Two days in the borough that does everything better than Manhattan — better food, better bars, better views of the skyline. DUMBO, Smorgasburg, Williamsburg, and Prospect Park.
Saturday morning DUMBO before the tourists arrive, then Smorgasburg for the best outdoor food market in New York.
Walk the bridge from Manhattan arriving into DUMBO before 9am. The cobblestone blocks between the Manhattan Bridge arch and the East River with the skyline behind them are the most photographed blocks in Brooklyn. Walk through Brooklyn Bridge Park to the water.
Peter Luger has been serving the same porterhouse for two since 1887 — cash only, brusque service, weeks-long reservation waits. The dry-aged USDA prime beef from the butcher shop downstairs is the best steak in New York. Lunch is more available than dinner. The bacon appetizer and the hash browns are non-negotiable sides.
Bedford Ave between N 7th and N 12th is the commercial spine of Williamsburg — record stores, vintage clothing, excellent ramen (Ichiran is two blocks off), and enough coffee shops to keep a magazine writer employed. Walk it in the afternoon when the neighborhood wakes up.
Sunday in Prospect Park is what Central Park wishes it could be — fewer tourists, a farmers market, free concerts, and the best brunch neighborhood in New York right at the entrance.
The largest farmers market in Brooklyn runs every Saturday at Grand Army Plaza — 40+ vendors, fresh produce, baked goods, fish, cheese, and flowers. Even if you cannot cook in a hotel, the fruit and the bread are worth the stop.
5th Ave between Prospect Park and Atlantic Ave has a half-dozen good brunch options within three blocks: Rose Water (locally-sourced, the best of the bunch), Two Boots Pizza (opens at 10am), or any of the diners between 2nd and 5th. Join the locals with strollers and dogs.
Frederick Law Olmsted's 526-acre park — the same designer as Central Park, generally considered the better design. The Long Meadow is the largest open green in any NYC park. The boathouse on the lake has kayak and rowboat rentals. Free concerts run on the bandshell through the summer.
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