Brooklyn Heights

Brooklyn Heights is a peculiar piece of real estate among the five boroughs: a quiet, clean suburb with tree-lined streets and a wide-screen view of FiDi. Thanks to the perfectly preserved brownstones and soft sunlight, it feels a bit like the neighborhood time forgot.

Danny Gomez, bartender, Henry Street Ale House

"[I love] the names of the streets: Cranberry, Orange, Pineapple, Love Lane—what?"

Brooklyn Heights is a peculiar piece of real estate among the five boroughs: a quiet, clean suburb with tree-lined streets and a wide-screen view of FiDi. Thanks to the perfectly preserved brownstones and soft sunlight, it feels a bit like the neighborhood time forgot.

Danny Gomez, bartender, Henry Street Ale House

"[I love] the names of the streets: Cranberry, Orange, Pineapple, Love Lane—what?"

"Jack the Horse is incredible. It's an older restaurant with fantastic cocktails, great food, and it's pretty much all locals over there. Henry's End is [also] really good. They serve all game food, like elk, ostrich, crocodile, things like that."
Jack the Horse Tavern, 66 Hicks Street at Cranberry St, Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn (718-852-5084, jackthehorse.com) * Henry's End Restaurant, 44 Henry Street between Cranberry and Middagh Sts (718-834-1776, henrysend.com)

"I come to work about thirty minutes early every day, and just lay down and read in Cadman Plaza." Cadman Plaza Park, Cadman Plaza West between the Brooklyn Bridge and Tillary St (nycgovparks.org)

"[Locals love going to Henry Street Ale House for] the ceiling fans pulled by belts. Everyone's really excited by that. Clearly that's not the only reason, but the whole feel of the bar in general—the long bar, the mirror—it's very classic-pub--style."
Henry Street Ale House, 62 Henry Street between Cranberry and Orange Sts (718-522-4801)

John Loscalzo, founder, Brooklyn Heights Blog (brooklynheightsblog.com)

"For a Brooklyn Heights history lesson, [I] recommend a reasonably priced $16 haircut from Tommy and Rocky, the barbers at The Cutting Den. They used to cut Truman Capote's hair when he lived here. If we had to elect a mayor, either one of them would be in contention, just because they've been here for so long."
The Cutting Den, 51 Clark Street between Henry and Hicks Sts (718-403-0301)

"It's always fun to play bocce at Floyd NY."
Floyd, NY, 131 Atlantic Ave between Clinton and Henry Sts (718-858-5810, floydny.com)

"Pier 1 in Brooklyn Bridge Park is a great place to go for a stroll and to take your friends."
Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 1, 2 Old Fulton St at Furman St (718-802-0603, brooklynbridgepark.org)

Chris Penn, chef, Brooklyn Heights Wine Bar

"[To keep locals in the neighborhood for the evening,] you have to provide an atmosphere you can't find somewhere else. We try to keep things nice and ambient, but still exciting. [Our wine bar is] very indicative of a pub [with] wooden surroundings and marble, to create a very natural atmosphere. The neighborhood in general gives you that feel, and we've tried to incorporate that. The large windows let you look out and around, make you feel like you're still in the neighborhood."
Brooklyn Heights Wine Bar, 50 Henry Street between Cranberry and Middagh Sts (718-855-5595, brooklynheightswinebar.com)

"I have three kids, and we always go to the waterfront parks. They just opened up Pier 1 and Pier 6, and they're really great parks, and the kids can play and we all enjoy the view of the water. The parks are definitely one of the bigger draws. There's not really anything like that in any other direction but here."
Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 1, 2 Old Fulton St at Furman St; Pier 6, Furman St at Atlantic Ave (718-802-0603, brooklynbridgepark.org)

Mark Lahm, resident; owner, Henry's End and Brooklyn Heights Wine Bar

"Last night my family and I were walking down Poplar Street and they put up the lights for the World Trade Center memorial, and it was breathtaking. We love the North Heights."

"One factor I think that contributes to [women feeling comfortable in the bar] is our not having a television."
Brooklyn Heights Wine Bar, 50 Henry Street at Cranberry St (718-855-5595, brooklynheightswinebar.com)

Martina Parker, resident

"The architecture is beautiful and it feels, especially in the wintertime at night, like you're stepping into the 19th or early-20th century."