You probably know Downtown Brooklyn for … well, not much. The neighborhood, where NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering is located, has long been a commercial district with scores of high-rise offices and a civic center for city hall buildings. Yet Downtown Brooklyn is also home to some of the borough’s most storied institutions — from historic museums to the oldest restaurant in Brooklyn — along with a growing scene of music, art and independent businesses. Whether you live in Othmer Hall, an apartment in Williamsburg or a dorm in Greenwich Village, spend a day exploring the vibrant food scene and community gems of Downtown Brooklyn.
The Little Sweet Cafe | $
77 Hoyt St.
If you live near the Tandon School of Engineering campus, The Little Sweet Cafe is a great place to unwind on the weekends. Due to the cafe’s no-computer policy, the only grind you’ll be seeing is that of the coffee beans. The wooden interior and charming brick walls lined with pictures, plants and string lights offer the perfect setting to enjoy the mix of French and American classics offered by the restaurant, such as $5 hot chocolate and both sweet and savory crepes. The cafe also has an outdoor seating area which is shaded by a canvas canopy and enveloped in green vines and plants.
— Grace Tan, Identity & Equity Editor
DeKalb Market Hall | $-$$
445 Albee Square West
Because finding something everyone in the group wants to eat can sometimes be harder than rocket science, head to DeKalb Market Hall to taste Brooklyn’s diverse flavors. The market has local Brooklyn shops like Dan & John’s Wings and The Showroom Bakehouse, but also some Manhattan establishments who made their way over the Hudson river, like A Taste of Katz — little sister to the Lower East Side’s Katz’s Delicatessen — and Soft Swerve. An astonishing spread from cultures around the world, DeKalb features restaurants specializing in Caribbean, Mexican, German, Chinese and more.
— Bella Simonte, Dining Editor
McNally Jackson Books | $$
445 Gold St.
McNally Jackson Books has multiple locations in New York City, but its store in Downtown Brooklyn should be the one you visit. The shop boasts a beautiful wooden interior, with bookshelves that reach to the ceiling built into its sweeping staircase. Like other independent bookstores, McNally Jackson has an extensive selection of fiction and nonfiction — both American and international. To help narrow down your choices, I recommend looking at what the shop’s book clubs are reading for the month. I’m biased toward the NYC To Its Edges Book Club, which focuses on familiarizing readers with New York City writers. For their upcoming meeting on May 27, consider joining them in reading Andrew Holleran’s novel “Dancer From the Dance” that explores gay life in New York City post-Stonewall but pre-AIDS epidemic. If you’re specifically interested in romance, crime or even punk, the book clubs provide curated selections for these genres as well.
— Julia Kim, Deputy Culture Editor
Gage & Tollner | $$$
372 Fulton St.
Don’t miss the chance to try one of the most iconic restaurants in all of New York City, just down the street from Tandon. Gage & Tollner, the oldest restaurant in Brooklyn, almost seems out of place in the neighborhood — enter through its heavy revolving door to find a dining room of old-school glamour, with dark hardwood floors, ornate chandeliers and frilly wallpaper. Known for its steaks and extensive raw bar, Gage & Tollner first opened its doors in 1879. Today, the restaurant remains bustling in all its 19th-century glory, offering an extensive menu of American classics. Fan favorites include the $29 Oysters Rockefeller, broiled with greens and topped with a rich shallot butter and toasted breadcrumbs, along with the fluffy, flaky salt-topped $12 Parker House Rolls, the $16 Creamed Spinach and any of the steaks. Try the $71 NY Strip or the $65 Bavette, which is similar to a flank steak and served with house-cut fries. End the meal with one of Gage & Tollner’s signature desserts, like the $28 Baked Alaska for Two or the $14 Chèvre Cheesecake, served with candied pistachios and pomegranate hibiscus sauce.
— Lauren Ng, Culture Editor
Brooklyn Academy of Music | $$
30 Lafayette Ave.
Brooklyn has long been a birthplace of musical movements, spurring the rise of New York City’s jazz scene in the 1920s and serving as a major hub for punk music in the ’70s. For over 150 years, the Brooklyn Academy of Music has honored this artistic legacy, hosting performances in dance, opera and theater. From January to June, BAM Free Music features a range of live performances from Congolese dance band Loboko to Cuban percussionist Pedrito Martínez — free and open to the public. Over Memorial Day weekend, BAM’s DanceAfrica Festival returns, celebrating traditional dance, film screenings, a late-night dance party and the iconic outdoor bazaar. The DanceAfrica Bazaar transforms the streets around BAM into a marketplace with over 150 vendors offering food, fashion and crafts rooted in Caribbean, African and African American traditions. Year-round, the BAM Education program supports community engagement through workshops ranging from poetry writing to classes in Rwandan dance and music.
— Daphne Zhu, Beauty & Style Editor
Contact Lauren Ng, Grace Tan, Bella Simonte, Daphne Zhu and Julia Kim at [email protected].
