246 Best Restaurants in Brooklyn, New York City

We've compiled the best of the best in Brooklyn - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

Court Street Pastry Shop

$ | Cobble Hill

A celebrated remnant of Cobble Hill's Italian-American past, this family-owned bakery delivers classics to savor: cannoli, pies, spumoni, custard ices, exquisitely layered Neapolitan-style sfogliatelle,and rainbow cookies by the pound. The vintage sign alone may be reason to visit, but even better is the intoxicatingly delicious interior, where you can discover everything from seasonal pastries to sugar-free cookies.

D.O.C. Wine Bar

There's simply nowhere else in Williamsburg like this rustic enoteca: You'd have to sail to Sardinia to savor a comparable meal. Pastas highlight the island's specialties, among them fregola (similar to couscous) with pistachio pesto and mascarpone, and the all-Italian wine list has plenty of accessible choices to pair with the artisanal cheeses. These come with pane carasau, a thin, crispy Sardinian flatbread best simply drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. It's all so authentic, you can practically smell the sea air and the sheep.

Damascus Bread & Pastry Shop

$ | Brooklyn Heights

Named for the founder's childhood home in Syria, this family-run bakery and market has been a mainstay of the neighborhood's Middle Eastern community since 1930. Specialties include freshly baked pita, vegetable and meat pies, and baklava. For a quick take-away lunch, order a falafel sandwich, some hummus and pita, or a lighter-than-air spinach pie.

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David's Brisket House Deli

This storefront deli doesn't look like much, but several things make it a standout. One is the pastrami, available as a sandwich or with eggs for breakfast; another is the fact that you can order a "small" sandwich—definitely enough for average appetites—rather than the typical oversize versions that you get at places like Katz's. And then there's the fact that this local institution really represents the neighborhood's diversity: it was originally owned by Jewish immigrants from Yemen and Russia but was then passed on to a Muslim partner, whose family now runs it. (Note that the shop is closed Friday from noon to 2 for prayer service.)

Defonte's

$ | Red Hook

The outrageously good heroes at Defonte's Sandwich Shop, overstuffed with cured meats, mozzarella, chicken parm, or fried eggplant, have made this storefront a Brooklyn institution. And after almost a century in business, they've certainly had time to perfect their recipes. The shop is delightfully old-school, with framed newspaper clippings and head shots of Sinatra and other celebrities on the walls. Seating is limited.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

When this upstate legend opened an outpost in Gowanus, it was if Union Street was anointed barbecue row. With 180 seats, sidewalk picnic tables, and family-style orders, it's good for groups. There are "custom 'que" specials on weekdays and the St. Louis ribs and beef brisket are favorites.

Doña Zita

$ | Coney Island

Just off the boardwalk, this taco stand has a selection of tasty Mexican standards. The taco carne asada (marinated steak) is a favorite; torta sandwiches are large enough to share. It's a quick, inexpensive meal that pairs well with a Mexican fruit-flavored Jarritos soda.

The Double Windsor

A place like the Double Windsor is what happens when a few local guys want a casual place in the neighborhood to drink good beer and eat good food, but nothing too fancy. Back in 2009, they couldn't find what they were looking for, so they opened a place themselves and it's become a local institution, for good reason: the beer list is comprehensive, and the comfort food is top quality. Classic black-and-white movies play on the TV in the background, on mute.

Dragon Bay Bakery

One of several traditional Chinese bakeries along 8th Avenue, this busy café is a good stop for a morning or afternoon pastry and a sweet milk tea. Savory and sweet Chinese classics like the flaky egg tarts, steamed buns, and airy slices of green-tea sponge cake are all between $1 or $2 apiece, so try as many as your appetite allows. Get your snack to go, or grab one of the few small tables.

Du Jour Bakery

$ | Park Slope

This unpretentious café is owned by TJ and Vera Obias, husband-and-wife pastry chefs who make everything on premises "du jour"---some of the delectable classic French and American baked goods are even made fresh twice a day. Breakfast, brunch, and lunch menus include frittatas, melts, and salads. Coffee drinks, cocktails, beer and wine, and an interesting selection of iced and hot teas round out your options.

Dun-Well Doughnuts

Doughnuts have become a national obsession, and dedicated shops have opened up all over New York City and Brooklyn. This retro-cool shop has an extra edge: all the doughnuts are vegan, and they also come in more than 200 flavors. Staples include traditional glazed, chocolate, and jelly-filled, but depending on the day you might find inventive creations like espresso mocha, strawberry kiwi, tangerine basil, and peach cobbler.

East Harbor Seafood Palace

For a traditional dim sum brunch experience, this Sunset Park Chinatown institution is a good bet for high quality and variety. Not much English is spoken, so be ready to take a guess and point at whichever plates look good as servers wheel them on carts through the cavernous restaurant. Local families with young children pack this place so the atmosphere can be chaotic but great fun. Arrive early on weekend mornings, or expect a long wait.

El Almacen

$$$

The focus at this Argentine steak house is on grass-fed beef, served on wooden platters and paired with an Argentine Malbec from the extensive wine list. The restaurant has a warm bistro feel, with lace curtains and a pressed-tin ceiling. In summer, the best seats are out in the garden, which is tucked away behind the restaurant and strung with lights.

Elia Restaurant

$$$

Something of a Bay Ridge secret, Elia has been serving refined Greek delicacies in the neighborhood since 1998. The menu features grilled meat, fish, and seafood, as well as traditional casseroles and appetizers, all prepared with innovative touches: grilled shrimp, for example, are served with pomegranate couscous and avgolemono (egg-lemon sauce), and tender homemade ravioli are filled with braised lamb. The lamb shank baked in a clay pot with orzo is always a good bet.

Fada

A typical French bistro in the heart of Williamsburg, Fada serves Provençal specialties, including classic moules marinière, steak au poivre, and ratatouille. The owner hails from Marseille, so both the menu and decor are in keeping with the traditions of the French Riviera. A gypsy jazz band plays on weekends (there's flamenco on Tuesday), and a fetching enclosed garden awaits you out back.

Ferdinando's Focacceria

Basic decor, a pressed-tin roof, and family photos set the completely unpretentious, old-school mood at this laid-back neighborhood temple of Sicilian comfort food. Everything is delicious, but standouts include the arancini (rice balls), the pork-chop pizzaiola (cooked with peppers, tomatoes, and capers), and the panelle special, in which chickpea fritters meet ricotta in a sandwich with delicious results.

Five Leaves

$$ | Greenpoint

Tattooed servers wait tables at this prime spot on the corner opposite McCarren Park where chefs take fanciful (and successful) liberties with traditional bistro fare. Popular dishes include the Five Leaves burger with pickled beets and harissa mayo, truffle fries, and ricotta pancakes served at weekend brunch, which can be a mob scene but worth braving if you can’t get here early. The stylish place was inspired by actor Heath Ledger, a Greenpoint fixture who had plans to start a restaurant with the owners before his untimely death; funding from his estate went toward opening it. The sidewalk tables are excellent for people-watching.

Fonda

$$ | Park Slope

Authentic and flavorful contemporary Mexican food, perfectly mixed cocktails, and amiable staff define this cozy restaurant, overseen by award-winning chef and cookbook author Roberto Santibañez. While happy hours at the bar are popular, stay for dinner to enjoy enchiladas with mole, lump crab croquettes with avocado serrano sauce, or poblano peppers with roasted-tomato chipotle sauce. The small space is always buzzing, plus there's backyard seating.

Fortunato Brothers Café & Pasticceria

Of the few old-school Italian pastry shops remaining in Williamsburg, this family-run café and bakery is by far the best. The three Fortunato brothers emigrated from Naples in 1971 and opened this Italian bakery in 1976; the fact that they may not have updated the decor since then only makes the place feel more authentic. Glass cases are lined with trays of cannoli, tiramisù, rum baba, sfogliatella, cream puffs, and cookies, all made in-house. The gelato is homemade, too.

Frankies 457 Spuntino

$$ | Carroll Gardens

A longtime favorite culinary pioneer in Carroll Gardens, Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli's Italian American restaurant has atmosphere to spare between the backyard and former blacksmith stable. Choose from the well-conceived menu's shareable salads (many with vegetables roasted or marinated with the Frankies' own Sicilian olive oil); house-made ravioli; meatballs with pine nuts and raisins; and crusty sandwiches that ask to be shared. The next-door F&F Pizzeria and Franks Wine Bar are both celebrated destinations in their own right.

Gage & Tollner

$$$$

Tucked on a unglamorous stretch of Downtown Brooklyn, this restaurant can feel like a delightful 19th-century anomaly. That's no coincidence: Gage & Tollner actually has been around for over 130 years. Today the tastefully renovated space, originally from 1892, is like a trip back in time, with uniformed servers, dark wood trim, huge mirrors and gas-lit lamps. The menu also feels decidedly gilded age, with sumptuous cuts of steak and classic sides, luxe seafood platters, and old-timey desserts like Baked Alaska. Start the night off with a drink at the Sunken Harbor Club, with nautical-theme cocktails.

Ghenet

Laid-back and welcoming Ghenet is where to dig into Ethiopian dishes with injera, the slightly spongy sourdough bread, made fresh daily. Use it to scoop up fragrantly spiced dishes like tuna or steak tartare, kitfo (finely chopped prime beef, cooked and aggressively seasoned), and the aromatic doro wett chicken stew.

Gino's

Family-owned and -operated since the 1960s, this always crowded restaurant and pizzeria is known for its red-sauce pastas and classic Italian dishes like pasta e fagioli, rigatoni with eggplant and sausage, and spaghetti and meatballs, all served with attentive service in an exposed-brick and white-tablecloth setting. The restaurant is a favorite spot for family gatherings and special-occasion dining. The casual pizzeria up front is counter seating only; walk through to get to the bar and main restaurant.

The Good Fork

$$ | Red Hook

The husband-and-wife team behind the Good Fork marry Eastern and Western sensibilities at this charming restaurant. He's a native New Yorker and she grew up in South Korea, and the fusion-style menu ranges from homemade dumplings and Korean-style steak 'n' eggs to roasted chicken with fermented black-bean butter sauce. In warm weather you can dine in the garden.

Habana Outpost

$ | Fort Greene

If the hearty Cuban sandwich and spicy Mexican corn on the cob don't win you over, the exceptionally potent margarita slushies will. An indoor--outdoor party scene with democratic appeal and crowd-pleasing Latin American fare, Habana Outpost occupies a spacious corner lot that is popular with families, first dates, and the occasional raucous-but-friendly group of revelers. On Sunday nights, May through October, the restaurant screens free movies like Purple Rain,Pulp Fiction, and at least one Spike Lee feature.

Hamilton's

On a relatively quiet stretch of Fort Hamilton Parkway, this gastropub pairs a vibrant atmosphere with classic dishes like mussels in a garlic-and-white-wine broth or decadent macaroni and cheese topped with crunchy bread crumbs and studded with bacon. Weekend brunch options are similarly satisfying: try the Ella Fitzgerald sandwich with grilled chicken, ham, and Gruyère cheese, topped with a fried egg. The beer list usually has at least 10 to 15 selections on tap and a few unusual bottles.

Hazar Turkish Kebab

In a neighborhood full of excellent Middle Eastern food, this casual restaurant stands out. There's a grill for kebabs, a spit for shawarma, and an oven for delicious made-to-order pides (pitas) like the sucuk pide (stuffed with mozzarella and Turkish sausage). The hummus and the falafel here are phenomenal. For dessert, try the kazandibi, a creamy semolina pudding with a caramelized top.

Henry Public

$$ | Cobble Hill

On a quiet Cobble Hill street, this dimly lit tavern is charmingly styled like an old-time saloon, and the antique and wood decor and fabulous zinc bar set just the right tone for simple standards cooked well. Best bets include the grass-fed burger, a grilled-cheese sandwich with apple slices, and the signature turkey-leg sandwich. The wines are from New York State, and the beers skew regional, too.

Henry's End

$$$ | Brooklyn Heights

This neighborhood institution made its reputation serving wonderful food and excellent wines in an unpretentious, high-ceiling, exposed-brick dining room. Meat takes center stage here, with several nightly changing preparations of duck and veal, but there are fish and pasta dishes as well. The annual Wild Game Festival is a showcase of hearty fare, including elk, buffalo, venison, and rabbit. The wine list includes noteworthy selections at all price points.

Hey Hey Canteen

The Asian comfort food and creative twists on standard dishes pique curiosity, and with inexpensive pricing, it's possible to try a lot of items in a single visit at this low-key spot. On the unusual side, there's eggplant fries with shallot aioli, a Caesar salad made with chrysanthemum leaves, and green fried rice with spinach and cilantro. Noodle dishes and Hong Kong fried chicken are main entrée standouts.

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