New York City (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [276]
SHOPPING IN DUMBO
At Jacques Torres Chocolate (66 Water St. | 11201 | 718/875–9772 | www.mrchocolate.com) you’ll feel like Charlie getting a peek at the Oompa Loompas as you peer into the small factory while munching on a few unusually flavored chocolate bonbons and sipping a thick, rich cup of hot chocolate. (For the latter, try the “wicked” flavor, spiked with chipotle peppers and cinnamon.)
Don’t skip the adjacent ice-cream shop, for a treat of mango sorbet or a scoop of caramel-rum vanilla served sandwich-style between two chocolate-chip cookies.
Forget the touristy “I Heart NY” shirts. Pick up souvenirs they’ll actually wear at Neighborhoodies (26 Jay St. | 11201 | 718/243–2265 | www.neighborhoodies.com | Weekdays 10–6), where locals swear allegiance by emblazoning sweatshirts and other clothing with their favorite nabe. The Brooklyn branch allows you to instantly create custom pieces.
Blueberi (143 Front St., DUMBO | 11201 | 718/422–7724 | www.blueberi.net) is a sleek boutique with vintage and contemporary designer wear, shoes, and accessories hailing from the five boroughs as well as the faraway corners of the world. Striking window displays make it near impossible not to pop in for at least a browse.
powerHouse Arena (37 Main St., DUMBO | 11201 | 718/666–3049 | www.powerhousearena.com) is a definite must-stop in the neighborhood for culture hawks and bookworms. This stunning 5,000-square-foot space with soaring 24-foot ceilings, glass frontage, and amphitheater-style seating does multiple duty as gallery, boutique, bookstore, and performance space.
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Where to Eat | Galleries | Nightlife | Shopping
For much of the 20th century this industrial area on the East River was home to a mix of Latin Americans, Poles, Hasidic Jews, and factories. Then, as Manhattan rents rose in the 1990s, artists, misfits, and indie rockers migrated across on the L train to transform the neighborhood into a creative bohemian center.
Today Williamsburg’s main drag of Bedford Avenue is a veritable catwalk of fabulously dressed starving artists and wealthy hipsters on their way from the L train to a range of stylish bars and clubs, artists’ studios, vintage stores, and costly boutiques. Meanwhile, the area’s young families and migrating Manhattanites head to one of the many posh restaurants near the Williamsburg Bridge.
Note that the shops and attractions listed here are spread out, so be prepared to walk a few blocks on generally safe (though sometimes graffitied and abandoned) blocks filled with former factories.
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WHERE TO EAT IN WILLIAMSBURG
The Bedford.
$$ | NEW AMERICAN | With its farm-to-table philosophy, this newly opened restaurant offers superb market-fresh interpretations of American mainstays such as pasture-raised burgers with Gorgonzola cheese, charred lamb ribs, and cornmeal-crusted catfish. The seemingly slapdash aesthetics of the two rooms features planked floors, reclaimed wood benches, repurposed U.S. Army field desks, and vintage school chairs. There’s a good selection of craft beer and organic wines, poured out to a rock-and-roll soundtrack. | 110 Bedford Ave., at N.11th St., Williamsburg | 11211 | 718/302–1002 | www.thebedfordonbedford.com | AE, MC, V| Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
Diner.
$$ | AMERICAN | Tucked inside a 1927 dining car, this restaurant serves simple seasonal fare and so many specials that your waiter scrawls their names on the paper tablecloth to help you remember them all. Save room for the intense flourless chocolate cake. | 85 Broadway, at Berry St., Williamsburg |