Chauvin Kelsy - Fodors Brooklyn

Fodors BROOKLYN

Editorial: Douglas Stallings, Editorial Director; Margaret Kelly, Jacinta OHalloran, Senior Editors; Kayla Becker, Alexis Kelly, Amanda Sadlowski, Editors; Teddy Minford, Content Editor; Rachael Roth, Content Manager

Design: Tina Malaney, Design and Production Director; Jessica Gonzalez, Production Designer

Photography: Jennifer Arnow, Senior Photo Editor

Maps: Rebecca Baer, Senior Map Editor

Production: Jennifer DePrima, Editorial Production Manager; Carrie Parker, Senior Production Editor; Elyse Rozelle, Production Editor

Business & Operations: Chuck Hoover, Chief Marketing Officer; Joy Lai, Vice President and General Manager; Stephen Horowitz, Director of Business Development and Revenue Operations; Tara McCrillis, Director of Publishing Operations; Eliza D. Aceves, Content Operations Manager and Strategist

Public Relations and Marketing: Joe Ewaskiw, Manager; Esther Su, Marketing Manager

Illustrator: Claudia Pearson

Writers: Kelsy Chauvin, Carly Fisher, Laura Itzkowitz, Christina Knight, Emily Saladino, Caroline Trefler

Editors: Margaret Kelly and Linda Cabasin

Production Editor: Elyse Rozelle

Production Design: Liliana Guia

Copyright 2018 by Fodors Travel, a division of Internet Brands, Inc.

Fodors is a registered trademark of Internet Brands, Inc. All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Fodors Travel, a division of Internet Brands, Inc. No maps, illustrations, or other portions of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

2nd Edition

ISBN9781640970304

Ebook ISBN9781640970311

ISSN 23798084

All details in this book are based on information supplied to us at press time. Always confirm information when it matters, especially if youre making a detour to visit a specific place. Fodors expressly disclaims any liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, that is incurred as a consequence of the use of any of the contents of this book.

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CONTENTS

ABOUT THIS GUIDE

Fodors Brooklyn is unlike any guidebook weve ever published. Written entirely by Brooklynites and gorgeously illustrated by Clinton Hillbased artist Claudia Pearson, it includes features on Brooklyns homegrown culinary and design scenes; and plenty of insider tips. The result is a curated compilation infused with authentic Brooklyn flavor, accompanied by easy-to-use maps and transit information. Whether youre visiting Brooklyn for the first time, moving in, or are a longtime borough resident looking to explore a new neighborhood, this is the guide for you.

While all Fodors guidebooks have a local perspective, this one is especially close to us since were based in New York City and Brooklyn is our backyard. Weve handpicked the top things to do and rated the sights, shopping, dining, and nightlife in 29 dynamic neighborhoods. Truly exceptional experiences in all categories are marked with a .

Restaurants, bars, and cafs are a huge part of Brooklyns appeal, of course, and youll find plenty to savor in its diverse neighborhoods. We cover close to 50 cuisines in all price points, and everything from enduring institutions and groundbreaking chefs to the fixings for the perfect picnic. New hotels are opening all the time; weve reviewed our favorites, including pros and cons for each one. Use the $ to $$$$ price charts below to estimate meal and room costs. We list adult prices for sights; ask about discounts when purchasing tickets.

#INSIDEBKLYN

Weve highlighted fun neighborhood facts throughout this guide. As you explore Brooklyn, we invite you to use #InsideBklyn to share your favorite discoveries with us.

Brooklyn is constantly changing. All prices, opening times, and other details in this guide were accurate at press time. Always confirm information when it matters, especially when making a detour to a specific place.

Visit Fodors.com for expanded restuarant and hotel reviews, additional recommendations, news, and features.

In less than a generation, Brooklyn has transformed into a global capital of culture and creativity. It buzzes with energy, excitement, and the inherent tension of coupling reinvention with a dedication to authenticity.

Across the East River from Manhattan on Long Islands western edge, Brooklyn is one of New York Citys five boroughs. At 71 square miles, its more than three times the size of Manhattan. With more than 2 million people, if Brooklyn were a city, it would be the fourth largest in the United States by population.

For decades Manhattan was New York Citys most significant draw, but now visitors come specifically to Brooklyn: to eat, drink, see, absorb, and experience one of the most talked-about places in the world. What made Brooklyn the trendsetting destination it is today? It would be hard not to use the H wordreferring to the L-train-riding hipsters who moved to Williamsburg in the 1990s when the rents were cheap, and put their creative DIY ideas into action. It was, at least in part, their energy that grew and spread to other neighborhoods in the borough, where old factories were turned into innovative maker spaces, rooftops into urban gardens, and parking lots into farm-to-table restaurants whose rustic chic Brooklyn-style decor can now be found in Paris, Bogot, Tokyo, and beyond. Brooklyn today is, of course, more than a playground for tattooed and bearded skateboarders; its a place where old and new mingle, and continue to changein some places slowly and at breakneck speed in others.

The Lenape, a Native American people, originally inhabited much of the land Brooklyn now occupies. The Dutch settled here in 1636, but the British displaced them in 1664. Over the next two-plus centuries Brooklynan Anglicization of Breuckelen, the areas Dutch namedeveloped into the independent city incorporated in 1854. Four decades later residents narrowly voted to join Manhattan, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island to form New York City. Before and after the 1898 merger, many key events in U.S. history took place in Brooklyn. Gowanus hosted the largest battle of the American Revolution in 1776; Walt Whitman pioneered a uniquely American style of free-verse poetry in the mid-19th century; the Brooklyn Bridge, completed in 1883, was among the eras premier engineering feats; and Brooklyn Dodger Jackie Robinson became professional baseballs first African American player in 1947. And thats just for starters. The Brooklyn Historical Society is a great place to delve deeper into the boroughs past and present.