Each time I visit Brooklyn, I am enchanted by experiences old and new. Brooklyn oozes with hip and trendy vibe. Bustling restaurants and cafes, bakeries, art galleries, boutique shopping, unusual eats, the famous botanical garden and so much more!
Last weekend my friend Aurelie showed me around some of her favorite hot spots in Brooklyn. To start our adventure we decided to meet at one of my favorite places in Brooklyn: Mast Brothers! I can never resist a taste of their chocolates which are made from the highest quality and highly curated ingredients. The attention to detail is all on the purity of flavors and their simplicity. The flavors are so pronounced that one or two pieces of a bar can easily satisfy my craving. This time, I tried black truffle chocolate! Aaaahhhmazing!
It was a saturday… and it is summertime. Which means that Smorgasburg is on! Oh! my gosh….what a phenomenal selection of unusual eats . Here, one needs many many hours to explore, eat, digest and then eat some more of the international, fusion and unusual foods sold by over 100 vendors. Aurelie and I could not resist the made-to-order stuffed paranthas from the Parantha Alley. The delicious sides of pickled onions, fried green chillies, mango pickle and yogurt add all the key flavor components to make for a memorable bite. I highly recommend the two flavors I tried: potatoes and cauliflower. Although, Keema (ground meat) is calling my name for the next visit. Yum. Another standout vendor was Bunna cafe (they also have a brick and mortar location in Brooklyn) - serving delicious vegetarian Ethiopian food. Most of all, I love the waterfront setting of this foodie-heaven. Can’t beat the spectacular views of Manhattan skyline, cool river breeze and a tasty treat in your hand!
With our bellies full (for the moment) Aurelie decided to take me on a tour of her favorite part of Brooklyn… Bushwick! She had been talking about it for weeks, and I have to admit I did not understand her excitement for the place…… until we started walking the streets of Bushwick. There are some really cool restaurants and cafes popping up here and there. Walking around the streets- you are likely to catch a family out on the sidewalk lounging on their lawn chairs, enjoying an outdoor barbecue (just like the good old days). Bushwick is a quieter more laid back version of Williamsburg. It is primarily an area where artists are settling in until modern urban development forces them to leave in search of cheaper residential neighborhoods. The presence of art and artists is felt everywhere. Mainly as part of an initiative called the Bushwick Collective. Artists from all over the world are coming to Bushwick for a few weeks or months at a time- and they are creating jaw-dropping art on the walls all over Bushwick. It really is a sight to see…. and I believe it is to be enjoyed on foot so that you can linger and take it all in at your leisure.
Alright! Time to return to the topic of food! Aurelie had another reason for taking me to Bushwick. Her favorite restaurant in the area is Roberta’s Pizza! And so we just HAD to dine there. I loved this gem! A totally unassuming exterior covered with graffiti. But there is so much character and tons of damn-good pizza to be enjoyed within those walls. I loved the main dining area open to the kitchen where all the amazing pizzas were coming out of. There is really fun tiki bar outdoors. Every nook and corner (inside and out) was jam packed - and as soon as you have your first bite of the pizza you will understand why. The toppings and flavor combinations were creative and fun! The pizza is made with a very unique dough. I found it quite soft and chewy but in a very pleasant way.
Even the dessert was an unexpected pleasure at Roberta’s. So be sure to save some room for that. Roberta’s has a sister restaurant right next door named, Blanca. It only offers a tasting menu. There is also a bakery right by - which is quite a hot spot for folks ordering take out pizzas and buying their daily supply of breads.
Ahh! So much ground covered and so much still to explore. A foodie’s job is never done!
