Bushwick, considered one of Brooklyn’s hippest and most artistic neighborhoods, is a great place to explore for the day. Don’t come expecting tree-lined, brownstone blocks, though. Instead you’ll be trekking by graffiti-decorated warehouses, bustling bars and restaurants, and the occasional freestanding mansion. Here’s our walking guide for the neighborhood, which will give you a taste of everything Bushwick has to offer.
Margherita pie at Roberta’s | Rentaro Y. via Yelp
This neighborhood walk begins at the Morgan Avenue stop on the L train, located close to the border of Bushwick and East Williamsburg. Take a quick trip around the block containing Gilbert Ramirez park to check out some of the local graffiti — if that’s your bag you can check out this map for the location of many of the neighborhood’s more notable pieces of street art. When you’re done, walk a block down Bogart to Roberta’s, a pizza restaurant credited for putting Bushwick on the map. If the wait’s not too long, be sure to stop in for some pizza — it’s considered some of the best in New York. Roberta’s also has an outdoor patio and garden, as well as a radio station, epitomizing the sort of DIY atmosphere you’ll find all over the neighborhood. (more…)
In New York City, it’s possible to stop into pretty much any hole-in-the-wall pizzeria, shell out $3, and be on your way with a very serviceable slice. But, as with everything else, there are slices and then there are slices. Here are nine not-to-be-missed pizzerias in Brooklyn.
Grimaldi’s (Dumbo/Brooklyn Heights)
If you’re at Brooklyn Bridge Park and you see a line stretching down Front Street, those aren’t people waiting for Beyonce tickets. They’re waiting to wolf down a pie at Grimaldi’s. Patsy Grimaldi sold the eponymous pizzeria to Frank Ciolli, the current owner and former customer, over a decade ago, but the shop’s coal-fired oven and strict rules — cash only, no slices — have kept its cult status. (more…)