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Modeled after an old-school salumeria, and run by the grandson of Bensonhurst’s beloved Italian food importing and distribution business, D. Coluccio & Sons, this specialty grocery stocks everything from cheese, chocolate, salami, imported pasta, sauces, bread, and pizza dough to prepared foods and salads. The memorable Italian heroes and sandwiches include the Pork Ridge (with homemade porchetta, Italian Crucolo cheese, and the spicy, spreadable salami called 'nduja) and the vegetable and ricotta sandwich. There are a few tables up front, but the prime picnic territory of Shore Park is just a short walk away.
8613 3rd Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11209, USA
Known For
- Italian sandwiches
- Many kinds of imported pasta
- Small but impressive cheese selection
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Among artisanal ice-cream fans, nobody has earned a more passionate following than Ample Hills, the Prospect Heights creamery started by screenwriter Brian Smith and his wife, Jackie Cuscuna. Their Gowanus branch churns with families and ice-cream aficionados, who pack the second-floor terrace and attend ice-cream-making classes. Favorite flavors are Mexican Hot Chocolate and Salted Crack Caramel.
305 Nevins St., Brooklyn, New York, 11238, USA
Known For
- The dark chocolate--based It Came from Gowanus
- Rooftop terrace
- Windows into the production kitchen
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$ | Jackson Heights |
The Arepa Lady, originally known for slinging cheesy, golden arepas (stuffed corn cakes) from her famed street-cart on Roosevelt Avenue has since established three stand-alone restaurants across New York City. The Jackson Heights location is the original “mother restaurant” and keeps to the classics like arepa de queso (freshly ground corn flour mixed with cheese) and arepa de choclo, served with your choice of meat. Try the popular chichiron (smoked pork belly) or Colombian chorizo (which is sliced, rather than ground up). Expect to find Manhattanites, locals, and tourists alike sipping sangria and margs while getting their fill of savory cakes at this charming eatery.
77--17 37th Ave., Queens, New York, 11372, USA
Known For
- Fresh arepas
- Chichiron
- Patacones (fried green plantains)
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Head to this nondescript spot at the north end of Chinatown for outstanding bánh mì sandwiches that cost just $5. The No. 1, with several kinds of pork, pickled vegetables, and a mound of cilantro on a baguette that's perfectly crusty on the outside and soft on the inside might very well blow your mind. Order one to go, with an avocado shake, and enjoy lunch alfresco in Sunset Park, just a block away.
4222 8th Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11232, USA
Known For
- Awesome bánh mì
- Avocado shakes
- Bare-bones decor but very friendly service
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$ | Red Hook |
Original creations like the Brookster (chocolate chip cookie dough baked inside a brownie) and delicious interpretations of whoopie pies, blondies, bars, and cookies keep this sleek bakery and café buzzing. There are breakfast items and a few lunchtime savory selections, too. Buy the cookbook so you can re-create the recipes at home.
359 Van Brunt St., Brooklyn, New York, 11231, USA
Known For
- Creative brownie recipes
- Comfy seating
- Homemade granola (take some home)
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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$ | Greenpoint |
When Williamsburg's best European-style bakery wanted more space, it opened a Greenpoint outpost and included a rustic communal table, antique finishes, and hand-painted wallpaper. From house-made focaccia to financiers, there are plenty of mouthwatering choices (including vegan and gluten-free options) for breakfast and lunch. At breakfast you can watch the bakers in the open kitchen as you sip your morning coffee and snack on a raspberry pistachio muffin or Norwegian skolebrød. Soups and sandwiches on freshly baked bread are served at lunch.
105 Freeman St., Brooklyn, New York, 11222, USA
Known For
- Croissants and other European pastries
- Rustic chic vibe
- Vegan and gluten-free options
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Self-described coffee aficionados line up for the espresso and pour-overs at Blue Bottle, which originated in Oakland but feels very much at home in Williamsburg. The former factory building has light streaming in through large windows so the La Marzocco espresso machine seems to shine, and a Kyoto-style iced-coffee dripper, which looks like it belongs in a science lab, is displayed opposite the coffee counter. There's not much seating, so it's best to get your coffee and snack (mmmm, s'mores) to go. Beans are roasted in a vintage Probat roaster in back.
160 Berry St., Brooklyn, New York, 11249, USA
Known For
- Third-wave coffee
- Great pastries
- Cool design
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In need of picnic supplies, lunch, or a take-home meal? Owner Joe Brancaccio has been feeding the neighborhood with his daily-changing menu of sandwiches, rotisserie chicken, and prepared pastas and vegetables since 2010, and the shop just keeps getting busier. There are also house-baked croissants (plain, chocolate, or cheese), imported Italian sodas, and hard-to-find Mexican Coca-Cola (made with cane sugar, not high-fructose corn syrup).
3011 Fort Hamilton Pkwy., Brooklyn, New York, 11218, USA
Known For
- Awesome sandwiches
- Extensive changing menu
- Renowned rotisserie chicken
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
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$ | DUMBO | Coffee
Artfully disheveled staffers brew coffee from fair-trade and rain-forest alliance–certified beans, while local gallerists and start-up techies flirt over perfectly poured cortados and other beverages at this East River--adjacent café. The loft-style industrial space is filled with antique roasting equipment and ample seating, and also serves pastries and sandwiches.
25 Jay St., Brooklyn, New York, 11201, USA
Known For
- Artisanal coffee
- Industrial architecture
- Pastries and light snacks
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$ | Greenpoint |
Coffee aficionados head to Greenpoint for Búdin’s $10 latte—it's pricey because it's made with Danish licorice syrup, topped with licorice powder, and served on a silver tray. Come during the day for coffee by the Oslo-based roaster Tim Wendelboe, whose beans are favored by top European chefs, or after hours for wine and Nordic craft beer. The back of the shop is stocked with a rotating selection of Scandinavian-design goods .
114B Greenpoint Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11222, USA
Known For
- A $10 licorice-inflected latte
- Scandinavian design
- Nordic craft beer
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$ | Park Slope |
A charming European atmosphere and a focus on top-quality products like La Colombe coffee, Jacques Torres hot chocolate, and Dona chai (hand-brewed in Brooklyn) make the two tiny locations in Park Slope feel like a special-occasion getaway. Snacks are few but the relatively new red banquettes make it comfy to linger longer. The petite spot at 318a 11th Street is best visited solo.
158a Berkeley Pl., Brooklyn, New York, 11217, USA
Known For
- Cold brew
- Running out of pastries
- Its interior wall mural
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$ | Woodside |
This quaint, plant-filled space is brighter and more stylish than your average dumpling-slinger in Queens. That makes sense when you look at the menu, which mixes creative takes on Himalayan classics like perfectly crimped momos (dumplings stuffed with meat or veggies) in a tomato and fenugreek sauce or thenthuk (pulled noodles), as well as American comfort food like buttermilk fried chicken, grass-fed beef burgers, and kale salad. The cocktails are similar global standouts, employing ingredients like masala, tamarind, or tajin spice mix, and there are natural wines on the menu.
51--18 Skillman Ave., Queens, New York, 11377, USA
Known For
- Creative Himalayan dishes
- American comfort food
- Cute interior
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: Closed Tues.
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At this coffee shop with roots in Bogotá, the beauty of the space is matched by the quality of the coffee, which comes exclusively from small farms in Colombia. Fresh beans are brought directly to Brooklyn, where they're roasted on-site within a few days of arrival. Take a seat on one of the leather sofas under the skylight or at a table in front of the living wall, and enjoy a cappuccino with one of the homemade medialunas or croissants. The stylish space has books, magazines, and even dominoes—perfect for a relaxing Sunday afternoon.
69 Grand St., Brooklyn, New York, 11249, USA
Known For
- Third-wave Colombian coffee
- Bright, welcoming space
- Living plant wall
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The Soviet-era childhoods of its two owners inspired the food and decor of this casual coffeehouse that has impressed the neighborhood with its Russian-inflected lunch and brunch fare. Popular dishes include the buckwheat-and-kale salad and the avocado toast, both topped with a fried egg if desired. Cheburashka sweetened coffee, named after a character from Russian children's literature, is the signature drink. It's tempting to linger here, either in the sunny front room or, in warm weather, on the large back patio.
146 Evergreen Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11206, USA
Known For
- Cheburashka sweetened coffee
- Health-forward brunch dishes with a Russian slant
- Large back patio
Restaurant Details
Rate Includes: No dinner
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$ | Lower East Side |
The all-American junk-food staple is elevated to high art here, with fresh seasonal ingredients, real fruit, and imported chocolate mixed into the batter. Traditionalists croon over the vanilla-bean doughnut, but there are plenty of exotic flavors to tempt taste buds: the dense, fudgy Blackout is covered in crumb topping; carrot-cake doughnuts have a cream-cheese filling. Choosing is the difficult part: options include cake doughnuts and yeast doughnuts, as well as "doughseeds." There are other locations around the five boroughs.
379 Grand St., New York, New York, 10002, USA
Known For
- Creative, seasonal flavors in cake and yeast varieties
- Fudgy Blackout doughnuts
- Fun decor
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$ | Midtown East |
If you're feeling peckish in this hurried neighborhood, slip into a favorite Manhattan café and bagel bakery that has been serving authentic family-style comfort since 1976. There's a selection of jumbo, kosher bagels onto which toppings are piled high, or choose from a variety of salads, sandwiches, and fresh-baked treats available all day.
831 3rd Ave., New York, New York, 10022, USA
Known For
- Locals' favorite bagels of various kinds
- Wide range of cream-cheese flavors
- Made-to-order sandwiches and egg dishes
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$ | Meatpacking District |
Despite the Gallic-sounding name, this bakery is all Swedish. There's nearly always a line out the door, and it's worth queuing up. The bread produced here is some of the best this side of the Atlantic. Baguettes, whole loaves, pastries—everything that comes out of the oven here is edible gold: the cardamom bun has become legendary. There's a small seating area in the back or get some goodies for take away and eat them at the tables scattered around the Meatpacking District.
348 W. 14th St., New York, New York, 10014, USA
Known For
- Freshly baked bread
- Cardamom bun
- Cappuccinos
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Pie, ordered whole or by the slice, is why you come to this rustic flagship of the Elsen sisters' enterprise. The bakers are experts on the topic, having written a definitive book and appeared in basically every food magazine around. The café usually has five or six pies, plus a variety of baked goods.
439 3rd Ave., Brooklyn, New York, 11215, USA
Known For
- Salted caramel apple pie
- Whole pie orders
- Seasonal speciality pies
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$ | Park Slope |
This popular Brooklyn-based brand has fueled Park Slope since 2002 with its specially blended roasts and beans from direct-trade and family farms. There's a pour-over menu with the concise descriptions you'd expect on a fine-wine menu. Business is just as brisk as at the now closed original location, but the sleek interior is a 180-degree upgrade. Muffins from nearby Blue Sky Bakery and baked goods from Colson's Patisserie are in good supply. The window seats are prime spots to watch the steady stream of foot traffic. There's free Wi-Fi, but no outlet use.
472 Bergen St., Brooklyn, New York, 11217, USA
Known For
- Espresso-a-go-go blend
- Signature Sunrise drink of cold brew, plus OJ and dash of vanilla syrup
- Great location outside the Bergen Street subway station
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$ | Harlem |
This family-friendly burger joint on the bustling, brownstone-lined corner of 124th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard has a retro malt-shop interior adorned with headshots of Black entertainers and vintage Jet magazine covers. The eatery's name is a clever take on the world-famous Harlem Shake dance made popular by Harlem resident Al B, and also gives a nod to its rich organic milkshakes—such as the decadent Red Velvet, locally made with real cake and Blue Marble ice cream. Creative burgers include the award-winning Hot Mess, which is topped with pickled cherry pepper and bacon relish, American cheese, and smoky chipotle mayo. Tasty nonbeef alternatives, like the house-made veggie burger, the Hot Honey Chick sandwich (dark meat fried chicken drizzled with Mike's Hot Honey), or the simple, yet satisfying cheese fries are staples of the reasonably priced menu. There's happy hour on beer and wine during the weekdays 4--8 pm or go booze-free with a myriad of old-fashioned soda options, like the cherry-flavored Cheerwine or Earp's Sarsaparilla. Find even more seating out on the covered patio and during the summer months expect live jazz on Sunday, adding to the energetic vibe.
100 W. 124th St., New York, New York, 10027, USA
Known For
- Tasty fries including jerk or chili-cheese
- Organic milk shakes and yummy burgers
- Annual Miss and Mr. Harlem Shake contest
