A Beginner’s Guide To The Main Streets In Brooklyn, NYC
Sure, you want to visit Brooklyn, New York City. But which Brooklyn, or which part of Brooklyn, do you want to see?
Brooklyn may be synonymous with “cool” across the world, but the massive borough (81 square miles) full of dozens of unique neighborhoods each with their own identity, is much more than the snippets seen on Girls or Brooklyn Nine Nine or that famous photo spot on Washington Street in DUMBO constantly popping up in your Insta feed.
Just across the East River from Manhattan, Brooklyn is so much more than a lifestyle brand. Home to over 2.6 million people, the borough, yeah, has picturesque cobblestone streets, ivy-covered brownstones, and colorful, artist-filled lofts, but no single block or neighborhood truly shows all that Brooklyn has to offer. Brooklyn is quirky, creative, and delicious in the truest sense of the word. “Real” Brooklyn is different for everyone, so walk (or bike) through some of the most iconic streets to sample the best of so many parts of the borough, and spend time on the blocks that Brooklynites themselves venture out to every weekend.
Franklin Street (Greenpoint)
Brooklyn’s northernmost neighborhood has become a refuge for those eager to escape Williamsburg’s recent tourist boom (more on that later) and home to some of the city’s best restaurants, bars, and boutiques.
For the best of the nabe, wander down Franklin Street, paw through the vintage jeans and jackets at Walk The West, taste natural wine at Dandelion Wine, grab a coffee and a succulent at Homecoming, and maybe sit down for some of New York’s best pancakes (served with a generous pat of butter) at Chez Ma Tante.
Getting here: East River Ferry to Greenpoint Avenue or G train to Greenpoint Avenue
Bedford Avenue (Williamsburg)
Bedford Avenue is usually the street people think of when they envision Williamsburg. The longest street in Brooklyn, Bedford starts where Greenpoint ends, winding parallel to McCarren Park (Great dog watching! Great Saturday farmers market!) and all the way down to Sheepshead Bay in South Brooklyn.
Walk Bedford’s main stretch, which still has some neighborhood gems, like Café Beit, Spoonbill & Sugartown Booksellers, DuMont Burger, and oyster hotspot Maison Premiere. At the top of the street, grab a drink at Turkey’s Nest Tavern, notorious for its to-go cups, should you want to walk the ave with a frozen marg in hand…
Hopefully, you’ll be done sipping by the time you reach Taiyaki NYC, the Japanese soft serve shop that dishes out swirls of matcha and black sesame ice cream in the wide-open mouth of a fish cone (topped with a unicorn horn, if desired). If you know where to look, Williamsburg still has its character.
Getting here: G train to Nassau Avenue or L train to Bedford Avenue
Starr Street (Bushwick)
Continue down Metropolitan Avenue or Grand Street, through East Williamsburg (the neighborhood between what’s typically referred to as Williamsburg and its eastern neighbor, Bushwick) until you reach Flushing Avenue. Flushing intersects with Wyckoff and Irving, two main Bushwick avenues home to iconic locations like the edgy (sometimes sex) club House of Yes and local hangs like hipster coffee shop AP Cafe, the cheeky dive bar Boobie Trap, brewery and Basque-inspired restaurant Brooklyn Cider House, and vegan Ethiopian spot Bunna.
For your most authentic Buschwick experience, stroll down Starr Street, adorned with colorful street art and one-of-a-kind businesses that define Bushwick’s artistic spirit, like indie theater space The Bushwick Starr. Watch tortillas pressed in real-time at Tortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos and grab a few tacos from their cantina.
Overstimulated? Venture off Starr Street into Ichiran, where you can eat ramen in the solace of a private booth, only interacting with your server’s hands as they feed you a bowl of steamy noodle soup through a private gate.
Getting there: L train to Jefferson Street or Dekalb Avenue
Nostrand Avenue (Bedford-Stuyvesant)
Known as Bed-Stuy, this brownstone-lined neighborhood is the backdrop to so much iconic Brooklyn film, music, and artwork. Summers bring out locals for street-closing block parties and outdoor celebrations. And though gentrification has rapidly changed the historic black neighborhood in recent years, there is still much history and local culture to share here.
On bustling Nostrand Avenue, you’ll find a combo of newer and mainstay businesses to stop by, like the jazz club Sistas' Place, Korean burrito slinging neighborhood Wi-Fi stop Nostrand Cafe, and, just around the corner on Myrtle Avenue, Japanese restaurant 750 Myrtle Diner.
Getting there: G train to Bedford-Nostrand
Dekalb Avenue (Clinton Hill and Fort Greene)
Intersecting Nostrand is Dekalb Avenue, which, westward, takes you into the heart of Central Brooklyn. A diverse street packed with local characters, Dekalb offers a hyper-local international food tour unrivaled by most streets in the city.
Start at Fan Fried Rice Bar for Taiwanese food, take a break with artsy Pratt Institute students at Mike’s Coffee Shop, grab enormous paneer-filled dosas at Dosa Royale, then load up on cacio e pepe at Roman’s, an Argentinian mixed grill feast at Colonia Verde, and wait-worthy hummus and mezze at Miss Ada. Nap it off when you reach Fort Greene Park!
Getting there: G train to Classon Avenue or Fulton Street
Fulton Street (Fort Greene and Clinton Hill)
You could spend an entire day on Fulton Street and still not have enough time to do everything. Start up at the cozy coffee spot The Greene Grape Annex or Cuban sandwich and grilled corn-on-a-stick go-to Habana Outpost, and then stop into Greenlight Books to shop and perhaps catch an author event.
Further down the street, after you cross back over into Clinton Hill, you'll run into Sisters, an all-day, wood-paneled eatery that becomes a DJ-dominated dance bar at night. Next, hit up Otway, a funky and proudly woman-run restaurant featuring in-house butchery and two hidden outdoor spots: Outpost, which has creative sweet lattes and a spacious backyard (Wi-Fi included), and Doris, a small bar with a taco window and popular patio.
Venturing back towards Bed-Stuy, turn the corner at Classon Avenue, and put your name down for a spot at The Fly, the hyped-up rotisserie chicken bar where New Yorkers wait for hours to chow down on a fancy version of something you can get at Costco. But paired with natural wine and all the sides, it’s worth it, trust.
Getting there: G train to Fulton Street or A/C train to Clinton-Washington
Atlantic Avenue (Boerum Hill and Downtown Brooklyn)
Those used to a city structure may call Atlantic Avenue Brooklyn’s “Main Street.” And while the actual Main Street is about a mile away in DUMBO, this central area of Brooklyn is home to major shopping spots, chain restaurants, the county courthouse, and more staples that yes, make Downtown BK a major hub.
On Atlantic, you’ll see the Barclays Center, home to the Brooklyn Nets and host to major concerts most weeks. Stop into Diamond Reef for a neon-hued, paper umbrella-topped tiki drink, catch a local comic at EastVille Comedy Club, or take a fitness class at The Floor. If you’re as Brooklyn-phobic as the Sex & The City ladies, head into The Long Island Bar, a retro dive in nearby Cobble Hill with an upscale cocktail program, and really, really fabulous cosmopolitans.
Getting there: A/C train to Clinton-Washington
Smith Street (Carroll Gardens)
Someone somewhere dubbed the trio of idyllic townhouse-filled neighborhoods of Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, and Carroll Gardens "BoCoCa," and while no one really uses that, the acronym fits the cluster of residential areas that, honestly are hard to differentiate from each other. Smith Street is home to hoards of family-friendly (and typically stroller-filled) businesses that attract locals and weekend explorers.
Venture down the long street to pop into indie author-run bookstore Books Are Magic, specialty grocer Stinky Bklyn, award-winning bars Leyenda and Clover Club, plus trendy (and spicy!) Thai spot Ugly Baby. If you’re willing to embrace a theme, get preppy at Gowanus Yacht Club or reminisce on your scouting days over a flaming marshmallow cocktail at Camp.
Getting there: G train to Bergen Street
Court Street (Cobble Hill)
Cobble Hill Cinemas defines this long stretch parallel to Smith Street as the Cobble Hill section of the neighborhood which still holds ties to its generations-old Italian population. The historic movie theatre is far from the 3D screens and reclining seats of this era, but that’s part of Court Street's charm, along with Marco Polo Ristorante (Pasta! In! A! Cheese! Wheel!) and old school, cream-stuffed Sicilian pastries at Court Pastry Shop. Cool Brooklyn girl-appeasing natural wine bar June and all-day cafe and MacBook central East One Coffee Roasters are some of the newer destinations.
Getting there: G train to Carroll Street
Franklin Avenue (Crown Heights)
Bustling day and night, Franklin Avenue is Crown Heights’ epicenter of culture. Newbie businesses, like daytime café and late-night bar Hunky Dory and organic ice cream shop Strawberry Peacock (go for the daily scoop flavors smashed between a croissant) have immersed themselves as local staples, while restaurants like spicy margarita go-to Chavela’s, Carribbean must-try Glady’s (boozy slushies, plus bomb jerk chicken and seitan, because Brooklyn), and indoor-outdoor beer garden Franklin Park (just around the corner on St Johns Place) are solid mainstays.
Getting there: A/C train to Franklin Avenue
Note: Strawberry Peacock is temporarily closed but scheduled to reopen December 2019.
