246 Best Restaurants in Brooklyn, New York City

Owner Peter Shelsky pays homage to the traditional Lower East Side deli by stocking the classics—bagels, babka, and the like—but often with a nouveau-Brooklyn twist. Gravlax, Nova, and smoked salmon, for example, share space in the refrigerator with house-cured Jamaican jerk salmon, Mexican achiote salmon, and other deli delectables like pickled herring, whitefish salad, knishes, and prepared salads. You can purchase by the pound or opt for one of the excellent made-to-order sandwiches. For an amusing 1990s fashion flashback, check out Shelsky's bar mitzvah photo album on the ordering counter.

Several Brooklyn restaurants have Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pie on their menus, but this little, long-running shop on the waterfront is the source, where key limes are squeezed fresh to make the creamy tart pies—just as founder Steve Tarpin did during his youth in South Florida. The large 10-inch pies serve eight, but there are also individual 4-inch versions, in addition to frozen treats on a stick—perfect to take with you as you walk to the view of Lady Liberty at the Valentino Pier just outside.

There are two prime times at Tatiana's: day and night, in two venues. Sitting at a boardwalk table on a summer afternoon at Tatiana Grill, enjoying ocean breezes while eating lunch alfresco, is a quintessential Brighton Beach experience. Nighttime is a more exuberant affair, especially when nearby Tatiana Restaurant and Night Club hosts an extravagant old school Vegas-like floor show, with dancing, costumes, and acrobatics. The menu has a bit of everything, spanning the regions of the former Soviet Union, including the sweet and savory vareniki, a pierogi-like dumpling from Ukraine, and pelmeni, small dumplings of pork and veal, hailing from Siberia. There's also staples like herring, and of course, caviar. Vodka can be ordered by the bottle. 

Time Out magazine has certainly made a splash with its gourmet food halls found in cities around the world—and its New York location is no exception. Found on the ground and fifth floors of the historic Empire Stores building, this collection of elevated food stalls will seduce any foodie with its diverse selections of sweet and savory offerings, including Venezuelan arepas from The Maiz Project, Japanese hand rolls from Mori Mori, and Dominican-meets-Texan fare at Bark Barbecue.

Here, thin-crust pies are topped with fresh mozzarella and an ample amount of tangy, homemade tomato sauce, then baked in a coal oven. At Totonno's, you're not just eating pizza, you're biting into a slice of New York history. Anthony (Totonno) Pero first opened the pizzeria a century ago in 1924, right after the subways started running to Coney Island—and the restaurant is at the same location and run by the same family, using ingredients and techniques handed down through four generations. While many people may reminisce of its old-school casual dining room that's endured over the decades, Totonno's has recently switched to take-out and delivery service only, but that doesn't stop die hard fans from parking nearby to hang out and eat from pizza boxes on the top of their cars.

Burgers, beers, and fries: that's what you'll get at this low-key joint. Among stroller-toting parents and neighborhood regulars, sidle up to the bar (or grab a table in back) and sink your teeth into a patty that was ground that morning by local butcher Los Paisanos. The headliner is the two8two burger, topped with roasted poblano chilies, cheddar cheese, and two8two sauce (mayo, ketchup, and spices), but there's also a lettuce wrap burger for the gluten-free or merely carb-phobic. The bar features craft beers on tap, including a couple of local selections, as well as the chipotle-habanero Bloody Mary—it's as hot as it sounds.

A tiny storefront with only a sprinkling of outdoor tables, Ursula has become known and beloved for its whimsical takes on New Mexican cuisine, including a substantial breakfast burrito (only available until noon), green chile chicken sandwiches, and sopaipillas, a fried dough encasing beans and rice or meat, and smothered in red chile. A selection of homemade pastries makes the most of south-of-the-border ingredients like tres leches and blue corn. It’s also become known as a community hub, hosting a series of pop-ups inviting different local chefs to take over, including a Queer Brunch.

A wide, redbrick accent wall helps give this long-running neighborhood café its cozy Brooklyn feel, which serves quick lattes, muffins, and scones at the front counter. However, if you've got a little more time on your hands, head to the back room, beyond all the images of pineapples, where they serve brunch fare: breakfast sandwiches, paninis, soups, and salads. Wine and cocktails are also available, which continue after 4 pm, when heartier dinner fare is served.

This buzzy bistro has a menu of upscale comfort food, a comely crowd, and diffused lighting that gives the space an aura of old fashioned glamour. Stop in for a cocktail after a day in Fort Greene Park, or come for a seasonal repast courtesy of Walter's raw bar, market-fresh veggies, and satisfying main dishes—including their signature dry-aged burger.