A Food And Drink Tour Of Bushwick's 'Jefftown'
15 photos
<br/><br/>When the area surrounding the Morgan L stop started receiving some hip spillover from Williamsburg, some area residents dubbed the neighborhood "Morgantown," a sobriquet applied both pejoratively and with a hint of pride. And as the barstaurantification of Bushwick has creeped further east, so too have the nicknames: several years ago, a few entrepreneurial souls off the Jefferson stop started making "Jefftown" stickers, coinciding with a major boom in business along Wyckoff, Troutman and St. Nicholas Aves. <br/><br/>Now, the Jefferson L stop's dining and eating scene more than rivals that of its Morgantown neighbors to the West, boasting some seriously delectable restaurants, happening bars and even the odd sleek lounge or two. Some of the shinier offerings in the neighborhood don't bode well for what's left of Bushwick's low rents, but that's a different story, for now. Here are some of the top spots around the Jefferson L stop. Please do not actually call this area "Jefftown." <br/><br/><em>We can't include everything so be sure to tell us what we missed in the comments. All photographs by <a href="http://saimokhtari.com/#/id/i7629404">Sai Mokhtari.</a><p> <br/><br/><em>Previously: Food and Drink tours of <a href="http://gothamist.com/2012/01/31/a_food_wine_tour_of_south_park_slop.php#photo-1">South Slope,</a> <a href="http://gothamist.com/2012/04/04/a_food_drink_tour_of_crown_heights.php#photo-1">Crown Heights,</a> <a href="http://gothamist.com/2012/03/28/adam_kubans_food_drink_tour_of_asto.php#photo-1">Astoria,</a> <a href="http://gothamist.com/2011/12/07/bed-stuy_food_tour.php">Bed-Stuy,</a> <a href="http://gothamist.com/2012/04/25/a_food_drink_tour_of_manhattans_chi.php">Chinatown,</a> the <a href="http://gothamist.com/2012/03/01/get_cultured_stuffed_and_loaded_on.php#photo-1">Lower East Side, </a> <a href="http://gothamist.com/2012/05/30/a_food_drink_tour_of_greenpoint.php">Greenpoint,</a>, <a href="http://gothamist.com/2012/06/21/eat_seafood_where_it.php#photo-1">City Island</a>, <a href="http://gothamist.com/2012/07/24/a_food_drink_tour_of_harlem.php#photo-1">Harlem</a>, <a href="http://gothamist.com/2013/08/12/a_food_drink_tour_of_spanish_harlem.php#photo-1">Spanish Harlem</a>, and <a href="http://gothamist.com/2013/11/20/ridgewood_food_drink_tour.php">Ridgewood, Queens</a>. </em></p></em>
Tandem: Once upon a time, Tandem was THE neighborhood bar, over yonder by the lonely Jefferson L stop. They had amazing Dark and Stormy's ($9) and $2-$3 PBR tallboys, plus they did brunch food on the weekends, so you could soak up said Dark and Stormy's/tallboys with french toast and kale salad on a Sunday morning. Blessedly, Tandem still has all these things (although the PBR has been swapped out for Narragansett beer, for some reason).But approximately 46 million other drinking holes have moved into the area since its early hipster heyday, so it's not the bar anymore, just a bar. In addition to weekend brunch, Tandem serves dinner, with highlights including the aforementioned lemon-and-parmesan-doused kale salad ($8), a kale and avocado sandwich ($11) and mac and cheese ($11).There's also a room in the back for dance parties, and you may find yourself there at around 3 a.m. after partaking in an unintentional bar crawl around the neighborhood. I have heard no fewer than four couples break up outside Tandem, so attend at your own risk, Young Lovers.236 Troutman Street between Wilson and Knickerbocker Aves (718-386-2369).
Photos: Sai Mokhtari/GothamistStrangeways: Bushwick's booming with coffee shops nowadays, and the Jefferson stop's standby, Wyckoff Starr, is still a solid spot for a morning pick-me-up. But Strangeways, which opened on St. Nicholas over the summer, gives them a run for their money. It's run by a former manager and roaster at beloved Williamsburg coffee shop Oslo, for one thing, and they still roast their single-origin brews over there. They will not sully your java with decaffeinated beans, there are lovely benches outside the shop for warm-weather espresso-sipping and there's no WiFi inside, so you may be forced to suffer through that near-extinct experience of talking to another human's face while enjoying your latte. Cash only.87 St. Nicholas Ave between Hart and Suydam Streets (strangewayscoffee.com).
Photos: Sai Mokhtari/GothamistRadio Bushwick: Radio Bushwick is one of the Jefferson stop's sleekest newcomers, and one of the most diverse, at that. A jack-of-all-trades, it's at once a bar, a music venue and a for-hire events space; it even hosts a pop-up church on Sundays. And the space itself, a former warehouse jazzed up to the nines, is exquisite, boasting an elegant bar with a dozen brews on tap, a high-ceilinged, 280-capacity room with a stage and all the glittering lights and street art-esque decor a space that close to Bushwick Five Points should have. 22 Wyckoff Ave between Troutman and Starr Streets (917-893-8935, radiobushwick.com).
Photos: Sai Mokhtari/GothamistNortheast Kingdom: This is the place that kind of started it all. If you wanted to drink or eat out in this area around 2010 it was one of your few choices, a necessary haven with cabin-inspired charm in an otherwise desolate area. Luckily, it's still there, even as the environment around it changes. And it's still the same... though you may have to wait a little longer for a table during prime time. (They've got a bar, and a downstairs area, aside from their dining tables.) Their "chalkboard" wines still costs 5 bucks, and their rotating menu keeps things fresh... they do have their own farm upstate, after all. There they grow their own vegetables, raise hens and bees, press apples, and make beer. And in keeping with their seasonal approach to things, they've got their own Ramp Fest coming up next weekend (May 9th and 10th). They'll be offering a ramp tasting menu featuring the foraged item pickled, sauteed, roasted, and raw; there will also be a special cocktail (you'll want to call for reservations for this one). How much will you spend? Entrees range from $15-25, sides start at $5, and appetizers are around $7-15. And if you're too good for that chalkboard wine (it's good!), then cocktails start at $8, and beers at $3. (Jen Carlson)18 Wyckoff Ave between Troutman and Starr Streets (718-386-3864, north-eastkingdom.com)
Photos: Sai Mokhtari/GothamistLot 45: This Troutman Street lounge is super new, having had its neighborhood premiere in March. But it's already made a pretty big splash in the area, considering it's a little more "upscale" than frequenters of Bushwick nightlife are used to. Though it's no thumping club, there's a dance floor, DJ and littering of couches for the aforementioned "lounge"-ing and dimly-lit chandelier lights that add a touch of class to your can of beer. But the real draw here is the outdoor patio, where you can imbibe under whatever stars you can see through the industrial Brooklyn smogâexpect a food truck to start serving snacks on the premises soon.411 Troutman Street between Wyckoff and St. Nicholas Aves (347-505-9155).
Photos: Sai Mokhtari/GothamistTortilleria Mexicana Los Hermanos: Yes, at this point, Los Hermanos is essentially the Bushwick tourist's taco joint. But it's still one of the best spots in the neighborhood, serving up super-fresh tortillas stuffed with all the taco, torta, tacquito and quesadilla fixings, chorizo, cheese, avocado and pollo ($3-$7) your little heart desires. Bring your own booze, order as many dishes as your plastic tray can hold and hole up in Los Hermanos's little cantina. Bonus points if you can score a seat in the adjacent warehouse space, which is a still-functioning tortilla factory. 271 Starr Street between Wyckoff and St. Nicholas Aves (718-456-3422).
Photos: Sai Mokhtari/GothamistTchoup Soup/Heavy Woods: The most important thing to know about Tchoup Shop, located in Heavy Woods, is that it's pronounced "Chop Shop," (like New Orleans' Tchoupitoulas Street), not Choop Shop or Chowp Shop or whatever other gross mispronunciation with which the Phonics Sirens might tempt you. If your date bungles it, jilt him or her immediately: They don't deserve to be there. You don't need to have visited New Orleans or Louisiana or the South or ever left Bushwick to appreciate the menu, since it's impossible to go wrong. Sip a beer and munch the crispy chicken biscuit, served with handmade pepper jelly, cilantro and Maldon sea salt. Hiss viciously at anyone scheming on your thai chili pickled green beans. Ignore the screams of "No more!" from your stomach and order a side of red beans and rice. You'll waddle back to your artist's loft with all the swagger and heft of Ignatius J. Reilly, and you won't give a damn. (Lauren Evans)50 Wyckoff Ave between Starr Street and Willoughby Ave (929-234-3500, heavywoodsbar.com).
Photos: Sai Mokhtari/GothamistCobra Club: Cobra Club is a bar that is also a yoga studio, which pretty much says it all. You can get wicked drunk on whiskey and cheap beer here on a Saturday night (and scream at passersby walking down Wyckoff Ave from the bar's adjacent alleyway that doubles as a smoker's patio) and then find yourself trying not to vomit while in Feathered Peacock Pose on Sunday afternoon. This is the kind of exercise we can all get behind. The back room also functions as a 160-capacity music venue.They also serve coffee and pastries in the mornings and offer free WiFi, so you can move your laptop in, latte up and switch to beer once it hits, oh, 2 p.m. or so. No judgment.6 Wyckoff Ave between Jefferson and Troutman Streets (917-719-1138, cobraclubbk.com).
Photos: Sai Mokhtari/GothamistCafe Ghia: Cafe Ghia's brunch is enough to make it one of the best eateries in the neighborhoodâthe tofu, kale and sweet potato-laden vegan scramble ($10) and the seasonal waffle dishes are the stuff of early morning Sunday hangover nap dreams. And it's served SEVEN days a week, a bonus if you're a true Jefftownian with an "offbeat" schedule. Brunch aside, though, two-year-old Ghia's got a whole bevy of delicious, possibly even healthy dishes, like the avocado-doused kale and kimchi salad ($7 for a small, $9 for a large), a creamy saffron three-cheese mac & cheese ($11), and veggie and regular grass-fed burgers ($13). 24 Irving Ave between Jefferson and Troutman Streets (718-821-8806, cafeghia.com).
Photos: Sai Mokhtari/GothamistThe Bodega: Owned by the same folks who run nearby beer bar Heavy Woods, this wine-heavy drinking spot offers an equally friendly, slightly more intimate ambiance. Wine comes on tap and by the glass and bottle, though if whites and reds aren't your thing, they've got a list of 14 rotating beers on draft, too. You can score cheese and charcuterie plates ($5), tasty sandwiches ($9), and there's a peanut butter and jelly sandwich served on a pretzel roll ($6) that is optimal for soaking up excess Malbec.Roll in on a Tuesday at 10 p.m. for a free movie night, with viewings including everything from Les Miserables to American Hustle to Nic Cage classic Vampire's Kiss.24 St. Nicholas Ave between Scott Ave and Troutman Street (347-305-3344, thebodegabk.com).
Photos: Sai Mokhtari/GothamistThe Johnsons: It's probably fairly ominous that a notorious Lower East Side dive opened a decidedly more upscale sister bar in Bushwick. But like its ripped-couch twin, The Johnsons has a killer happy hour that runs until 9 p.m.: cans of Lion's Head (seriously, where did all the PBR go?) run $2, signature cocktails are $5 (normally $9), well drinks are $3, and there are lots of bar snacks available for the taking. There's also a pool table for a buck and change per game, and an outdoor area with egg chairs that's enclosed when the weather's rough, so you can hang out in the midst of one of Noah's ever more frequent flash floods. 369 Troutman Street between Irving and Wyckoff Aves.
Photos: Sai Mokhtari/GothamistThree Diamond Door: Three Diamond Door cemented American Gentrification when it opened on Knickerbocker Ave in place of a Kennedy Fried Chicken last September. And it's managed to become one of the most popular spots in the neighborhood since then, offering $6 Bud-and-shot deals, cheap beers, an excellent jukebox, red booths and a raging backyard when the weather's not vicious. There's a vintage cigarette machine that dispenses water, not cigarettes, and you can bring a DOG to this bar, which means there are typically at least three adorable Jefftown canines wandering the grounds at all times.211 Knickerbocker Ave between Jefferson and Troutman Streets (718-576-6136)
Photos: Sai Mokhtari/GothamistUnion Pizza Works: Bushwick might be home to Ye Mighty Roberta's. But this Jefferson stop newcomer may give them a run for their money, serving up some fine pies for the eating, sans a three-hour wait. Basic pies include margheritas ($12), funghi ($12) and Italian sausage ($15), but you can also score unique pizzas like the tomato, black olives, capers, anchovies and oregano-topped Napoli pie ($13) and the focaccia con porchetta ($16), which comes topped with slow-roasted pork. There's also an airy outdoor patio for al fresca dining, always a must while consuming steamy pizza mid-summer. 423 Troutman Street between Wyckoff and St. Nicholas Aves (718-628-1927).
Photos: Sai Mokhtari/GothamistPearl's Social and Billy Club: Pearl's, which opened off Jefferson in 2011, is a Bushwick favorite, boasting the kind of quirky appeal that's earned instead of pre-packaged and sold as "cool." Sure, drinks are served in Mason jars, but somehow it's not cheesy when Pearl's does it, it's just how it's done, beard or no beard, tattooed or inkless-skinned. No one will judge you if you eschew a $6 Shiner beer in favor of a pickleback shot, provided you do not squeal "woo" when consuming said shot. All the bartenders are beautiful, and there is free strawberry water in the summer. In a word, Pearl's is Jefftopia.40 St. Nicholas Avenue between Troutman and Starr Streets (347-627-9985).
Photos: Sai Mokhtari/Gothamist