Welcome to North Brooklyn
Trendy neighborhoods with eclectic dining and arts scenes
North Brooklyn is home to some of the hippest and most diverse areas in New York City. Comprised of the neighborhoods Bedford-Stuyvesant, Bushwick, Greenpoint, and Williamsburg, this area of Brooklyn is a hotbed of arts and culture. North Brooklyn is renowned throughout the five boroughs for its trendy nightlife spots, excellent restaurants, boutique shops, and cutting-edge arts movements.
Housing options within North Brooklyn include a variety of stylish loft conversions, renovated townhouses, and condominium buildings constructed in the early 20th century. There is also a wealth of new development, and North Brooklyn’s neighborhoods rank high among those in NYC receiving the most building applications in recent years. Along the revitalized waterfront, gleaming new high-rises offer sweeping views across the Hudson to Manhattan.
What to Love
- Artistic vibe
- Hip dining scene
- Diverse housing options
- Growing popularity
People & Lifestyle
The communities of North Brooklyn have firmly established themselves among New York’s trendiest neighborhoods since the turn of the 21st century. These traditional working-class neighborhoods have been reinvented by artists and revitalized by developers to become some of NYC’s most in-demand locations. The vibe throughout North Brooklyn is exciting and eclectic, with quiet residential neighborhoods located close to hip nightlife spots, trendsetting restaurants, and a plethora of art studios and galleries
Dining, Entertainment & Shopping
Eclectic North Brooklyn has many cool spots to drink, dine, and shop. The traditionally Polish neighborhood of Greenpoint has many stores offering Eastern European specialty ingredients and food items. For an old-fashioned Polish dining experience, head to rustic Karczma, where servers in traditional dress bring hearty plates of classic cuisine to farmhouse-style tables.
Glasserie in Glasspoint is one of the finest restaurants in the city, serving fantastic Mediterranean fusion cooking in a refurbished industrial glass factory. In a city famous for its pizza, Paulie Gee’s is a strong contender for NYC’s best Neapolitan-style spot. Roberta’s in Bushwick is also renowned for its pizza, along with a menu of high-quality entrees sold at reasonable prices. Its adjacent sister restaurant Blanca is more high-end but worth the cost, earning two Michelin stars and a glowing New York Times review for its exquisite 27-course tasting menu.
In Williamsburg, St. Mazie pairs delicious oysters with strong cocktails in a cool spot featuring live jazz music. International options include Japanese dining at Zenkichi, exotic tacos at Casa Publica, flavorful Peruvian fare at The Llama Inn, and homemade Italian pasta dishes at Lilia.
For shopping, Williamsburg has dozens of great vintage stores on the streets south of the Bedford Avenue L train stop. Beacon’s Closet in Greenpoint is another vintage clothing hotspot.
Things to Do
Domino Park is a five-acre public park at the former Domino Sugar Factory in Williamsburg that offers outstanding views across the river to Manhattan. Domino Park also has an artist-designed playground, a dog run, and courts for bocce ball and beach volleyball.
East River State Park is another waterfront Williamsburg greenspace with exceptional Manhattan views. Each Saturday morning during the warmer months, dozens of vendors offer food from some of the hippest local restaurants at East River Park for the Smorgasburg event.
Bushwick has many contemporary arts studios and galleries. In September, Bushwick Open Studios sees many of these studios open their doors to the public. North Brooklyn is also well-known for its exciting live music scene. Some of Williamsburg’s most popular venues include Knitting Factory and Music Hall.
Schools
Public schools in the area are part of the New York City Public School District. Highlights include
- The High School for Math, Science & Engineering, Public, 9-12, Specialized High School for Gifted Students
- Success Academy Charter School Williamsburg, Public (Charter), K-7