Autumn has crept in and I can’t help but feel a little sad that day trips to the Rockaways have gone away, cafes have stowed away their outdoor seating and battened down the window hatches (except for Five Leaves because… well I don’t really know why). The only way to fight this sadness is to replace these feelings with happy moments, happy feelings and most importantly, happy hours.
By embarking on a food-focused Greenpoint happy hour crawl I discovered my preferred method to get a little taste and a lot of feel out of a few places in one night. Here are some of my favorite omnivorous dishes in the hood during the typically alcohol-focused creation known as ‘happy hour.’
A fish counter with a penchant for service, this white-tiled silvery-scaled spot on Nassau Avenue offers oysters for $2, beer and cider for $5, wine and cava for $6, and a catch of the day menu a la carte. And it makes me want to remind you that one dollar oyster promotions are completely unsustainable. Places that are still offering this deal regularly are likely getting oysters from ecocidal farms; we could all do our part by not expecting and seeking dollar oysters.
Even our gondoliers have hats and facial hair. (Image courtesy of The Diamond)
Valentine’s Day is on a Sunday this year. Sunday is so much more relaxed than Saturday — no one is pregaming for anything, rushing to get to the theatre, or frantically texting friends to finalize their plans for “the best night of our lives.”
If you’re like most of the Greenpoint population, you’re so over the #WeekendWarrior. So why not apply that laidback Sunday philosophy to this year’s Valentine’s Day or Galentine’s Day, and keep it in the neighborhood?
Here are some of the spots offering Valentine’s specials in Greenpoint and Williamsburg this year. Some specials run all weekend and some prix fixes are only on V-day. Continue reading →
C/O Greenpoint Arts Block Festival. Historical photograph, Greenpoint Arts Block Festival 2014.
“It is an occasion to see what’s going on the community, meet people who have been there for thirty years and learn about its history and heritage,” says Greenpoint Arts Block Festival coordinator, Marta Pawlaczek. “It also presents an opportunity to discover new things like organizations and initiatives that offer valuable services to people.”
According to the festival’s press release, the 2nd annual neighborhood street festival “consists of various cultural, educational, and recreational events with the goal of promoting Polish and local artists, highlighting the Polish identity of Greenpoint, and integrating its old and new inhabitants.” The festival will take place on Saturday, September 26 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm on Leonard St. between Norman Ave. and Meserole Ave.
There are few pleasures in life greater than rounding off the working day with a well- earned beverage at your favorite bar. And when that beverage costs next to nothing, the pleasure is even greater, which is why happy hour is pretty much always the best time of day.
We’ve rounded up a list of practically every happy hour in Greenpoint for you to work through at your leisure. From $2.50 wine at Boulevard Tavern to ‘bottomless champagne’ at Le Gamin, we reckon we’ve got everyone covered!
Key to happiness:
☺ – Extra Happy Value
★ – Food Deals
♥ – Editor’s Picks
Achilles Heel 180 West Street (At Green St.) Weekdays 4pm-7pm
– $5 drafts
– $8 glass of wine
– $9 cocktail (seasonal classics)
– $12 for 6 oysters
★♥ Alameda 195 Franklin Street (at Green St.) Weekdays & Sundays 5pm-7pm
– $5 prosecco/cortada margarita/draught beer
– $7 tequila shot and 1/2 pint of beer
– $11 Boquerone & tomato toast with a vermouth & club soda
– $12 Burger and 1/2 pint of beer
★♥Adelina’s 159 Greenpoint Avenue (between Leonard St. and Manhattan Ave.) Weekdays 5pm-7pm
– $5 craft beer pints
– $8 quartinos of organic sangiovese, pinot grigio & prosecco
– Glass of organic sangiovese, pinot grigio or prosecco with olive bowl: $9
– Glass of organic sangiovese, pinot grigio or prosecco with cheese plate: $17
– Craft beer pint & “The Original” pizza fritta: $15
Beloved 674 Manhattan Avenue (between Norman Ave. and Nassau Ave.) Daily 5pm-8pm
– $8 house cocktails (+ daily cocktail special is $8 all night) Continue reading →
With Spring teasing us with her dainty ankle of approaching warmth, it’s easy to feel torn between our winter hobbit ways and the urge to run topless into summer’s heat. What do we wear, what do we eat, and most importantly, what do we drink during this time of transition? Between the seasons of warming whiskey and cooling margaritas, it’s wine that is the most versatile of beverages. And no better way to indulge this changing of seasons than with the cheapest and most transitional way to drink: happy hour! Welcome the spring with a crisp Rosé or hold on to winter with that full-bodied red by drinking early and affordably at some of Greenpoint’s best bars and restaurants. We’ve gathered a few of the neighborhood’s top five wine happy hours, offering 2 for 1 glasses, great food and wine combos, and even a $4 vino to get you through the change and into those short shorts. Continue reading →
Tuesdays are very exciting at Greenpoint’s tapas restaurant El Born because Paella Tuesdays begins tonight! This great deal will include ‘pan con tomate’, an individual paella and a glass of wine for only $19. Nothing hits the spot more on a cold winter night than perfectly cooked meat, seafood and rice authentically prepared in the traditional Valencian way.
Looking for your new favorite brunch spot? El Born is open for Brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 4pm.
Can’t wait until the weekend? El Born offers a great Happy Hour, too. Stop in anyday of the week from 5pm to 7pm for 50% off “tapas” plus drinks specials that include 2 for 1 Spanish beers and $20 pitchers of sangria, mojito and margarita.
Stay tuned for El Born’s special New Years Eve menu and party…
