Jump To
BROOKLYN AND MY family go back many generations, our history stretching from Sheepshead Bay waterfront to the grand expanses of Eastern Parkway. For the past 15 years, I’ve found myself on a leafy block in Fort Greene. Brooklyn is also where I got my start in restaurants back in 2008, in the tiny Good Fork kitchen in Red Hook, and where I continue to showcase my craft as the executive pastry chef at Gage & Tollner. Needless to say, I feel a deep affection for this borough. I’m completely smitten with its ability to seamlessly offer both tradition and innovation, to celebrate the new as well as the old. There’s something here for everyone, from easy morning cafes and bustling neighborhood restaurants to niche bookstores and perfectly curated boutiques stocked with every knickknack you never knew you needed. In Brooklyn, you can have a dreamy guava doughnut, the best hummus of your life, and knock-your-socks-off pizza all in the same day. I truly believe there’s no better way to connect with this borough than through food, drink, and its curious little shops. Here are just a few of my favorite spots, mostly in North Brooklyn, to soak up this enchanting place.
Where to Eat
Fan-Fan Doughnuts
Much-loved, worldly doughnuts
There are some stellar doughnuts in Brooklyn, but these are the best of the best. They are made by chef and author Fany Gerson in Bedford-Stuyvesent, where she weaves the story of her Mexican-Jewish heritage through impossibly supple glazed and sugared doughnuts. Don’t miss the Danny Boy, the Le Donna, and the guava and cheese.
LaRina Pastificio & Vino
Handmade, pilgrimage-worthy pasta
If pasta is religion, then LaRina in Fort Greene is my house of worship and chef Silvia Barban, my leader. LaRina has a menu with no misses, but the compelling and addictive smoked spaghetti, slick with butter and olive oil, laced with toasted...
If pasta is religion, then LaRina in Fort Greene is my house of worship and chef Silvia Barban, my leader. LaRina has a menu with no misses, but the compelling and addictive smoked spaghetti, slick with butter and olive oil, laced with toasted hazelnuts and just enough chili, is a revelation. I’ve sat at LaRina and eaten this heavenly bowl countless times, thanking the pasta gods and Chef Barban for never taking it off the menu.
Olea
Memorable Mediterranean tapas with neighborhood vibes
Olea is no secret to Fort Greene folks, and I lovingly consider it an extension of my home. When paired with a juicy glass of wine and a little plate of fried green olives with spicy harissa yogurt, there is no solo dinner perch cozier than this neighborhood Mediterranean tapas bar and taverna.
Ferdinando’s Focacceria
Old-school Sicilian fare on a tranquil street
A true gem of old Italian Brooklyn thrives, tucked away by the quiet Columbia Street waterfront. Open since 1904, this Sicilian menu hasn’t changed much since it's debut, if at all. The panelle, traditional chickpea fritters, are simple, unctuous, and an ideal vehicle for the restaurant’s silky, milky ricotta.
Fausto
Wine classes followed by an Italian feast
Wood-fired wonders and dreamy fresh pastas at Fausto make a perfect meal on any given day, but get on this restaurant’s email list ASAP because their wine classes with owner and wine expert Joe Campanale are second to none. I cannot think of a better way to spend...
Wood-fired wonders and dreamy fresh pastas at Fausto make a perfect meal on any given day, but get on this restaurant’s email list ASAP because their wine classes with owner and wine expert Joe Campanale are second to none. I cannot think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon near Prospect Park than enjoying a guided tasting of luscious Italian wines and then migrating to a cozy table for dinner by Chef Erin Shambura.
Ops
The best pizza in Brooklyn (or at least a contender)
I don’t have a death wish, so I won't definitively claim this as the best pizza in Brooklyn. But I think Ops in Bushwick is a contender. Ops’ dough is naturally leavened and paired with esoteric wines, making it my number one. Get the salad — there’s only one, and...
I don’t have a death wish, so I won't definitively claim this as the best pizza in Brooklyn. But I think Ops in Bushwick is a contender. Ops’ dough is naturally leavened and paired with esoteric wines, making it my number one. Get the salad — there’s only one, and it’s a sleeper hit — and then order the Juno with broccoli rabe and potatoes, or the Cicero with “many onions.” The pizzas are charred to perfection and crisp and chewy in all the right ways. Try it, and then you tell me who makes the best pizza in Brooklyn.
Where to Drink
Bittersweet
Superlative coffee near Fort Greene Park
There is no shortage of great coffee spots in Brooklyn — as a coffee fiend, I would know — and Bittersweet is one of them. Just off the idyllic Fort Greene Park, it's the perfect stop for a latte or americano and the finest dog-watching in all five boroughs.
Rhodora Wine Bar
Obscure natural wines and palpable vibes
I loathe calling something “a vibe,” but honestly there’s no better way to describe Rhodora. Sprawling across the sidewalk at a plush intersection in Fort Greene, you’ll find a bunch of beautiful Brooklynites, amusing themselves over obscure wines while...
I loathe calling something “a vibe,” but honestly there’s no better way to describe Rhodora. Sprawling across the sidewalk at a plush intersection in Fort Greene, you’ll find a bunch of beautiful Brooklynites, amusing themselves over obscure wines while nibbling on dips, crusty bread, nuts, and various briny snacks. But don’t be intimated. This carbon-neutral, zero-waste, no-table-service wine bar is as low-key as it gets and is my favorite way to kill a summery afternoon.
Sunny’s
Classic drinks and live music at a Red Hook institution
Sunny’s bar is always worth the trip to Red Hook. It has been around since the 1890s and hosts regular bluegrass nights in its warm and well-loved interior that, combined with its location, might make you think you're in a small harbor town. But jaw-dropping...
Sunny’s bar is always worth the trip to Red Hook. It has been around since the 1890s and hosts regular bluegrass nights in its warm and well-loved interior that, combined with its location, might make you think you're in a small harbor town. But jaw-dropping views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty will quickly reorient you. Treasured by locals, this might be the most perfect bar in the world.
LaLou
A surprisingly refreshing wine bar
Another Prospect Heights gem from wine expert Joe Campanale is the bright and airy Lalou, which I like to describe as refreshing. “Refreshing” may seem like a peculiar term for a wine bar, but hear me out. Sip on a crisp white or an alluring skin-contact orange...
Another Prospect Heights gem from wine expert Joe Campanale is the bright and airy Lalou, which I like to describe as refreshing. “Refreshing” may seem like a peculiar term for a wine bar, but hear me out. Sip on a crisp white or an alluring skin-contact orange wine, with a singular, expertly selected slice of cheese, and take some deep breaths. You’ll see what I mean. Refreshing.
Bad Luck Bar
Considered cocktails and bites in Bed-Stuy
You know that perfect neighborhood bar? Bad Luck in Bedford-Stuyvesant is it. It's intimate and friendly, and the owner, Mateo Simo, seems to know you, even if it’s your first time there. Scoot up to the horseshoe bar, order a thick square of pizza, run into...
You know that perfect neighborhood bar? Bad Luck in Bedford-Stuyvesant is it. It's intimate and friendly, and the owner, Mateo Simo, seems to know you, even if it’s your first time there. Scoot up to the horseshoe bar, order a thick square of pizza, run into some friends, sip something familiar, and engage in some good-natured, debate-driven banter with Simo. It doesn’t get any better or more comforting.
Saraghina Caffè
Traditional Italian cuisine with style
Step into Saraghina Caffè on Dekalb Avenue in Fort Greene and you’re immediately transported to Milan. Order something bubbly, maybe truffle arancini for balance, and indulge in some of the finest people-watching. This is one of Brooklyn’s most beautiful bars, clad in green marble, mahogany, and brass.
Advertisement
Where to Shop
Sahadi’s
Middle Eastern staples in Brooklyn Heights
Taking a paper ticket at Sahadi’s and selecting a melange of olives, pickles, nuts, chocolate-covered malt balls, and seeds is one of my favorite pastimes. Then I like to loop around to the prepared foods counter and pick up a pint of hummus — my favorite in...
Taking a paper ticket at Sahadi’s and selecting a melange of olives, pickles, nuts, chocolate-covered malt balls, and seeds is one of my favorite pastimes. Then I like to loop around to the prepared foods counter and pick up a pint of hummus — my favorite in Brooklyn. A weekend stop at this Middle Eastern market, which has been going strong in Brooklyn Heights since 1895, is as irresistible as their selection of halvah (a thick confectionery made from flour, butter, and cocoa powder), mustards, oils, relishes, dried spices, and more.
Big Night
Elevated dinner-party essentials
Take all my money, Big Night. It’s yours. This efficient Greenpoint shop has all the sundries needed to throw an enviable dinner party: glassware, textiles, cutting boards, excellent condiments — you name it. You’ll want to buy everything. Consider yourself warned.
Archestratus Books + Foods
Cookbooks, snacks, and community ties
Archestratus, on a picturesque block in Greenpoint, is heaven for cookbook lovers, and owner Paige Lipari has practically every title under the sun, plus light bites, baked goods, pantry items, frequent author talks, and even a...
Archestratus, on a picturesque block in Greenpoint, is heaven for cookbook lovers, and owner Paige Lipari has practically every title under the sun, plus light bites, baked goods, pantry items, frequent author talks, and even a community-supported agriculture pick-up in the summer months. I like to think of it as a community center via the lens of food.
The Greene Grape
Unforgettable cheeses plus the necessary provisions
When I walk into The Greene Grape on Fulton Street, I beeline straight for the cheese counter, and I can never leave without a chunk of something exciting. Bloomy, stinky, crumbly, grassy, and funky — I always discover some dreamy new dairy thanks to the provisions shop's expert cheesemongers’ passion for all things cheese.
Damascus Bread & Pastry Shop
Irresistibly fresh Syrian pastries
I often find myself on Atlantic Avenue in urgent need of baklava, which is why I’m so thankful for Damascus. Choose from an array of syrupy, nutty, flaky bites, and savor them right away, licking the sticky goodness from your fingers while you walk down the sidewalk.
AMERICAN EXPRESS® CARD MEMBER ACCESS
Book Travel with American Express
Whether you’re planning a weekend staycation or the trip of a lifetime, you can plan your entire trip through American Express Travel. Plus, make the most of your journey with travel benefits and more. Learn more.
Our Contributors
Caroline Schiff
Caroline Schiff is the executive pastry chef at Gage & Tollner, the author of "The Sweet Side of Sourdough," a James Beard Outstanding Pastry Chef nominee, and a Food & Wine Best New Chef. Widely known under the Instagram moniker @pastryschiff, she is a celebrated pastry chef, culinary consultant, and recipe developer based in Brooklyn.
