. . . in and around Park Slope
The colloquium venue — the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture (BSEC) is located on the line (4th Ave) separating Brooklyn’s Park Slope and Gowanus neighborhoods. Here are a few tips about where in the neighborhood(s) you might like to grab a bite or a drink, or spend some leisure time. In general, 5th Ave, 4th Ave, and 3rd Ave (and, a bit further up the slope, 7th Ave) are awash with good places to eat and drink — it’s hard to go wrong. You’re also not far from the neighborhoods of Prospect Heights, South Slope, and Windsor Terrace, each with its own charms.
Everything on these lists is within walking distance of BSEC (except the things marked with an *). And of course you can always seek professional advice at YELP, TimeOut – Park Slope, Google and Apple Maps, or whatever digital concierge you prefer.
A recommendation: Come for the colloquium (Wednesday-Friday), then stay an extra day or two to enjoy the city. Come on, it’s June!
Eat
If you need just coffee (and pastry – or a bagel) . . .
- Whisk & Whiskey: 259 4th Ave | You wouldn’t know it from the name, but you can get coffee, pastry, and even an egg-muffin-thing — and it’s just a block from BSEC
- Root Hill Cafe: 262 4th Ave | Good for a quick breakfact bite, just a block away from BSEC
- Runner & Stone: 285 Third Ave | Fabulous baked goods
- Ninth Street Espresso (at Threes Brewing): 333 Douglass St
- Volare Espresso Bar: 199 Fifth Ave
- Velvet Brew: 279 5th Ave
- Café Regular: 158A Berkeley Pl
- BrownStone Bagels: 671 Union St (at 4th Ave)
- Everybody Eats: 294 Third Ave | Amazing gluten-free baked goods
- Especially for the pastry part, see just below: Colson Patisserie, Cousin John’s, Simple Loaf Bakehouse, Un Posto Italiano
Great places for breakfast and lunch — all within short walking distance . . .
- Milk Bar: (204 6th Ave. [at Union St]) | Pleasant and interesting eggs and brunchy-type things, plus great salads, sandwiches and lunchy-type things
- Simple Loaf Bakehouse: (310 5th Ave [btwn 2nd & 3rd Sts]) | Great pastries and breakfast and brunch menu
- Root Hill Cafe: (262 4th Ave) | Low-key breakfast & lunch menus
- Public Display of Affection: (669 Union St, at 4th Ave) | Delicious wood-fired pizza but also other interesting lunch options
- Gowanus Gardens: (256 4th Ave) | Good burgers and nice back garden on a sunny day
- Brooklyn Burgers & Beer: (259 5th Ave) | The name says it all
- Bricolage: (162 5th Ave) | Vietnamese-French gastropub
- Petite Dumpling: (276 5th Ave) | Dimsum, dumplings, small plates
- Terrace Restaurant: (280 5th Ave) | Specializing in Mexican food but also salads, sandwiches, panini, gyros, etc.
- Un Posto Italiano: (206 Garfield Pl [at 7th Ave]) | Good coffee, pastry, fabulous light sandwiches on house-made ciabatta
- Daigo Sushi Roll Bar: (527 Carroll St) | Sushi
- Bangkok Degree: (847 Union St) | Excellent Thai
- Bagel Pub: 57 7th Ave (at Lincoln Pl)
- Cousin John’s Cafe & Bakery: (60 7th Ave [at Lincoln Pl]) | Nice baked goods and lunch menu
- Cusp Crepe + Espresso Bar: (321 7th Ave [btwn 8th & 9th Sts]) | Good coffee, and delicious crepes and paninis
- Colson Patisserie: (374 9th Street [at 6th Ave]) | Mostly pastries, but oooh what pastries!
- Electric Beets: (158 7th Ave) | Grab-and-go vegan deli
- Or just walk 5th or 7th Ave — you’re sure to find something interesting
For dining, with some class . . .
- Al di la Tratoria: (248 5th Ave) | Upscale Italian
- Haenyeo: (239 5th Ave) | Delicious Korean
- Runner & Stone: 285 Third Ave | Fabulous baked goods
- Claro: (284 3rd Ave) | Where New York and Oaxaca meet — terrific upscale stuff
- Terre: (341 5th Ave) | Hidden gem cozy Italian spot with an extensive wine list
- Palo Santo: (652 Union St) | Pan-Latin food in a lovely space
- Miriam: (79 5th Ave) | Fabulous Israeli food – dinner is great, but try brunch if you can – the shakshuka is amazing
- Sawa: (75 5th Ave) | Lovely Lebanese
- Sofreh: (75 St Marks Ave) | High-end Persian (reservations can be hard to come by)
- There are great restaurants all over the place — explore!
For dinner, but less ambitious, quirkier, or a bit grittier (in a good way) . . .
- Many of the lunch places listed above are great for dinner, too
- Kiku Asian Bistro: (163 5th Ave) | Affordable pan-Asian spot with great sushi
- Miti Miti: (138 5th Ave) | Interesting Spanish & Latin American plates, sangria & cocktails in a colorful little space
- Bogota: (141 5th Ave) | Pan-Latin spot with great cocktails. The arepas are amazing!
- Calexico: (278 5th Ave) | Casual California-style Mexican food
- Noodle Lane: (230 7th Ave) | Simple and awesome Chinese food. Try the soup dumplings!
- Earthen Vegan: (226 7th Ave) | Vegan restaurant with a great wine and beer menu
- Two Boots: (284 5th Ave) | Awesome pizza on a crunchy-but-chewy cornmeal crust. Extensive vegan menu (nearly all their pizzas have a vegan version)
- Emmy Square Pizza: (315 5th Ave [at 3rd St]) | You guessed it — trendy pizza place
- Dinosaur BBQ: (604 Union Street [btwn 4th & 3rd Aves]) | Barbecue chain serving Southern-style meats & draft brews in a retro setting
- Grab something at one of the bars, wine bars, or beer places listed below. Most bars in the neighborhood have a decent light food menu
I scream, you scream, we all scream . . .
- Van Leeuwen’s Ice Cream: (304 5th Ave) | Top-notch ice cream, plain and simple! Great vegan flavors
- The Social: (816 Washington Ave) | The newest venture from the creators of Ample Hills
- Uncle Louie G’s Italian Ices & Ice Cream: (741 Union Street) | If Italian ice and soft serve are more your style, this is the spot.
- L’Albero dei gelati: (341 5th Ave) | Amazing gelato
- Un Posto Italiano: (206 Garfield Pl [at 7th Ave]) | Gelato in the summertime!
- Four & Twenty Blackbirds: (439 3rd Ave) | Pie!
Drink
- Whisk & Whiskey (259 4th Ave) | Cocktails, small plates, cake! Just a block from BSEC
- Dirty Precious (317 3rd Ave) | Nice cocktail bar and bar food menu
- Blueprint (196 5th Ave) | High-end lounge and wine bar with interesting cocktails and small bites
- High Dive (243 5th Ave) | Fun bar with vintage vibes and a nice patio
- The Commissioner (247 5th Ave) | Cocktails & beer in an old-school setup with dart boards & a shuffleboard table
- Union Hall: (702 Union St.) | A bar/lounge with library-like decor, plus 2 bocce courts & a basement performance space that features Brooklyn’s best comedy acts
- Ginger’s Bar: (363 5th Ave) | One of the few remaining lesbian bars in NYC — great vibes and accepting of all stripes
- Threes Brewing: (333 Douglass St) | Nice brew pub (though too big, really, to be called a pub)
- Park Slope Ale House: (356 6th Ave) | Mellow neighborhood hangout for beer & pub food with outdoor seating & a pool table
- Strong Rope Brewery: (574 President St.) | A great taproom with hand-crafted ales
- Brookvin: (381 7th Ave) | Wine bar with cheese, charcuterie, and small plates
- Bar Vinazo: (158 7th Avenue Brooklyn) | Wine bar and Spanish tapas
Play
Places of interest in the area . . .
- Brooklyn Public Library at Grand Army Plaza – an iconic building and a quiet place in the midst of the noisy city
- Brooklyn Botanic Gardens – Open 8am-6pm Tuesday-Friday, 10am-6pm Saturday and Sunday. The gardens are free on Saturdays from 10am-noon. // 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn
- Brooklyn Museum – Open 11am-6pm Wednesday- Sunday. // 990 Washington Ave., Brooklyn
- Prospect Park – Brooklyn’s beautiful “central” park. Walks and more walks, and Winner in the Park
- Grand Army Plaza Farmer’s Market – Fun Saturday farmer’s market at Grand Army Plaza, at the entrance to Prospect Park. Open 8am-4pm
- Movement – Fantastic climbing wall
- Royal Palms Shuffleboard – Shuffleboard for hipsters! A giant shuffleboard and game playing space, featuring trendy cocktails at the bar and various snacks. // 514 Union St., Brooklyn
- Go for a bike ride – Hop on a Citi Bike and explore: Prospect Park (see above), Brooklyn Bridge Park (see below) — the city is your oyster
- See a New York Liberty game at nearby Barclays Center – Brooklyn’s star-studded WNBA team
- * Brooklyn Bridge Park – Check out Brooklyn’s waterfront and New York Harbor. A beautiful spot for a walk and to spend a few hours. But this one requires a cab, Uber or Lyft, Citi Bike, or the subway
- * Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge – a time-honored NYC tradition; the best
- * TimeOut Brooklyn – for more ideas
Local venues that feature live music . . .
Three’s Brewing, The Bell House, Soapbox Gallery, Barbes, Bar LunÀtico, Bar Bayeux, The Owl Music Parlor. Some of these places have good food, too. Visit their websites to check out their calendars of events.
And then there’s Manhattan . . .
TimeOut New York – For all the latest info on things to do in New York’s second (or third) greatest borough