Travel to Brooklyn in New York City – Episode 270

Sam

Woo-hoo Brooklyn! I have lived in NYC for almost 15 years now and have been to many places on this podcast, but have not experienced enough of Brooklyn. Thank you Andrew! Makes me want to re-visit and explore and enjoy the other boroughs! (I now work in Brooklyn and live in Queens).

Some add-ons to your podcast

#1 foodie tip in brooklyn, Spring & Summer at the Red Hook Ball Fields for amazing award-winning food trucks (El Salvadorian, Mexican, etc).
Pro: Best latino food trucks in the northeast
Con: Hassle to get there by public transportation (Free Ikea shuttle bus from subway or 10-15 minute walk)
Ideal visit: Car or bike on a sunny day.

#1 memory of Coney Island: Eating amazing Russian food about 10 blocks away from the boardwalk at a giant Russian restaurant/ballroom

#1 activity in DUMBO – Art Gallery openings. Great studios, interesting work, so much wine and cheese. totally fun! (But Chelsea may be better)

So great to hear this podcast… Now lets get one on Queens!

rick m.

Enjoyed your Brooklyn tour. I have lived in Manhattan for more than 10 years and never been to Prospect Park. Amazing. This is my top priority for this Spring. Surprised your friend did not mention the Promenade, but this is in all travel guides, so no problem. Also IKEA is in Brooklyn. I go there many times just for the water taxi ride and lunch with meatballs. Also having a good steak at Peter Luger’s is fun.

chris2x

water taxi?

Rick m.

Yes, it is called the ikea express (www.nywatertaxi.com/commuters/ikea/).

chris2x

Jessica wrote:

I enjoy your travel pods and look forward to listening each week. I currently live in Paris, France and write for a blog to give visitors and foreigners living in Paris information to help them get around and enjoy the city. Here is my blog: http://www.pasasparis.com

I moved to Paris from Brooklyn and just wanted to add a couple of places to visit in Brooklyn that the guest didn’t mention:

-The Brooklyn Heights Promenade overlooking the East River offers a breathtaking view of the Statue of Liberty, lower Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge. It has been featured in movies such as Annie Hall and Moonstruck and is part of Brooklyn’s Historical Preservation District. Lined with mansions and greenery on one side and the amazing views on the other, this is a romantic spot favored for a stroll by locals and visitors alike. Montague Street leads up to the promenade which is a nice shopping and brunch area.

-Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens is a quaint yet lively area with a strong Italian influence that is being slowly overtaken by French immigrants. There are bilingual French/American schools, lovely French restaurants such as Provence en Boite, Robin des Bois and Bar Tabac who get together each year to celebrate Bastille Day with a petanque tournament on Smith St, one of the main restaurant and bar streets in the area.

Smith Street is also home to a trifecta of stores all owned by the same people: Stinky Brooklyn, a cheese shop with the widest variety of domestic and foreign cheeses I have ever seen in the US, The Jake Walk, a wine bar that also serves tapas and specialty cocktails, and Smith and Vine, a specialty wine shop with friendly employees happy to help with a pairing.

Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens has a vast selection of ethnic restaurants: Cubana Cafe for Cuban food, Zaytoons for Moroccan, Fragoli for homemade Italian, the French restaurants mentioned above, Char 5 and Buttermilk Channel for upscale southern fare, and Lobos for Tex Mex at its best: Blood Orange Margaritas and tasty shrimp tacos.

For drinks, there is Zombie Hut which is famous for the Frozen Zombie and its $5 Mai Thais and large backyard seating area, Camp which has The Dirty Girl Scout Cocktail and a great DJ, and Ceol, a traditional Irish pub with a jukebox, plentiful seating and inexpensive pints. If you want to go upscale, Clover Club has a completely 1920s style decor and old fashioned cocktails to match- get an Old Fashioned or the Clover Club signature cocktail for a treat.

For dessert, the Chocolate Room is divine, especially for its house made chocolates or chocolate beer float. Sweet Melissa has delicious baked goods (try a Bee Sting) and ice cream, and the Brooklyn Farmacy is an old fashioned soda fountain with classic sundaes, shakes and of course the egg cream. The best thing on the menu is the Sundae of Broken Dreams, with vanilla ice cream, caramel sauce, pretzels and whipped cream.

All in all Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens are a food lover’s dream and worth the trip on the F train from Manhattan to Warren Street or Carroll Street.

All the best,

Jessica