It’s not a secret anymore that Brooklyn is cool. It’s my favorite borough by far, mostly due to the fact that it has all of the best craft beer bars, flea markets, restaurants, and parks in NYC. Every time I’m back in New York, I make sure to find something new and head back to a few of my favorite spots in Brooklyn.
I’m lucky enough to have family scattered around the city, so I often stay with them when I visit. I also like finding cool boutique hotels in Park Slope, Williamsburg, and Greenpoint when I have a bit of extra money to spend, especially if they’re near these cool things to do in Brooklyn.
1. Smorgasburg
One of my favorite food markets in Brooklyn is Smorgasburg. It’s an outdoor food market that happens every Saturday at East River State Park in Williamsburg.
The view back over Manhattan is amazing, but the food options make me return again and again. Smorgasburg has some of my favorite barbecue options in the city, coffee tents, freshly baked vegan cookies, and the best french fries in Brooklyn. The market gets bigger every time I go, and now there are over 100 vendors.
2. Brooklyn Flea
I love a good flea market, and Brooklyn Flea is one of the best. The market has absolutely everything under one roof. I usually go looking for clothes and end up leaving with a new lamp, a vintage laptop bag, a random camera that doesn’t work, and a fedora. You’ll also find vintage toys; vinyl and record players; and the largest selection of clothes from the 60s, 70s, and 80s that I’ve ever seen.
Be sure to go hungry, because there are tons of food options that you won’t want to miss. I always love the various coffee vendors, and the options change slightly each weekend, so you never know what you’re going to find.
3. Threes Brewing
While I do love Brooklyn Brewery, I’ve started looking for smaller craft breweries on my trips to Brooklyn. Threes Brewing is one of the coolest I’ve found. The beers are awesome, and every weekend the brewery hosts live bands. It’s less of a local brewery and more of a unique creative community space. There are art shows, board games, quiz nights, and community meetings here throughout the week.
If you happen to walk past earlier in the day, you should definitely stop by to have a coffee. Threes Brewing can make a fantastic AeroPress coffee, and you can enjoy it with a sandwich made with locally sourced ingredients. I love how dedicated Threes Brewing is to local New York farms and other independent Brooklyn businesses.
There are so many cool places to explore in Brooklyn that they definitely wouldn’t all fit into one post. The best thing you can do when visiting this funky borough is to toss out the map and simply wander the various streets. You’re bound to stumble upon an awesome antique store, an artisanal coffee shop, or a totally new-to-you market.
Feature image via Flickr by loustejskal