Guidebook for Brooklyn

Alexis
Guidebook for Brooklyn

Food Scene

Low-key supplier of Southern comfort-food favorites along with offbeat options like fried pig tails. Great ambiance. Fantastic food. Good cocktails
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The Brooklyn Star
593 Lorimer Street
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Low-key supplier of Southern comfort-food favorites along with offbeat options like fried pig tails. Great ambiance. Fantastic food. Good cocktails
Hip, laid-back French bistro in East Williamsburg that's popular for weekend brunch.
297 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Le Barricou
533 Grand St
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Hip, laid-back French bistro in East Williamsburg that's popular for weekend brunch.
Quick and easy coffee that's solid. This is the real deal
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Gimme Coffee
495 Lorimer St
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Quick and easy coffee that's solid. This is the real deal
Best Italian food in the neighborhood
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Il Passatore
14 Bushwick Ave
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Best Italian food in the neighborhood
Real deal western Chinese cuisine. This place is a food network favorite. If I was on death row, Liang Pi "cold skin noodles" might be my last meal.
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西安名吃 Xi'an Famous Foods
648 Manhattan Ave
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Real deal western Chinese cuisine. This place is a food network favorite. If I was on death row, Liang Pi "cold skin noodles" might be my last meal.
OMG . Arepas. So good.
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Caracas Arepa Bar
291 Grand St
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OMG . Arepas. So good.
My favorite little locally sourced build-your-own salad joint. This is a chain but if you're into salad, this is your jam
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sweetgreen
162 N 4th St
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My favorite little locally sourced build-your-own salad joint. This is a chain but if you're into salad, this is your jam
The food is phenomenal - but lines can be crazy. Brunch = fantastic. Ricotta pancakes are my favorite but also GET THE TRUFFLE FRIES
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Five Leaves
18 Bedford Ave
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The food is phenomenal - but lines can be crazy. Brunch = fantastic. Ricotta pancakes are my favorite but also GET THE TRUFFLE FRIES
Best biscuits and fried chicken around. Also pie :)
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Pies 'n' Thighs
166 S 4th St
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Best biscuits and fried chicken around. Also pie :)
Times calls it “one of the more extraordinary restaurants in the United States.” Bourdain raved about their food on No Reservations. Then there was that whole naked waitress thing. Believe the hype.
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Roberta's
261 Moore St
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Times calls it “one of the more extraordinary restaurants in the United States.” Bourdain raved about their food on No Reservations. Then there was that whole naked waitress thing. Believe the hype.
1/2 block away. Funky creative Mexican served in industrial quarters with an Airstream-trailer kitchen & rooftop bar.
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Zona Rosa
571 Lorimer St
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1/2 block away. Funky creative Mexican served in industrial quarters with an Airstream-trailer kitchen & rooftop bar.
This is the corner stop. They serve bagels, breakfast foods, coffee, snacks + beer! AND they are open 24/7. These people know me by name.
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Bagelsmith
566 Lorimer St
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This is the corner stop. They serve bagels, breakfast foods, coffee, snacks + beer! AND they are open 24/7. These people know me by name.
If you're into BBQ this is the joint. Popular dry-rub BBQ, beer & bourbon with an industrial, cafeteria-style setting.
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Fette Sau
354 Metropolitan Ave
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If you're into BBQ this is the joint. Popular dry-rub BBQ, beer & bourbon with an industrial, cafeteria-style setting.
Piano bar serving up good food. Really nice ambiance for a late night drink or a date night
150 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Manhattan Inn
632 Manhattan Avenue
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Piano bar serving up good food. Really nice ambiance for a late night drink or a date night
This is one of my serious favorites. It's a bit remote to get to and often has a wait, but insanely good Vietnamese street food at good prices. Michelin mention
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Bunker Vietnamese
99 Scott Ave
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This is one of my serious favorites. It's a bit remote to get to and often has a wait, but insanely good Vietnamese street food at good prices. Michelin mention
This place is a bushwick fav. Mexican place INSIDE a tortilla factory. Damn good, and super authentic.
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Tortilleria Mexicanas Los Hermanos
271 Starr St
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This place is a bushwick fav. Mexican place INSIDE a tortilla factory. Damn good, and super authentic.

Drinks & Nightlife

Trivia contests, spelling bees & live bands lend a unique vibe to this offbeat watering hole.
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Pete's Candy Store
709 Lorimer St
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Trivia contests, spelling bees & live bands lend a unique vibe to this offbeat watering hole.
It's a BAR and an ARCADE in one! Video games and beer. Duh.
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Barcade
388 Union Ave
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It's a BAR and an ARCADE in one! Video games and beer. Duh.
Steps from the apartment. $1 personal pizza with every drink you buy. Does it get any better?
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Alligator Lounge
600 Metropolitan Ave
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Steps from the apartment. $1 personal pizza with every drink you buy. Does it get any better?
Food and booze. Directly underneath the apartment with a great backyard to chill
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Northern Bell
612 Metropolitan Ave
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Food and booze. Directly underneath the apartment with a great backyard to chill
Ironically named bar featuring cheap drinks, a photo booth & a six-hole mini-golf course.
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Bushwick Country Club
608 Grand St
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Ironically named bar featuring cheap drinks, a photo booth & a six-hole mini-golf course.
Popular bar set in a former pool supply store with live music & a taco truck in the backyard.
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Union Pool
484 Union Ave
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Popular bar set in a former pool supply store with live music & a taco truck in the backyard.
Local (super hipster) gay bar.
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Metropolitan
559 Lorimer St
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Local (super hipster) gay bar.
Classic-looking bar with a garden, specializing in rare Belgian beers, plus cheese & meat plates. If you're into craft beers - this is the spot.
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Spuyten Duyvil
359 Metropolitan Ave
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Classic-looking bar with a garden, specializing in rare Belgian beers, plus cheese & meat plates. If you're into craft beers - this is the spot.
I'm part owner/investor of this spot and it's by the far the coolest Bushwick dive around. If you're planning a trip, let me know!
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Boobie Trap
308 Bleecker St
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I'm part owner/investor of this spot and it's by the far the coolest Bushwick dive around. If you're planning a trip, let me know!
Perched on the eighth floor of the Wythe Hotel is The Ides, a hotel bar with an enormous roofdeck and stunning views of the Manhattan skyline. Drinks can be a bit spendy here, but the views A+
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The Ides Bar
80 Wythe Ave
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Perched on the eighth floor of the Wythe Hotel is The Ides, a hotel bar with an enormous roofdeck and stunning views of the Manhattan skyline. Drinks can be a bit spendy here, but the views A+
Local dive. Jukebox tunes, old-school signs, big beers, pinball & outdoor grill grub.
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Rocka Rolla
486 Metropolitan Ave
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Local dive. Jukebox tunes, old-school signs, big beers, pinball & outdoor grill grub.
High design details and excellent cocktails. This dimly lit bar has an unmarked entrance that's a hallway that leads to the bar - makes you feel like you're in a speakeasy!
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Larry Lawrence
295 Grand Street
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High design details and excellent cocktails. This dimly lit bar has an unmarked entrance that's a hallway that leads to the bar - makes you feel like you're in a speakeasy!

Arts & Culture

A great venue to see local bands
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Knitting Factory Brooklyn
361 Metropolitan Ave
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A great venue to see local bands
Glass-encased modern movie theater with stadium seating, concessions & discounted days & hours.
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Williamsburg Cinemas
217 Grand St
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Glass-encased modern movie theater with stadium seating, concessions & discounted days & hours.
Movies screened with global fare & craft cocktails served at patrons' seats.
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Nitehawk Cinema
136 Metropolitan Ave
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Movies screened with global fare & craft cocktails served at patrons' seats.
Very sceney. Genre-defying bowling alley in Williamsburg with high-tech lanes, live tunes & food by Blue Ribbon.
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Brooklyn Bowl
61 Wythe Ave
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Very sceney. Genre-defying bowling alley in Williamsburg with high-tech lanes, live tunes & food by Blue Ribbon.
Not to be confused with Brooklyn Bowl - Old-school, low-tech bowling alley with a serious 70s vibe. Love this spot.
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The Gutter
200 N 14th St
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Not to be confused with Brooklyn Bowl - Old-school, low-tech bowling alley with a serious 70s vibe. Love this spot.

Sightseeing

Great to people watch. Part of the park also has a track and field for exercise
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McCarren Park
776 Lorimer St
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Great to people watch. Part of the park also has a track and field for exercise
YOU CANNOT MISS THIS: Smorgasburg happens every Saturday on the Williamsburg waterfront at East River State Park, featuring purveyors from New York City and across the region -100 vendors of delicious
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Smorgasburg
90 Kent Ave
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YOU CANNOT MISS THIS: Smorgasburg happens every Saturday on the Williamsburg waterfront at East River State Park, featuring purveyors from New York City and across the region -100 vendors of delicious
SUNDAY ONLY top vendors of furniture, vintage clothing, collectibles and antiques, as well as a tightly curated selection of jewelry, art, and crafts by local artisans and designers
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Brooklyn Flea - Williamsburg
50 Kent Avenue
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SUNDAY ONLY top vendors of furniture, vintage clothing, collectibles and antiques, as well as a tightly curated selection of jewelry, art, and crafts by local artisans and designers
Best view of lower Manhattan and the freedom tower
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Brooklyn Heights Promenade
Pierrepont Place
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Best view of lower Manhattan and the freedom tower

Essentials

The closest most affordable grocery to me if you don't feel like spending more at one of the fancy organic stores down the block..
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Key Food Supermarket
55 Fulton St
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The closest most affordable grocery to me if you don't feel like spending more at one of the fancy organic stores down the block..

Shopping

Weekend-only indoor market with hip, handmade arts & crafts items, antiques & vintage clothing.
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Artists & Fleas Williamsburg
70 N 7th St
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Weekend-only indoor market with hip, handmade arts & crafts items, antiques & vintage clothing.
Tiny boutique in stylish digs offering rings, bracelets & other designer trinkets & unique gifts.
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Catbird
108 Bedford Ave
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Tiny boutique in stylish digs offering rings, bracelets & other designer trinkets & unique gifts.

Everything Else

MOST DELICIOUS DONUTS EVER. Get there earlier in the day. They sell out of the favorites
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Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop
727 Manhattan Ave
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MOST DELICIOUS DONUTS EVER. Get there earlier in the day. They sell out of the favorites
GREEN JUICE and other fresh pressed delicious
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Grass Roots Juicery
336a Graham Ave
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GREEN JUICE and other fresh pressed delicious
Laundromat! Right downstairs. Closes at 8pm. Opens at 7. You can do your laundry there or drop it off for them to do it.
Spin City
Laundromat! Right downstairs. Closes at 8pm. Opens at 7. You can do your laundry there or drop it off for them to do it.