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Al Badawi
Al di Là
This welcoming neighborhood spot—which now draws diners from all over—offers a menu crammed with fantastic northern Italian dishes such as trippa alla Toscana, homemade ravioli and braised rabbit with polenta. Since this is Brooklyn, husband-and-wife team Anna Klinger and Emiliano Coppa also put forth daily-changing seasonal specials. Savor the satisfying, rough-hewn fare among stroller-accompanied Park Slope families, couples snuggling in the intimate dining room, and regulars who have been eating at this little gem since it opened in 1998.
Allswell
The menu at this Williamsburg gastropub, from Spotted Pig veteran Nate Smith, changes daily based on what’s available at the market. You can usually expect a wonderful pasta tossed with whichever greens are of the moment (pole beans, pesto and zucchini on a typical spring night, for example); a beautifully done half-chicken with seasonal accouterments; and a pick from left field, such as beef heart crostini. It’s a great place to stop in for a few fancy cocktails and small plates like oysters and housemade bread dipped in ricotta, or to make a night out of it with large dishes and a bottle from the well-groomed wine list. Brunch and lunch are also excellent. Indagare tip: Allswell updates its website with the menu of the day every morning.
Barboncino
This friendly, cool pizza place on Franklin Avenue, in walking distance to the Brooklyn Museum and the Botanic Garden, is a great spot for a quick dinner. The thin-crust pizzas are excellent as are the ever-changing appetizers and innovative cocktails. Its moody lighting and cozy booth seating is undeniably romantic, but Barboncino also draws lots of families and groups. During the summer months, there’s a small outdoor dining area.
Birria-Landia
Birria-Landia is a Tijuana-style food truck serving up only four menu items, including a crowd-pleasing consommé.
Cafe Colette
Tucked just off of Bedford Avenue, the bustling main artery of Williamsburg, Cafe Colette is a charming, informal spot offering New American dishes with Spanish, Italian and Central American influences. Diner-style booths are lined across from a tiled bar with matching worn, wooden walls and orb-like light fixtures, creating a relaxed and inviting atmosphere. Weather permitting, the sidewalk tables are the ideal spot to enjoy a glass of rosé while taking advantage of a particular Brooklyn allure: people-watching. You’ll find all types here, from glamorous models to upscale European visitors and, of course, the hipster set. The back of the restaurant boasts a greenhouse garden, which is open on weekends (and can be booked privately). Simple favorites include the roasted brussels sprouts and garlic herb french fries with a red chili oil kick.
Cecconi’s Dumbo
For a scrumptious meal with a stunning view, look no further than Cecconi’s in Brooklyn’s Dumbo, where the waterfront tables face the iconic Manhattan skyline just across the East River. This NYC outpost of the trendy Soho House-backed chain offers handmade pastas, seafood and wood-fired pizzas, as well as weekend brunch, in a spacious and elegant setting.
Chama Mama
Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare
Long gone are the days when Cesar Ramirez’s 18-seat chef’s table was a BYOB operation, whispered about only by certain BK culinary types who hoped fiercely to keep the secret. They could not. Chef’s Table is now a three-Michelin-starred restaurant, and reservations book six weeks in advance. For committed foodies, it’s an incredible experience thanks to the intimate dining space and the chef’s nightly sense of innovation. The twenty-something tasting menu (which changes daily) is priced north of $200, and there is a well-edited wine list.
Cloudy Donuts
Clover Club
One of the best places to explore the city’s well-documented craft-cocktail craze, Clover Club is owned by master mixologist Julie Reiner (of Flatiron Lounge and Lani Kai fame). Behind the 19th-century mahogany bar, a squad of bartenders attired in vests and ties meticulously concoct tipples from the drinks menu, which is divided into nine categories. Choose from group-friendly bowls of punch, standard-bearing throwbacks mixed with housemade bitters, and cobblers garnished with seasonal fresh fruit. At night, you can also order small plates like deviled eggs and squash crostini; on weekend days, a full brunch menu and a serious Bloody Mary program is available.
Clover Hill
Colonia Verde
The team behind cozy and cool Soho restaurant Cómodo opened their second venture, on Fort Greene's neighborhood-y main street, Dekalb Ave. Also following a Latin American–inspired taste, the kitchen focuses on meats and veggies cooked on charcoal grills (in both the indoor, asado style as well as outside clay ovens). There is a gorgeous outdoor space in the back as well as a sunny, greenhouse-like atrium, a particularly charming seating option for delicious weekend brunches.
Colonie
On Atlantic Avenue, Colonie is a local favorite for inventive, farm-fresh New American cuisine. Stay for the sticky date cake dessert.
Devoción
With a large and airy open space, Devoción is a great spot to meet friends over coffee, work or simply relax on a leather couch.
Emily
Despite the seemingly endless array of pizza joints studding Brooklyn, foodies are loyal to Emily, which is adored for its delectable pies like the Colony (red sauce, homemade mozzarella, pickled chilis, pepperoni, honey) and the Emily (white sauce, pistachios, mozzarella, honey, truffle sottocenere). Opened in 2013, the Clinton Hill joint has also gained cult status with burger lovers: Emily serves theirs on a pretzel bun and topped with charred onion, melted cheddar and a special “Emmy sauce.” Go early: there are a limited number of burgers served each night.
Felice Montague
On a charming corner of Montague Street in Brooklyn Heights, this outpost of Felice is popular for Italian mainstays.
Glasserie
Making the trek to this industrial stretch of northern Greenpoint, nowhere near any subway, requires some justification—and this truly unique, inspired Middle Eastern–inspired restaurant is it. The small plates (fava bean and chickpea dip served in fried potato husks, hot-grilled radishes dusted with za'atar) dished out in an ever-buzzing dining room outfitted with whitewashed brick and potted succulents are excellent. But really, Glasserie’s large-format rabbit is the jewel in its crown, cooked three ways and served with an addictive flaky griddlebread and myriad garnishes.
Hanco’s
A local New York chain for Vietnamese specialties banh mi, pho and bubble tea. Order take-out and eat at Brooklyn Heights Promenade.
Ingas Bar
Chef Sean Rembold’s (previously at Diner and Marlow & Sons) take on a tavern, with warm lighting, warm service and warming food.
L'Industrie Pizzeria
L’Industrie Pizzeria mixes the best of both worlds—the ability to grab a single New York slice with the artistry of gourmet pizza.
Laser Wolf
Coupling Israeli cuisine with views of the East River and Manhattan, Laser Wolf has become one of NYC's most coveted reservations.
Le Crocodile
Set in a dreamy French bistro-meets-Brooklyn warehouse interior, Le Crocodile serves up French fare for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Lilia
Lilia has transformed what used to be a run-down garage into a trendy Italian restaurant with an airy, elegant atmosphere. Missy Robins, who holds a Michelin star at her other two restaurants and was nominated twice for a James Beard Award, runs the kitchen here. The sophisticated Italian menu includes such creative dishes as cacio e pepe fritelle, cauliflower with spicy soppressata and Sicilian pesto and a stunning malfadini pasta with pink peppercorns. Wash it all down with Lilia’s signature Aperol spritz.
Llama Inn
Head to Llama Inn for a Peruvian vacation by way of Williamsburg. The restaurant uses exotic ingredients and foreign influences to produce playful dishes like the Llama Del Rey sangria and beef heart skewers. The interior is equally fabulous and channels a sophisticated hipster vibe—artwork made of yarn covers one wall, multicolored lampshades and plants hang above tables and floor-to-ceiling windows allow the space to be flooded with light.
Lucali
At this revered Carroll Gardens restaurant, only true pizza devotees will find the notoriously lengthy wait worthwhile. (Certain very important people—such as Jay-Z, who is a regular—don’t have to wait.) Owner Mark Iacono spent two years renovating the cozy space, including the wood-fired oven. If you’d like to try one of his legendary pies, arrive at 6pm, when the eatery opens, and (even so) expect to bide your time. The menu features just two items: calzone and pizza, with an incredible paper-thin crust, a fragrant wash of sauce whose recipe is famously guarded, and a mix of mozzarella cheeses topped with Grana Padano. Choose your toppings from the list of available offerings; basil is a must. Service can be unpredictable, but you’ll have eaten one of the best pizzas in the city.
Maison Premiere
Indulge in absinthe and oysters at this perpetually packed Williamsburg hot spot. You’ll wait a while to be seated and service can be strained when it’s busy, but this NOLA-inspired haunt is nonetheless a charmer thanks to its serious cocktail program, stylish crowd, and excellent seafood-focused small plates and raw bar. Sealing the deal is the nostalgic décor—pale green walls, a marble U-shaped bar, and a vine-walled backyard that is one of the most romantic gardens in the city.