A guide to local favorites in Greenpoint Brooklyn
Bordered by the East River, Greenpoint gives you a world of charming old-Brooklyn culture and Polish heritage, while leaving you within a stone’s throw of all the goings-on just south, in adjacent Williamsburg. Escape the buzz of the latter by chilling in McCarren Park and eating traditional Polish pierogies to your heart’s content. When the weather is nice, pick up doughnuts from Peter Pan and stroll through all the boutiques down Franklin Street to enjoy the calm of this time-warped neighborhood.
Meet your local
Alexander-Julian is a Nigerian-born, Houston-raised, Brooklyn-based writer who specializes in travel, style and culture. He’s spent the past four years living in Bedford-Stuyvesant after graduating from Howard University. He loves exploring the culture and people of the borough and avoids “the city” (Manhattan) at all costs.
alexanderjulianWant to get in touch? Email bytheway@washpost.com
Where I live:
A perfect little Brooklyn nook that is the meeting place of two of my favorite neighborhoods: Bed-Stuy and Bushwick.
Best way to get around the city:
The transit system wasn’t really made for inter-borough travel, so my favorite way to get around the city right now is on a Revel — rentable electric mopeds that you can reserve and pick up anywhere through an app on your phone. Most of the train lines lead straight into Manhattan, leaving you with few options for Brooklyn-to-Brooklyn travel. Revels are a fun and cost-efficient way to get around the borough.
Don’t leave without having:
A super boozy, hip-hop Caribbean party brunch at Woodland, near Barclays Center. It’s truly an experience.
But the local favorite is really:
A chopped cheese with bacon, on a roll — toast the roll — add ketchup, mayo, lettuce, tomatoes and onions — grill the onions — from the deli around the corner.
If I moved, I’d most miss:
Brooklyn summers. The four months of it we get in New York are enough to almost make you forget the brutal eight months of winter. Rooftop soirees, block parties, concerts in the park and all other things quintessentially Brooklyn are very near and dear to my heart.
Greenpoint
McCarren Park
McCarren Park sits on the border of Greenpoint and Williamsburg and serves as a staple to both neighborhoods. With 35 acres and multiple sports fields and courts, you’re sure to walk up on an intense softball game or two.
776 Lorimer St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11222
Wolves Within
This small boutique shows off the fashion and fine-arts expertise of the husband-and-wife duo who own it, culminating in a well-curated store that sells home goods, accessories and clothing for men and women.
174 Franklin St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11222
Naked Dog
The Naked Dog is a waterfront Puglia-influenced Italian restaurant. The food is without gimmicks — the pasta is fresh and the desserts are sweet, and both are made daily. The restaurant flexes a takeout window on the West Street side of the building, slinging fresh pastries, sandwiches and coffee as well.
47 Java St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11222
Brooklyn Barge (summer and early fall)
The Brooklyn Barge is a fun, permanently docked bar and restaurant that floats in the East River and serves up quality cocktails and classic American bites fresh off the grill. The bar opens its season in May and closes in October, so enjoy a drink at one of Greenpoint’s quirkiest spots while you can.
79 West St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11222
North 3rd Street Market
North 3rd Street Market is a fairly new food hall located a little south of Greenpoint, in Williamsburg, operating out of a classic brick-and-beam building. The market hosts a diverse mix of fares and flavors, from Di Fara’s iconic pizza to Baba’s Pierogis. North 3rd hosts events throughout the week, so you can play bingo and answer trivia while scarfing down East Wind dumplings.
103 N. Third St., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11249
Alexander-Julian Gibbson
Alexander-Julian is a Nigerian-born, Houston-raised, Brooklyn-based writer who specializes in travel, style and culture. He’s spent the past four years living in Bedford-Stuyvesant after graduating from Howard University. He loves exploring the culture and people of the borough and avoids “the city” (Manhattan) at all costs.
@alexanderjulianLauren Crothers
Lauren is a contributing photographer for The Washington Post born and raised in Hong Kong, now settled in Brooklyn after a long stint in Cambodia. She’s a year-round biker and loves doing loops in the quiet of Prospect Park, particularly in the autumn.
@laurencro
