Everyone wants a taste of NYC, especially if they aren't living here. First we heard about Bed-Stuy in Amsterdam and now there's Far Rockaway in London (we choose to ignore Brooklyn in Ohio). The Rockawayist blog—not affiliated, but we dig the name—turned us on to this Queens-inspired bar that opened in the Shoreditch section of London in October of last year. The restaurant and bar, called simply Far Rockaway, is "inspired by urban street art and culture," especially the Rockaway Surf Club, the area's storied surf spot that's now a hipster enclave.
The space itself is actually pretty sweet, even if it looks a little more Coney Island than Queens. It's got all the requisite Cool Kid touches like a ceiling constructed from skateboards (not surfboards?), tattoo-like wall art, a book-lined den area with couches and a DJ booth constructed from boomboxes. The pastiche aims to look casual, but it's clear the owners are looking to attract a more high-end clientele than the crusty dives favored by our hipster hordes. It's got that Brooklyn Bowl sheen about it.
The proprietors get big ups for trying to keep it authentic when it comes to the food, especially with their pizza. Their menu advertises "Staten Island Pizza" and apparently the whole staff took a journey to Denino's to learn how the real deal gets made. Rockawayist says the pizza is "moderately thin and easy to fold in half without collapsing, but lacks a good char." The rest of the menu boasts "American-style" eats like wings, chicken parmesan, burgers and...mac n cheese spring rolls. Sigh. And yes, mate: they have Brooklyn Brewery beers.
