An insiders’ guide to the best spots in Brooklyn

Francesca del Balzo and Alice Russotti are lifelong friends and the founders behind PORTA – a quietly captivating homeware store on Atlantic Avenue in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. The Londoners opened their shop in 2022, bringing together a considered collection of handcrafted ceramics, glassware, textiles and homewares from independent artisans across Europe. Rooted in a shared appreciation for craftsmanship, heritage and everyday rituals, PORTA celebrates objects with a story. “We want PORTA to be somewhere you make a special trip to, but also somewhere you wander into when you need a gift, inspiration or something beautiful for the table,” says Alice. 

Brooklyn has become one of New York City’s most compelling destinations, thanks to its dynamic food scene, independent boutiques and vibrant cultural landscape. The city’s second-largest borough is defined by tree-lined avenues, historic brownstones and waterfront neighbourhoods, offering a soothingly relaxed counterpoint to the energy of Manhattan. For Francesca and Alice, Brooklyn’s appeal is traced in the people and places that give each area its own identity. Here, they share their guide to the hotels, bars, markets and museums worth planning an itinerary around.

What’s your go-to spot for brunch and coffee?

Rather than spending the morning queuing for brunch, we prefer picking up pastries from a bakery. We love La Bicyclette Bakery in Cobble Hill, but if we’re on our way to the park, Winner in Park Slope is hard to beat. Saturdays are best spent at the Fort Greene Greenmarket, followed by a stroll. For coffee, Stumptown Coffee Roasters on Pacific Street is the place to go if you need it fast and strong, while Poppy’s is perfect if you’re in the mood to linger.

Which restaurants are worth making a reservation for?

Head to Roman’s for seasonal, modern Italian cooking that’s always delicious. If you can, make time for Sailor, a French-inspired bistro helmed by British chef April Bloomfield. For a special occasion, book the long table at Theodora and order everything from the wood-fired Mediterranean menu to share – it’s made for big groups and long evenings. 

Your favourite bar for an evening drink?

Sunny’s Bar in Red Hook. It’s been there since 1890 – originally a sailors’ drinking hole on the waterfront – and it still has that same energy today. Sunny passed away in 2016, but his wife, Tone, still runs it. Grab a Citi Bike, cycle through Red Hook, then sit out on the sidewalk with your drink. It’s one of our favourite spots in the city. Concrete Shoals in Brooklyn Bridge Park is also ideal for watching the city as the sun goes down.

Any must-visit cocktail bars or wine spots?

We love June for cocktails – it’s cosy and candlelit in winter, with a sun-dappled garden in summer. Then there’s Bar Ferdinando, a new favourite with a great backstory. Ferdinando’s Focacceria stood on the corner of Union and Hicks in Carroll Gardens from 1904 until its abrupt closure in 2025 – it was New York City’s oldest Sicilian restaurant, originally opened to serve dockworkers. A month after it closed – a move that devastated the neighbourhood – longtime owner Frank Buffa handed the legacy to local chef Sal Lamboglia to keep the corner active. Sal now runs his own spot Cafe Spaghetti just down the street and the reopened Bar Ferdinando. The old Focacceria sign still hangs above the bar, they still bake their own bread, you can order a Negroni at 11am and the menu tops out at $21.

For wine, Rhodora and Anaïs are both pouring beautiful natural bottles, with great plates to pair with your glass.

Describe the vibe of PORTA

PORTA is designed to feel like walking into the home of someone with very good taste who wants you to stay a while. There’s a table at the front that’s always set, flowers being arranged at the sink and a garden where we host parties in the summer. It’s not a shop you move through quickly and the crowd reflects that – longtime Brooklynites, serious home cooks, creatives and anyone who likes to buy slowly and well. What connects them is a curiosity about the story behind the things they bring home. For a first visit, pick up the red peppermill, a bud vase, PORTA soap, martini glasses or the Palio pasta bowls.

Where else should we visit on Atlantic Avenue after PORTA?

Atlantic Avenue is an independent neighbourhood with an eclectic style. In recent years, it has seen some brilliant additions alongside long-standing originals. Consignment Brooklyn is the anchor of the street, with Eva Dayton’s beautiful selection of designer pieces. Humble House has a wonderful mix of vintage furniture, midcentury classics and interesting finds. Outline brings together womenswear and homeware, with a cutting garden out back. Just off Atlantic on Hoyt, GRDN is our go-to for plants and flowers.

Any great markets or bookshops?

Books Are Magic in Cobble Hill, run by novelist Emma Straub. It’s beautifully stocked – wonderful for children and adults alike. For markets, we have two non-negotiables: Sahadi’s for the best nuts, dried fruits, grains and hummus you will find in the city; and Dellapietras for high-quality meat, which is worth the trip for the service alone. They remember what you bought last time, the playlist gets you humming and you will leave feeling unreasonably excited about cooking dinner.

Where should we stay in Brooklyn?

If you want a base that feels distinctly Brooklyn, book a room at Ace Hotel on Schermerhorn Street – it’s in Boerum Hill, right on the cusp of Cobble Hill and Brooklyn Heights. The rooms are stylish and the lobby shifts from a buzzy co-working space by day to an inviting cocktail spot by night. It has that unmistakable Ace energy of feeling like you stumbled in rather than checked in, and the subway access makes getting around easy. If you’re after something special, check out 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. Set on the waterfront in Brooklyn Heights, it has a sweeping rooftop pool and views of Manhattan. In Williamsburg, the Wythe – a converted barrel factory on the river – has a great restaurant and captures the neighbourhood’s creative energy.

Where should we base ourselves for a longer stay?

Fort Greene. It has everything you want from a Brooklyn neighbourhood – beautiful brownstones, tree-lined streets and a community feel that hasn’t been smoothed out by the last decade of change. At its core is Fort Greene Park, a 30-acre green space with a weekly farmers’ market and basketball courts. It has that easy outdoor feel that makes you understand why people never leave. 

The food and drink scene is exceptional too. Colonia Verde serves Latin American food in an indoor greenhouse and garden, while Strange Delight offers oysters and Sazerac (the official cocktail of New Orleans, widely considered America’s oldest). Café Paulette is the spot for a Parisian-style brunch, and neighbouring Petit Paulette is a natural wine bar – intimate, warm interiors and a brilliant menu.

What about culture?

Brooklyn Academy of Music is the one we always come back to. Theatre, dance, film, music and opera, with programming that feels genuinely adventurous. It gives Fort Greene a cultural weight that few other Brooklyn neighbourhoods can match. Pioneer Works in Red Hook is another essential: part exhibition space, part artist residency and part music venue, all housed in a striking former iron works factory. Go for Second Sundays, when the building comes alive with open studios, workshops, live music and food. 

Meanwhile, Brooklyn Grange at the Navy Yard has built the world’s largest rooftop soil farm, offering public tours, farm-to-table dinners and views stretching across the East River to Manhattan.

Do you have a favourite walk, park or waterfront spot?

Start at Brooklyn Bridge Park and walk through DUMBO, passing the famous Washington Street bridge view to Vinegar Hill. It’s a quiet and untouched corner of Brooklyn, with 19th-century rowhouses, cobblestone streets and a village feel. Look out for the Commandant’s House on the corner of Evans and Little Streets, a mansion dating back to 1805. Round off the walk at Vinegar Hill House on Hudson Avenue for seasonal cooking and a garden to relax.

Can you recommend a photo spot that captures the spirit of Brooklyn?

One of the Place streets, which are short residential streets – often a cul-de-sac, a dead-end or a historic block – that feel completely removed from the city. Or the waterfront at dusk, when the Manhattan skyline turns gold and you remember you’re standing in the most interesting borough in the world.