Iowa-born brothers Rick and Michael Mast craft ethically sourced cocoa products on-site at this Williamsburg facility. Discerning chocoholics drool over sophisticated flavors such as serrano pepper and almond sea salt. Wrapped in whimsically patterned paper emblazoned with anchors, stripes, bicycles, and geek-chic patterns like gingham and houndstooth (all designed in-house), these treats ($7 each) make a perfect gift—if you manage not to scarf them on the way home. Weekend factory tours are currently on hold but will resume in January, allowing you to scope out the delicious behind-the-scenes action and laborious transformation from bean to bar. And starting in December, the company will offer hands-on chocolate classes and other workshops at its new Manhattan outpost (215 Water St between Beekman and Fulton Sts). • 718-388-2625, mastbrothers.com. Daily noon–7pm
You can spot reminders of New York’s industrial heritage throughout the city: A jaunt to brunch in Greenpoint might take you past an enormous pencil decorating the now-decrepit home of the Eberhard Faber Pencil Company, which whittled No. 2s for a century. Along the East River, you’ll pass the 40-foot-high Domino Sugar Refinery sign, a relic from an era when the Williamsburg factory churned out 3 million pounds of the processed sweetener per day. Many once-bustling buildings have been repurposed, such as the Old American Can Factory, a 19th-century structure in Gowanus that was gutted and turned into a hive for creative ventures, including Rooftop Films. In addition, newer businesses producing small batches of artisanal goods have revitalized Brooklyn’s industrial scene. Take an up-close look at these Gotham manufacturers.