Brooklyn Heights is remarkably well served in most respects. This neighborhood guide will help you find what you need immediately and will lead you to new discoveries of your own as you explore this beautiful corner of Brooklyn and New York City’s very first Historic District.
Bakeries
Brooklyn Heights is having a bakery moment! The Instagram-famous L’Appartement 4F on Montague Street vies with Le French Tart on Henry street for the title of “Best Croissant in NYC”, and the recently-opened Ferrane, right around the corner, serves up Swedish-influenced delights such as a cardamom bun. Alice’s Tea Cup, down Hicks street toward DUMBO, serves up a delightful Alice in Wonderland experience. Lassen & Hennigs on Montague is the long-time neighborhood favorite. On Atlantic Avenue between Court and Clinton is Damascus Bakery, known for its pita breads and Middle Eastern desserts. Other good bakeries are a fifteen minute walk away on Court Street past Atlantic Avenue in Cobble Hill.
Banks
Chase, Citibank, Bank of America, Santander, Citizens, Dime, and Flushing are some of the banks crowded together on Montague Street between Court and Clinton. Others are on Court Street south of Montague Street.
Bookstores
Books are Magic, an independent shop on Montague Street, is known for its kids events. A Barnes and Noble is a few blocks away on Atlantic Avenue.
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park is a world-class waterfront park with rolling hills, river front promenades, lush gardens, and spectacular city views. Running along the East River from Atlantic Avenue all the way through Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO, the park features sand volleyball courts, running and bicycle paths, a boat launch for non-motorized boating, several playgrounds, and a picnic area. A ramp entryway from Columbia Heights and Middagh Street provides the most direct access, though the park is accessible from a number of points in Brooklyn.
Brooklyn Bridge Walkway
The Brooklyn Bridge walk and bikeway is close by, across Cadman Plaza. Turn right out the front door, right again on Pineapple, left on Henry to Cranberry. Cross Henry and walk through the passageway between the town houses, past the subway entrance. Cross Cadman Plaza and follow the path across the greensward and under the bridge ramp to the stairway up to the walkway. Bikers can use the street-level access on Tillary Street, where you can get onto the protected bikeway.
Buses
See transportation.
Cards and Gifts
In addition to the chain drug stores around the neighborhood, the Brooklyn Women’s Exchange on Montague Street just off the corner of Henry features the best selection of greeting cards and a wide variety of handmade and unique gift items.
Coffee
The St. George Tower is surrounded by some of the best choices for coffee in the city. Within a block of the building, you’ll find Joe Coffee Company, Vineapple (also serving meals and alcoholic beverages), the Swedish-influenced Ferrane, Drip (inside the subway arcade), and Plymouth Café (which also serves sandwiches). Close by are Brooklyn Roasting Company on Clinton (opposite the library), Blank Street Coffee on and Gregory’s Coffee on Montague, and %Arabica down the hill on Fulton.
Delis, Fancy Foods and Groceries
Convenience stores are dotted around the neighborhood. Prestige Market on Henry Street is open 24 hours, while All in One Mart on the corner of Henry and Pineapple features the widest selection, and Han’s Deli is most convenient, located at the Clark Street subway entrance on Clark Street. Other small delis are located on Henry & Clark and Henry & Pineapple, bringing the total to four delis within one block. On the south side of Montague Street, Lassen & Hennigs is a fancy deli that also caters. Also on Montague between Court and Clinton is Fresh Start Marketplace, a fancy-foods shop that is more than a deli but not quite a supermarket. A supermarket, Gristedes, is on the opposite side of the block, Foodtown is at Clinton Street and Joralemon Street, and local favorite Wegmans’ giant store is nearby in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Drug Stores & Pharmacies
The closest are inside the Gristede’s supermarket around the block on Henry Street, Careland on Clark Street east of Henry Street, and a CVS store on Henry at Love Lane. City Chemist on Montague Street and Henry Street is known for their old-fashioned, family-run style with local delivery service, and Montague Apothecary offers an upscale selection. A Duane Reade is at the corner of Montague and Court Street.
Dry Cleaners & Laundry Services
There is at least one on every block, it seems. The closest are Coleman Cleaners at the corner of Hicks and Pineapple (out the door to the right), and Golden Hanger around the corner to the left on Clark Street. A few more are on Henry Street and on Montague Street.
Florists
On Montague Street between Hicks and Henry Streets you can find James Weir Floral. Several delis sell cut flowers, including Han’s at the Clark Street subway and All in One Mart on Henry Street at Pineapple Walk.
Greenmarket
A farmer’s Greenmarket is held on the plaza in front of Borough Hall year-round on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 8:00AM to 2:00PM.
Hardware Stores
A small hardware/housewares shop, Variety Mart, is on the south side of Montague in the block between Henry and Clinton.
Bruno’s, a more serious hardware store, is in two sections on Court Street at Schemerhorn, the housewares store and, farther along the block, the hardware store. (Turn left out the door, left again on Clark to Cadman Plaza, right on Cadman, which turns into Court Street at Montague. Stay on Court for about two blocks past Borough Hall. Bruno’s is on the left.)
DUMBO Hardware on Front Street between Washington Street & Adams Street provides another option in a pinch.
Libraries
Brooklyn Heights Library now occupies its beautiful new home at the base of the One Clinton tower at the intersection of Cadman Plaza, Clinton Street and Tillary Street. The local collection at the Center for Brooklyn History can be accessed online and in person in the grand Othmer Library.
Movie Theaters
The Cobble Hill Cinema, several blocks south on Court Street in Cobble Hill shows new releases. Alamo Drafthouse in City Point in Downtown Brooklyn offers dining. The Brooklyn Academy of Music, known as BAM, shows first-run movies as well as films from the archives in their Rose Cinema. To get to BAM, take the 2 or 3 subway to Atlantic Avenue.
Neighborhood Organizations
The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, 334 Furman St., 718-802-0603, is the grassroots support group for the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corp., the official entity in charge of creating Brooklyn Bridge Park along the waterfront and on the piers from Atlantic Avenue to just north of the Manhattan Bridge.
The Brooklyn Heights Association, 55 Pierrepont St., 718-858-9193, is an old and esteemed neighborhood booster, advocate and information resource. It sponsors a House Tour every spring that lets you go inside some of the great homes that line these streets.
Center for Brooklyn History, 128 Pierrepont St., 718-222-4111, is a grand edifice on the corner of Pierrepont and Clinton Streets, features a museum and a gorgeous old library, and sponsors great tours around the borough.
Parking
See transportation.
Post Office
The nearest post office is in a large, Romanesque building across Cadman Plaza between Tillary and Johnson Streets, across from the library. (Turn left on Clark Street three blocks to Cadman Plaza, right on Cadman, cross Tillary and the post office is across the park on the left.)
Restaurants
Too many to count! Popular recent additions to the neighborhood include the tavern Inga’s Bar with a seasonal menu, Chama Mama’s Georgian cuisine, the Alpine-themed Café Brume, and high-end Italian Felice.
Two long-time local favorites are on Henry Street: Henry’s End serves excellent meats, fish and fowl; Noodle Pudding is a delightful, no-tomato-sauce Italian place. Montague Street is lined with restaurants: American, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, French – try them all. Iron Chef House on Clark Street just east of Henry seems to always have a full house enjoying its renowned Sushi selections. Clark’s, just around the corner, hosts the most popular brunch in the area, while Montague Diner serves an upscale diner menu and Park Plaza serves as the neighborhood’s mainstay mega-menu diner.
If you’re looking for a sandwich, there are many choices along Montague Street, in the little cafés around the St. George, and down Henry Street toward the Brooklyn Bridge.
The Brooklyn Heights-DUMBO area is lucky to be the home of several of the top pizza joints in the world. The storied Juliana’s and Grimaldi’s, both on Old Fulton Street in DUMBO, routinely rank as the best in the USA. L&B Spumoni Gardens, across Old Fulton Street, serves legendary Brooklyn-style Sicilian slices and pies. The classic New York slice can be found at Fascati’s on Henry, Dellarocco’s Brick Oven Pizza on Hicks serves up personal pizzas with a great beer selection, and the popular Jules on Henry offers great wine selections with their 14” shareable pizzas.
Almost under the Brooklyn Bridge, at Old Fulton and Water Streets, is the famous River Cafe, and near the Fulton Ferry Landing is the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory with a low-key bar inside. Across the street is Shake Shack. New restaurants and shops are opening with some regularity along this strip and all over Dumbo, so it pays to explore.
Specialty Foods
Atlantic Avenue between Court Street and Henry Street offers numerous Middle-Eastern specialty shops. Two favorites are Damascus Bakery, best known for its pita bread, and Sahadi’s, an all-purpose deli and grocery with the best prices on cheeses, olive oils, coffees, teas, herbs and spices, dried fruits and nuts. Le French Tart on Henry imports delights from France.
Subways
See transportation.
Wine Stores
The nearest wine and liquor store is Michael Towne Wines, offering a wide selection and price range at the corner of Clark and Henry Streets next to the Clark Street subway entrance. Montague Wines and Spirits is on Montague Street west of Hicks (turn right at Montague).