During the spring, 664 Manhattan Avenue changed hands again. Once the Polish-American restaurant CinaMoon, it transformed into “664 Wine & Dine” for a few months last year, and is now Cherry Point. The restaurant, which opened in May and named after the first published name for Greenpoint, is owned by The Spotted Pig alum Julian Calcott, artist Vincent Mazeau, and beverage director Garret Smith, each one contributing to Cherry Point’s distinct vibe. Wainscotting, exposed brick and an open kitchen create a warm and inviting space for dinner, brunch or after-work drinks. Continue reading →
It’s a swampass summer Saturday in the city, and everyone else got out of bed at the crack of dawn to make it to Rockaway or the Hamptons, but you ain’t got nowhere to go. You might need to recharge with an exotic staycation at Black Flamingo. If you’ve never cruised by its off-the-main-drag corner in Williamsburg (168 Borinquen Pl.), Black Flamingo is one drink, dinner and disco destination that’s not yet been overexposed via Instagram. The cocktails satiate tropical tastebuds without being too sweet, the Mexican-slanted vegetarian offerings are tasty and hearty, and the Friday and Saturday night basement parties have become something of a dance lover’s dirty underground legend.
Braised by Wolves, a hilarious YouTube cooking show, is the brainchild of Ricky Aiello and Amanda Picotte. Shot about every other week primarily in their Greenpoint loft with Ricky in front of the stove, and Amanda behind the camera, they share creative recipes, cooking tricks, and wine tips. They brainstorm together on how to show the world that cooking is sincerely fun and not stressful. For them, it’s a passion project for sharing their own form of edible entertainment.
Their shows are about making cooking truly accessible; even someone who stores sweaters (Oh, the stereotype!) in their oven can make many of these dishes…like the hilarious, easy, and tasty “vegan tostilocos.”
We caught up with Dr. Klaw in an undisclosed location. #thehuntfordrklaw
If you’ve lived in Greenpoint long enough, you’ve probably heard tale of Dr. Klaw. Six years ago, Dr. Klaw was illegally slinging seafood out of an apartment in Greenpoint. You texted Klaw, and he texted you a location—sometimes a street corner, sometimes behind Peter Pan Donuts—where you could swap cash for his addictive homemade lobster rolls.
Before too long, Dr. Klaw got popular with locals and celebrities alike. He won’t reveal who his most famous customers were, but there were some big names jonesing for his lobs, and at max production he was trafficking up to 250 lobster rolls a day, had up to $30k worth of lobster in his refrigerators, and a lot of illegal propane tanks. And he even had an imitator invading his turf, who dealt grilled cheese sandwiches in the East Village. “We had words,” Klaw says. Continue reading →
Editors’ Note: This is the first in a series of posts about the art of dining for one. FIRST UP: Comfort staples The Bounty and Anella.
I’m not sure where my penchant for solo dining originated, but it’s brought me many good meals and, perhaps paradoxically, much good conversation. One fateful dinner alone at the bar of my favorite restaurant in my then home of Denver actually landed me my second full-time job. Leaving Copenhagen a day after my friends departed enabled me to drop in for what still stands out as one of the best meals I’ve ever had, complete with a tour of the kitchen thanks to rapport struck up with bartenders and servers over the course of the meal.
Now a New Yorker, my solo dining game seems even more in play whether enjoying solitude amidst the city’s hustle and bustle, finding camaraderie in spite of anonymity, or bypassing the line out the door. One of the things I love most about Greenpoint is the sense of community, so it’s no surprise that so much of the quality local restaurant scene greets the individual diner with open arms. My “locals” are a significant part of what I love about the neighborhood. If I’m not at a concert I’m likely perched at the bar at Anella or The Bounty, my favorite spots for a solo meal. Continue reading →
Maman’s original SoHo cafe opened in early Fall 2014 without much fanfare. That is, until people tasted their Nutty Chocolate Chunk Cookie and that cookie alone should make you want to stop at their newest location at 80 Kent Street (between Franklin and West). Luckily, the southern-France-chic bakery has plenty of attention-worthy treats beyond the cookie to make it a welcome addition to our neighborhood! Continue reading →
Toby Buggiani describes his 4-year-old wine bar and restaurant as “a tiny, quirky space” where he gets elbow-deep in pizza dough and fresh vegetables on the daily. It’s a quiet little nook in Greenpoint (159 Greenpoint Avenue) where the things he loves can thrive: inventive art, plant-based cuisine, natural wine, and an ethos rooted in simplicity.
Adelina’s is a fairly young restaurant, but its story began back in the 1980s between the street art scene in Greenwich village and a humble kitchen outside of Tuscany.
“Most of what we do here is rooted in my history and what I believe in. Arthas a lot to do with that, actually,” Buggiani explains. “I was born in Italy, but we moved to New York City in the late 1970s for my father’s work as a painter, sculptor, and performance artist. I pretty much grew up in Greenwich village during the late 80s and early 90s surrounded by a lot of artists and musicians, friends of my parents and so on.” Continue reading →
Beautiful back courtyard at Baoburg’s new home in Greenpoint
Get excited, Greenpointers— your walk to some seriously delicious Asian fusion just got shorter. Baoburg has moved to our very own stretch of Manhattan Avenue (between Nassau and Driggs). Chef Suchanan Aksornnan (aka Chef Bao Bao) had been delighting patrons in Williamsburg since 2013, but was forced to move her restaurant as a result of Thor Equities’ new mixed-use building. The menu is inspired by a variety of Asian cuisines with some nods to Spanish and French cooking as well. The interior of the new location at is still quite small, but Baoburg gained a beautiful back courtyard in its new home. I recommend walking straight to this oasis to enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and brick facades of the outdoor space you wish was your own. Continue reading →
Late last summer, Greenpoint got its own waterfront boozy destination when The Brooklyn Barge opened right off of Transmitter Park, and it quickly became the perfect spot for chill evenings on the water. Despite being closed for few weeks after Memorial Day weekend, they’re open and ready for business once again with local beers on tap and a revamped food menu. And it just was announced that they’ll be throwing a Fourth of July party for the Macy’s fireworks show!! Continue reading →
It was big news earlier this year when our neighborhood whole-animal butcher, The Meat Hook, left their space in the back of the Brooklyn Kitchen and moved a little further into Williamsburg. The new Graham Avenue space, which opened on February 26th, is bigger, brighter and allows for a bit more interaction between their fabulous butchers and us customers. I stopped by recently to get some groceries and catch up with owner Brent Young. Continue reading →
It’s a swampass summer Saturday in the city, and everyone else got out of bed at the crack of dawn to make it to Rockaway or the Hamptons, but you ain’t got nowhere to go. You might need to recharge with an exotic staycation at 
, a hilarious YouTube cooking show, is the brainchild of Ricky Aiello and Amanda Picotte. Shot about every other week primarily in their Greenpoint loft with Ricky in front of the stove, and Amanda behind the camera, they share creative recipes, cooking tricks, and wine tips. They brainstorm together on how to show the world that cooking is sincerely fun and not stressful. For them, it’s a passion project for sharing their own form of edible entertainment.
