution! It's a 40+ year demonstration project in socialist economics, which I was taught couldn't work! Get a visitors pass and take a tour (even though you won't be able to buy anything). Take photos of the produce!
Chic interior design shop.
Items of Interest
60 5th Ave
Chic interior design shop.
Quirky stuff for gifts and home.
15 residents recomanen
Annie's Blue Ribbon General Store
232 5th Ave
15 residents recomanen
Quirky stuff for gifts and home.
Great selection of furniture, clothing, china, etc.
55 residents recomanen
Housing Works Thrift Shops
266 5th Ave
55 residents recomanen
Great selection of furniture, clothing, china, etc.
One-of-a-kind, very high quality crafts: jewelry, pottery, wood, etc. A Park Slope institution.
10 residents recomanen
The Clay Pot
162 7th Ave
10 residents recomanen
One-of-a-kind, very high quality crafts: jewelry, pottery, wood, etc. A Park Slope institution.

Drinks & Nightlife

Have drinks by the fireplace, or play bocce, then check out the music and comedy performance space downstairs.
186 residents recomanen
Union Hall
702 Union St
186 residents recomanen
Have drinks by the fireplace, or play bocce, then check out the music and comedy performance space downstairs.
Big names & the soon-to-be-known at this converted warehouse in Gowanus. Catch NPR favorites "The Moth" and "Ask Me Another", and Daily Show-sourced comedians like Jessica Williams and John Hodgman.
132 residents recomanen
The Bell House
149 7th St
132 residents recomanen
Big names & the soon-to-be-known at this converted warehouse in Gowanus. Catch NPR favorites "The Moth" and "Ask Me Another", and Daily Show-sourced comedians like Jessica Williams and John Hodgman.
Small performance space with a truly varied, highly international music scene.
206 residents recomanen
Barbès
376 9th St
206 residents recomanen
Small performance space with a truly varied, highly international music scene.

Getting Around

R train
Union St station
Union Street
R train
B, D, N, Q, R, 2, 3, 4, and 5 trains and the Long Island Railroad
1418 residents recomanen
Centre Barclays
620 Atlantic Ave
1418 residents recomanen
B, D, N, Q, R, 2, 3, 4, and 5 trains and the Long Island Railroad
brand new Citi Bikes station
6 residents recomanen
Slope Park Playground
18th Street
6 residents recomanen
brand new Citi Bikes station

Essentials

24 hour corner market
10 residents recomanen
5th Avenue Market
185 5th Ave
10 residents recomanen
24 hour corner market
A great nearby pharmacy.
7 residents recomanen
Park Chemists
164 5th Ave
7 residents recomanen
A great nearby pharmacy.
Large local grocery store.
583 residents recomanen
Key Food Supermarket
55 Fulton St
583 residents recomanen
Large local grocery store.
Smaller local grocery store
181 residents recomanen
Associated Supermarkets
216 5th Ave
181 residents recomanen
Smaller local grocery store
Smaller, high quality grocery
522 residents recomanen
Union Market
240 E Houston St
522 residents recomanen
Smaller, high quality grocery

Entertainment & Activities

Movies and film festivals, edgy plays and concerts, BAMcafe, even a week of Jimmy Kimmel Live.
859 residents recomanen
Brooklyn Academy of Music
30 Lafayette Ave
859 residents recomanen
Movies and film festivals, edgy plays and concerts, BAMcafe, even a week of Jimmy Kimmel Live.