Armondo’s Pizza

Photograph: Dave Sanders

Sitting squarely at the end of the L train, Canarsie is a part of Brooklyn that has yet to be gentrified. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz grew up in the neighborhood, but you won’t find one of his shops here. Instead, you can sample Caribbean pick-me-ups in the many Jamaican and Haitian restaurants that reflect the area’s island influence.

But when I hop off the train, the first recommendation I get is for something more classically New York: the slices sold right next to the L station at Armondo’s Pizza (1413 Rockaway Pkwy at Glenwood Rd, Canarsie, Brooklyn; 718-257-9723). Each plate-size piece is loaded with cheese and can be completely covered in toppings. That’s what makes these pies authentically Brooklyn, insists Armondo’s owner John Darpa: no skimping on ingredients. Former Canarsie resident Ramat Lewis now lives in East New York, but she’ll hop on the subway just for a fix. “It’s the only pizza I eat,” she says. “I can’t resist it.” Her nine-year-old son, Tayo, on a swivel stool at the counter, nods in agreement, his mouth too full to say anything. After lunch, Darpa points me toward Canarsie Pier (Belt Pkwy at Rockaway Pkwy, 718-763-2202), part of the Gateway National Recreation Area. Along the stretch overlooking Jamaica Bay, skateboarders zoom by senior citizens relaxing on benches, and a barber teaches his son to cast a fishing line. “It’s very quiet today,” notes the barber, Boris Gurgov. I watch as one man reels in a big one…which turns out to be an orange traffic cone.

Canarsie Pier

Photograph: Dave Sanders

I ask a couple playing Scrabble to suggest my next destination. They just blink at me. A trio of kite-flyers debate the area’s attractions until one of them lights up, praising Floyd Bennett Field—in Marine Park, across a bridge and several miles away. But as I head back west on Rockaway Parkway, the Holy Family Roman Catholic Church (9719 Flatlands Ave at Rockaway Pkwy, 718-257-4423) catches my attention. The brick building takes up an entire block, standing out amid the dollar stores, clothing shops and bodegas. Inside, water runs from a stone fountain and light streams through stained-glass windows, providing a peaceful escape from the world outside.

Back on the street, I pass by many fast-food chains in my search for a snack, but a window display of painstakingly decorated Dora the Explorer cakes draws me into Cake Enz West Indian Bakery (1392 Rockaway Pkwy between Farragut and Glenwood Rds, 718-257-6010). A woman at the counter with long cornrows and a lilting accent points out Caribbean goodies such as plantain tarts, coconut buns and black fruit cake. Meanwhile, a baker expertly swirls roses onto a birthday cake, and shop regular Corey Sandy stops in. He visits four times a week for the white bread. “It’s addictive,” he says.

All that walking makes me thirsty, but watering holes are hard to come by. A recommendation for a bar on Flatlands Avenue fails to deliver—it’s closed. Scouring the streets, I finally turn on Avenue L, a quiet thoroughfare that a flapping banner bills as The Heart Of Canarsie. Nestled near churches and real-estate offices is Ambiance Caribbean Restaurant (9413 Ave L at 95th St, 718-272-1787). The bar serves Prestige, a Haitian beer, and nonalcoholic drinks such as fresh-squeezed passion-fruit juice. A lively spot for churchgoers in floral dresses and wide-brimmed hats, Ambiance provides the perfect send-off.

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