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Things to Do

Carroll Gardens: What to do and eat in the Brooklyn neighborhood

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  • Buttermilk Channel, located at 524 Court St. The restaurant, a known favorite of Beyoncé, feels like you’ve stepped into the best of Brooklyn: exposed brick walls, Bloody Marys and cheddar waffles. But the star of the menu, in our humble sugar-loving opinion, is that drenched, syrupy French toast.” data-id=”112224096″ data-link=”https://amnewyork.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/14626_image.jpg” class=”wp-image-1.12224096″/>
    Photo Credit: Alison Fox
  • After breakfast, take a walk through the neighborhood and work off the decadent brunch. Stroll down Clinton Street and take in the beautiful historic brownstones and tree-lined sidewalks. Zigzag through the side streets that give the neighborhood its charm, and finally make your way to Henry Street.
    Photo Credit: Alison Fox
  • If it's the full experience you seek, head over to Black Gold Records at 461 Court St. and enjoy antique furnishings, taxidermy and specialty coffee with your music. The vinyl selection appeals mostly to rock fans, but the sounds, like the merchandise, vary greatly. You never know just what you'll find. (Pictured, Black Gold bosses Jeff Ogiba, left, and Mike Polnasek)
    Photo Credit: Shaye Weaver
  • Make your way down to Carroll Park where you can sit for a while on one of the benches and rest after all that food and shopping. The park itself was originally planned as a private garden in the late 1840s, according to the city. It was named for Charles Carroll, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
    Photo Credit: Alison Fox
  • There are seemingly endless options for restaurants in the neighborhood, but for an old-school taste of Carroll Gardens, head to Vinny’s of Carroll Gardens at 295 Smith St., which opened in 1997, for an authentically Brooklyn Italian experience where they don’t skimp on ingredients or portions. Try the penne with broccoli rabe.

    In the mood for something different? Head to Zaytoons at 283 Smith St. for Lebanese food. Order the Zaytoons combo plate and make sure you get their hummus and Turkish salad with it. Don’t leave without trying the za’atar bread, the absolute best in the city. The chicken shawarma sandwich and their pitzas (pizza on from-scratch pita bread) are favorites.

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    Photo Credit: Alison Fox

Carroll Gardens, which has been a largely Italian neighborhood, is an extremely popular place to live because of its tree-lined streets, its mom-and-pop stores and its overall peaceful and historic atmosphere.

While it’s changed over the years to become a fairly expensive place to live, it still remains one of the nicest places to visit and has a lot to do, including shopping at boutiques, enjoying its sweet shops and taking advantage of its bars and game shops.

So to help you plan a day there, we’ve gathered some of the best places to eat, shop and hang out in this lovely neighborhood.

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