246 Best Restaurants in Brooklyn, New York City

This authentic pizza joint has been serving arguably the best coal-fired pies on the block, ever since Patsy Grimaldi severed ties with the Grimaldi's location next door. Juliana's—named in honor of Patsy's mother—has reigned as the DUMBO destination pizza place for classic white and margherita pies. However, don't expect to stop in for a quick slice; it's personal to large pies only.

Famous for its thick slices of cheesecake, Junior's has been a quintessential Brooklyn eatery since 1950, with a menu that also includes their famous steakburgers and matzo ball soup. Their Reubens and thick French fries are first-rate, as are the potato latkes and pretty much all the breakfast offerings. Sink into one of the vinyl booths and enjoy comforting diner and delicatessen classics in this brightly lit space.

Try Uyghur cuisine, from the autonomous region of Xinjiang in northwestern China, at this relaxed café. Decorated with tchotchkes and paintings of the Uyghur people—residents along the Great Silk Road that once linked the East with the West—Kashkar serves dishes reflective of the crossroads of Chinese and Arab influences, including manty (spiced lamb dumplings), and Uyghur lagman (noodles with meat and vegetables). The few Uzbek dishes from the historic Central Asian thoroughfare are on the menu as well, including assorted halal shish kebabs. Alcohol isn't on the menu, but you're welcome to bring your own wine or beer.

Pizza nerds already know to come to DUMBO for Juliana's and Grimaldi's, but now they'll rejoice knowing that renowned L&B Spumoni Gardens has entered the Old Fulton Street pizza arena—since its original location in the southern Brooklyn neighborhood of Bensonhurst has often been considered out of the way. While L&B became famous for their acclaimed Sicilian-style pizza pies, they also serve heroes, pastas, and other classic Italian-American entrées.

In a quiet stretch of Prospect Heights is this cozy, convivial neighborhood restaurant serving Asian- and Mediterranean-inspired American dishes, best enjoyed family-style. Dishes are so packed with flavor that you might need to order plain bread to balance them out: the tomato-based seafood stew is a tangy, salty, and sweet concoction; Japanese sweet potatoes rest on a divinely vinegary pine nut verde and lots of chopped dill; and yu choy (a softer cousin of Chinese broccoli) is served on a creamy, savory spread of black sesame tahini. The meat and fish offerings, most often presented as “large plates,” change frequently depending on what is in season and available locally; but what is fairly certain is that they’ll be butchered and prepared right downstairs. The white-washed walls lined with wooden trims, potted plants, and congenial waitstaff rocking Leland-branded fanny packs all make for a classic Brooklyn dining experience—though at decidedly Manhattan prices.

Tucked in Williamsburg's old-school Italian American residential area is this homey Italian café adorned with old vintage toys and other nostalgic knickknacks. They're known for serving proper Italian coffee to sip along with their several breakfast offerings, daily soups, pastries, or their house-made piadines (unleavened Italian flatbread) filled with meats and cheeses—or even just Nutella.

This little shop on a side street has some pretty fascinating grocery products—pickles, dried persimmons, walnut-based satsivi sauce, and frozen khinkali (Georgian handheld dumplings)—but the real draw is the prepared food counter. Go for the khachapuri, the beloved Georgian cheese-filled bread that varies by region, or the Georgian-style chicken shawarma. There's no seating here, so be prepared to take your hot snack to the beach, or more likely, to eat it while walking, since you won't be able to resist digging in.

There are more than enough ice-cream shops in this kid-oriented section of Brooklyn, but none quite like Malai. The Indian founder has imbued her frozen concoctions with South Asian ingredients that hark back to her childhood, which means you'll be able to enjoy flavors you might not find anywhere else in the city. In addition to coconut tahini with date caramel, or a simple masala chai, the shop also offers a rotating list of seasonal flavors, often to commemorate special holidays like Diwali.

Named after the Montréal neighborhood known for its bagels, Mile End serves takes on Jewish deli staples, the Montrealer way: with smoked meat. Hearty sandwiches include the Eli Reuben (smoked meat, corned beef) and the Lipitorminator (liver and onions with smoked meat). Diners come not just for sandwiches, but for their matzo ball soup, or the quintessential Quebecois dish, poutine.