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Updated April 10, 2026 • Published June 5, 2021
This neighborhoody spot from cool friends Kip Gleize & Halley Chambers is the quintessential Brooklyn restaurant in all the best ways. A strong wine list, seasonally-inspired plates, and a menu rounded out with a very good burger.
The newish New Orleans-ish restaurant from cool friend Chef Ham El-Waylly is one of our favorite spots in all of New York City. From the hush puppies to the ramos gin fizz (for two!) this is a truly special and underrated restaurant.
How does one improve on the perfect dish that is a burrito? Make each flour tortilla fresh to order. Bustling Myrtle Avenue is the perfect fit for this northern Mexican spot with only four burritos on the menu. Our pick though is the humble but perfect Frijoles con Queso - a vegetarian classic!
This Latin American restaurant has some of the freshest sauces, and an amazing backyard. While we rarely say this, our favorite meal to enjoy at Colonia Verde is brunch - this is a space best seen in daylight.
While many of the Marlow group’s restaurants are located mere blocks from one another in Williamsburg, one of their best concepts lives in Fort Greene. The Italian menu offers reliable and fresh deviations from classic dishes - don’t expect a plate of spaghetti and meatballs here!
While Brooklyn’s Little Caribbean may be a few miles south, our hot take is that Buff Patty makes the best Jamaican patties in the boro. We love the classic beef, but there are handful of flavors on offer, just make sure you arrive early enough so they aren’t sold out!
Let’s get to the point, you need to go here at least once in your life for the Chicken Shawarma Hummus Masabaha. A common move of ours at this buzzy Fort Greene restaurant is to sit at the bar, grab a cocktail, and split the hummus!
A classic American restaurant, Walter’s has one thing that always keeps us coming back: the French dip! Also, as a little secret for those reading along, head to the black door behind the restrooms for access to Karasu, a Japanese Izakaya hidden in the back.
A not-for-profit Kaiseki in the lower level of a historic townhouse, Ikigai is an extremely interesting and constantly changing tasting menu. While many of the dishes lean Japanese, the chef himself is Polish and many of the dishes reflect his heritage.
A longtime stalwart of Dekalb avenue, this neighborhood classic recently relocated to a much larger space on Lafayette, complete with a full bar. Perfect for dining in or ordering out, you can find impeccable versions of Indian staples alongside a handful of house specialties.
Along the Clinton Hill / Fort Greene border lies Impasto - the Roman-style slice shop that has gone on to open a second location in Park Slope. Get an Italian soda and a slice of the potato and rosemary, then enjoy the two al fresco.
A classic Vietnamese spot with plenty of room for dining in, Mekong is a great place for when a Banh Mi craving strikes - perhaps our favorite offering at this restaurant.
The bakery sister of Miss Ada and Theodora, this relative newcomer to the neighborhood draws huge crowds on the weekend clambering for fresh croissants, but on weekdays is the perfect place to catch up with an old friend over coffee and a sweet treat
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Probably the most underrated natural wine bar in Brooklyn, Petit Paulette is a truly petit place with a larger than life wine list…all thanks to cool friend Chas Jones. Among other things that keep us coming back here, the good vibes and hospitality are at the top of the list!
This is the neighborhood’s most popular wine bar! We love their ongoing series of pop up dinners and the fact that service here is order at the counter and seat yourself, making it easier to pop in and pop out for a quick glass.
Bright green exteriors are the first thing to help you wake up, followed by a strong, strong cup of coffee.
The requisite neighborhood dive - not much to say here, but if we remember correctly there are two things to note:
1. Bring cash
2. If Jeopardy is on TV, be quiet
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Fort Greene’s chicest candy shop importing the best gummies from around the world. Making a mixed bag of candies from Candor is the perfect gift, pick-up-up and bff activity.
This is our go-to spot for vintage homewares and accessories. Stop by any day to discover a new treasured find from the curators at Su’juk, from vintage tablelamps to handmade ceramic mugs.
An early entry to New York’s natural wine scene, Thirst has been selling curated bottles for years, and as such has longstanding relationships with some of the best producers in the world.
This is one of those gift shops where you really will discover new designers and products that aren’t at every other gift shop. We love stopping by for a burst of inspiration, a new vintage mug or a one-of-one tie-dye shirt.
The neighborhood’s bookstore! This Fort Greene staple is a big and mighty bookshop featuring all the classics, the hottest releases, with hosted book release events.
This tiny stationery shop somehow has everything you need for a desk accessory refresh, in a small footprint. We love that it’s right next door to Greenlight, so you can snag writing and journaling materials to pair with your new book.
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This is our go-to facial spot in the neighborhood. The chic interiors reflect the level of service that Carrie and her team provide. Plus, they use products from the coolest (and well tested) beauty brands, like Monastery.
Photo by Wendy chen
The full-time draws to Fort Greene Park are obvious: wonderful picnic lawns, a few playgrounds and grills, and a handful of very competitive tennis courts. But to us, one of the biggest draws happens only on Saturdays: the Fort Greene Farmer’s Market. Show up early for the best and peruse along the East end of the park to fill your tote bag with items that will make you think everything in your life is about to change for the better
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