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Fun & Funky Restaurants in Brooklyn for Various Cuisines

Looking for where to eat in Brooklyn? NYC’s diverse borough is home to countless restaurants of just about every cuisine. Here’s a personal list of my favorite places to eat in Brooklyn—restaurants, cafes, and bars

sottocasa pizza in brooklyn
Classic Neapolitan pizzas at the Atlantic Ave. Sottocsa Italian restaurant

Many people might think Manhattan is the hub of New York’s foodie culture, but the diversity of Brooklyn has increasingly made it a hotspot for NYC foodies. With independently-owned restaurants, young rising chefs, and something for just about every cuisine, Brooklyn is a great place to eat—breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert!

The thing about all these Brooklyn restaurants, though, is there is always a new one! This isn’t a list of all of ’em, but rather a list of my favorite restaurants—the ones I’ve returned to multiple times.

Favorite Brooklyn Restaurants - Recommendations on where to eat in Brooklyn for every cuisine

It’d be impossible to make a guide to the “best” Brooklyn restaurants because there are just too many! If you’re looking for more Brooklyn foodie recommendations—live and in the moment—make sure you follow me on Instagram @travelsofadam.

Fun & Funky Restaurants in Brooklyn
for Every Cuisine

Habana Outpost - Cuban Restaurant in Brooklyn
Cuban Sandwich at Habana Outpost

Cuban
Habana Outpost

Located in Fort Greene, Habana Outpost was inspired by a legendary Mexico City hangout where Che Guevara and Fidel Castro allegedly plotted the Cuban Revolution. The restaurant has a takeaway counter on one side of the street, and an indoor space as well as large & spacious patio on the other.

With Mexican and Cuban classics, it’s a great casual restaurant. Habana Outpost also serves as a community gathering space for families, artists, and toddlers with special events in their yard.

Gumbo Bros Restaurant
Po’boys & gumbo at Gumbo Bros

Cajun
Gumbo Bros

In Cobble Hill, Gumbo Bros is owned by two college buddies who grew up in the south, and the small restaurant feels homey and comfortable. With New Orleans classics such as gumbo and Po’boys on the menu, and an impressive selection of desserts—it’s a great spot for lunch or a casual dinner.

Calexico Brooklyn Restaurant

Tex-Mex
Calexico

With a location in Greenpoint, the cozy Mexican restaurant Calexico serves Mexican classics (like fish tacos), but their real gems come through with more innovative and original recipes. Their  crispy brussels sprouts with peanut-chile salsa appetizer is especially delicious. For those on a budget, make sure you visit during the Calexico happy hour with excellent deals on their margaritas (including a spicy jalapeño one).

Dominican Restaurant - Brooklyn places to eat
Guisada for lunch at Puerto Viejo

Dominican
Puerto Viejo

This stylish Dominican eatery in Prospect Heights boasts a menu of traditional Dominican foods (with an excellent lunch special). Named after a city from the Dominican Republic, the decor inside Puerto Viejo looks and feels like you’re in the Caribbean.

Foods are flavorful and home-cooked by the family-run business. It’s a sweet and friendly local restaurant with a great drinks menu and classic dishes full of flavor.

Vanessa's Dumpling House
Might look unassuming from the outside, but the food is delicious!

Dumplings
Vanessa’s Dumpling House

While this NYC local restaurant chain (originally from NYC’s Chinatown) has a few locations around the city, their Bedford Ave. location in Williamsburg is a cosy and casual spot great for a quick meal. Vanessa’s Dumpling House specializes in Chinese snacks such as handmade dumplings, buns, sesame pancakes, and noodles. It’s a delicious and inexpensive option—perfect for a snack or light meal!

UpNorth Brooklyn Bushwick Restaurant
A Canadian classic in Brooklyn—poutine!

Canadian
UpNorth

In Bushwick on WycoffAve, UpNorth is a Canadian bar and restaurant. With a high ceiling and Canadian maplewood rafters, inside feels almost like a stylish, trendy lodge you might find up north. The menu predictably features poutine dishes (the restaurant’s founders are from Quebec which is where poutine originates from), but their poutine options are decidedly unique—and there are even vegan dishes on the menu. Craft beers from the USA and Canada, as well as expertly crafted cocktails make it a great date spot or afternoon hangout.

ICHIRAN NYC
I <3 ramen and this is one of the best places to get it in Brooklyn!

Ramen
ICHIRAN NY

This famous fast, casual ramen restaurant from Japan actually has three locations in NYC, but ICHIRAN’s Brooklyn restaurant is in East Williamsburg on the edge of Bushwick. Famous for their tonkotsu soup made from 100% pork bones, it’s a delicious meal.

The restaurant’s most unique defining feature, however, is the fact that they only have solo dining booths inside. ICHIRAN’s solo dining booths allow you to block out the distractions typical of any busy restaurant to fully enjoy the ramen flavors.

Peaches Hot House Brooklyn
Fried chicken sandwich for Sunday brunch at Peaches in Bed-Stuy

Southern
Peaches Hot House

Peaches Hot House is a classic American Restaurant with Southern food influencers. Located in Bed-Stuy among Brooklyn brownstones, Peaches’ handful of locations serve everything from fried chicken & shrimp meals, to lavish brunches and even BBQ classics like pulled pork and mac & cheese

sottocasa pizza in brooklyn
Classic Neapolitan pizzas at the Atlantic Ave. Sottocsa Italian restaurant

Italian-style pizza
Sottocasa

With restaurants in both Brooklyn and Harlem, Sottocasa serves classic Italian-style pizza in a rustic environment. Their Brooklyn location, in the basement of townhouse, is exactly what you’d expect to find in Italy: warm & friendly servers and delicious, wonderfully prepared Neapolitan pizzas made in a wood-fired oven from Napels. Even Sottocasa’s flour and tomatoes come from Italy.

black flamingo vegan bar & restaurant in brooklyn
The vegan tacos are EXCELLENT but so are the margaritas!

Vegan
Black Flamingo

In trendy Williamsburg, Black Flamingo is unique in that they’re an entirely vegan Mexican restaurant and—wait for it—a nightclub, too. Their Taco Tuesday specials are especially popular but make sure you try things beyond the tacos. The restaurant’s vegan Texas queso, burritos, quesadillas, and of course their margaritas—are equally appetizing.

The Rookery - British-style pub in Brooklyn
Pub-food and good drinks are the norm at The Rookery

American
The Rookery

A contemporary Brooklyn pub housed in an industrial space with a horseshoe bar, The Rookery is the type of place where you’ll just feel…comfortable (and want to stay for hours). The bar serves both classic and contemporary cocktails (and great mimosas for brunch with British-inspired pub food.

They’ve even got fried candy bars. Located in Bushwick, their outdoor beer garden in the front makes for a great weekend hangout.

Seawolf restaurant in brooklyn
Yes, that’s a lobster-stuffed corndog at Sea Wold

Seafood
Sea Wolf

On the foodie (and hipster) street of Wycoff Ave., Sea Wolf‘s corner location and large patio make it a Bushwick favorite. Primarily a seafood restaurant (with an extensive raw bar), Sea Wolf has a bit of everything both surf and turf—from roast chicken and steaks to fried clams and lobster rolls. Fresh ingredients and great seasonal menus make it worth visiting again and again. (The frozen cocktails help, too.)

Frankels Delicatessen - Jewish Deli in Brooklyn Greenpoint
A Jewish deli in Hipster Greenpoint

Jewish
Frankel’s Delicatessen & Appetizing

This family-owned Greenpoint restaurant sells all your typical Jewish food favorites—from bagels with smoked fish to brisket pastrami & rye sandwiches. As a deli, they also have a small grocery collection of Jewish foods.

Frankel’s Delicatessen is designed to be very modern, stylish & hip—with a sleek design (& lots of windows) inside and their name plastered in cool graffiti on the outside. It’s a staple of the neighborhood and their lunches are some of the best in the area.

Taiwanese restaurant Win Son
Delicious Taiwanese food (& beer) in Brooklyn

Taiwanese
Win Son

A Taiwanese-American restaurant in East Williamsburg, Win Son is only open during dinner and for weekend brunches. The casual eatery serves street food classics from Taiwan such as scallion pancakes, pork buns, soups & salads. Flavors are rich and powerful; the restaurant has managed to capture the tastes from Asia in affordable and delicious menu options.

Middle Eastern
Queen of Falafel

In Bushwick in a corner of the House of Yes nightclub, the Queen of Falafel serves a flavorful fusion of middle eastern and mediterranean foods with fresh ingredients. The menu includes authentic Israeli dishes such as sabich, shashuka, labne, za’atar—and of course falafel and shawarma. The countertop restaurant is popular for lunch and take-aways, but there are plenty of seats to enjoy a plate or sandwich inside.

Crif Dogs in Williamsburg
Inside Crif Dogs

Hot Dogs
Crif Dogs

While their flagship store is on St. Mark’s Place in Manhattan, Crif Dogs also has a location in the heart of hipster Brooklyn at Bedford Ave. in Williamsburg. The punk-themed restaurant serves hot dogs with just about every variety of toppings—from chili cheese to bacon-wrapped ones or a New York classic.

Burgers, fries, tots, and a root beer float round out the menu. A selection of craft beers make it a cool hangout spot after you’ve finished your dog.

Peter Luger Steakhouse
One of the best steaks you’ll ever have…

Steak
Peter Luger Steakhouse

No guide to Brooklyn restaurants would be complete without a mention of Peter Luger Steakhouse. In Williamsburg, the (famously) cash-only restaurant and bar has operated since 1887.

With a fabled history, the restaurant is continually listed among the world’s best steakhouses and is still family-operated. Side dishes include their famous raw tomato & onion dish (served with steak sauce) and classics like baked potatoes to go with your USDA Prime steaks.

• • •

There are no shortage of Brooklyn restaurants to recommend and even with eating out regularly, this is just a small sample of my favorite places to eat in the borough. Make sure you stay in touch on Instagram for more Brooklyn life highlights—including plenty of cafés, restaurants, bars, and more favorites.

Favorite Brooklyn Restaurants - Recommendations on where to eat in Brooklyn for every cuisine
  1. Thank you so much for sharing your helpful information. It’s very unique post

  2. […] We ate incredibly well in New York and these were a few of our favourites: Milk Bar for ice cream and truffles; Van Leeuwen or Ice & Vice for ice cream; Misi for stylish, high-end Italian fare in Brooklyn; Doughnut Plant for inventive doughnuts; Nix for Michelin-star vegetarian cuisine (yes, you can got to fancy restaurant with a baby!); by Chloe for excellent vegan food; Sadelle’s for the best sticky bun in town; Black Seed Bagels; The Butcher’s Daughter for top-notch veggie food; Norman for brunch; and Best Pizza. A big thanks to Guy for introducing us to all these places. Blogger Adam also has lots of great Brooklyn restaurant recommendations. […]

  3. Amy says:

    Is this still relevant for today? Or have things changed? What I’m curious about is how this will carry out, like what will the trend be for this type of stuff?

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