Time Out readers have spoken, and below are the venues they named their absolute favorite in Bed Stuy, Clinton Hill & Fort Greene. So the next time you’re in the area and in need of food, drink or retail therapy, make a beeline for these places and you won’t go far wrong.
Snag top-notch loaves from the takeout window of this bakeshop. Owner Matthew Tilden works Cayuga Pure Organics grains into savory breads, like hearty wheat made with bourbon-soaked currants, raisins and toasted pecans; and sweet treats, such as a cocoa-nib-and-chai sticky “hand roll.” Get there early: Tilden’s goods go quickly.
Aside from the scent of good coffee wafting throughout the space, the first thing you’ll notice about this Australian café from Melbourne native Alex Hall (Milk Bar, Bluebird) is the angles. (Not surprisingly, Hall is an architect’s son.) The capacious space, all exposed brick and natural light, rivals a design store with its bold triangular pegboards, shelves of spiky potted succulents and eye-catching lamps shaped like origami paper mouths. Counter Culture coffees are poured as cortados, flat whites and macchiatos with surgical precision, but while java’s the focus, the food is no afterthought. For a standout “brekkie” to go with your brew, opt for avocado toast with whipped feta, eggs Benedict with “almondaise” and house-made coconut Anzac biscuits.
Opening Saturday 20, this Bed-Stuy boutique is all about showcasing womenswear and lifestyle items from emerging brands and hard-to-find international designers. The clothing skews toward the higher end (a Karla Spetic lace top is $300; a Carly Hunter navy jumper is $442), but you’ll find lower price points in the accessories and home-decor section. For example, nail stickers featuring the NYC subway map are $12, and Abeni bud glasses are $30. Make sure to grab a drink while you shop: The in-store coffee counter serves java from Irving Farm.
Sip craft beers and cocktails at this Bed-Stuy watering hole, playing vintage LPs (Willie Nelson, Hall & Oates) and showcasing fiber art on airy white walls. A shelf of old records hangs near the ten-seat brass bar, where owner Jason Andrews mixes four house cocktails, including a planter’s punch made with Jamaican rum and a Pacifico michelada. Beer lovers can choose from brews both American (Sixpoint, Mission Blonde) and imported (Erdinger, Innis & Gunn). On warm nights, take your drink to the 45-seat garden, lined with macramé planters.
BAM, which showcases local and out-of-town companies, is one of New York’s most prominent cultural institutions. The Howard Gilman Opera House, with its Federal-style columns and carved marble, is a beautiful dance venue. (The Mark Morris Dance Group generally performs there each spring.) The 1904 Harvey Theater (651 Fulton St between Ashland and Rockwell Pls), formerly called the Majestic, has hosted the work of John Jasperse, Wally Cardona and Matthew Bourne. Each fall, BAM’s Next Wave Festival highlights established and experimental dance groups; in the spring, there’s an assortment of African and modern dance and ballet.
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