Last updated: May 15, 2022

BROOKLYN, NY

While I’ve never lived in BK, I worked at an office in Greenpoint for a year and a half and many of my closest friends call this massive borough home. Here I’m sharing the limited wisdom I have gleaned from years of subway and Lyft rides back and forth. Perhaps as a regular visitor, this positions me to create a great hit list, right? Let’s go with that...

GREENPOINT

Greenpoint is a waterfront neighborhood that sits right across the East River from midtown Manhattan (34th Street-ish), and directly across the Newtown Creek from Queens. It takes about 20 minutes to get here by car from Midtown/UES, and a little longer if you’re coming from downtown Manhattan. You can also take the East River ferry, which docks at the end of India Street. Of course there is the subway option: the L and G trains… the G train is an adventure. Have fun.

Historically, Greenpoint is known as home to one of the largest Polish immigrant communities in the city. But as with all things 2000s+ in New York, it’s now very gentrified with hipster culture spillover from neighboring Williamsburg. This makes for an interesting mix of neighbors and cultures, and as such it’s kind of a sleeper nook of an otherwise massive borough. Plus, it has a killer view of the city.

WILLIAMSBURG

Home to astronomical rents, celebrities and Bedford Ave, Williamsburg is perhaps the quintessential modern Brooklyn neighborhood (think: flannel, rolled beanies and worn lace-up boots that look like they’re from another era.) It’s not for nothing: Williamsburg is very convenient to Manhattan (5 minutes on the L train on a good day), so many creative types have made this hopping neighborhood their home. The food, drink and coffee over here is spectacular, so there’s plenty to do and see. I did my best to narrow it down, I swear…

DUMBO, NAVY YARD & DOWNTOWN BK

PARK SLOPE

FORT GREENE & CLINTON HILL