Beyond Manhattan BlogCobble Hill/Carroll Gardens Intro
If you’re looking for the best things to do in NYC but feeling Manhattan-fatigue, look no farther than Cobble Hill. Cobble Hill is one of Brooklyn’s oldest neighborhoods, originally settled by the Dutch in the 1600s, and taking its name from the cobblestones that used to cover its streets. Unfortunately for pedestrians, those cobblestones are no longer there. Fortunately for motorists, those cobblestones are no longer there. (Spend an afternoon driving around Red Hook to understand what I mean.)
Anyway, here’s why you should care: Brooklyn has a number of these “postcard” neighborhoods – Park Slope, Brooklyn Heights, and even Bedford Stuyvesant to a degree – each with its own flavor. Walking the tree lined streets of Cobble Hill (we recommend Bergen or Pacific between Smith and Hoyt streets to get the idea – see map below) instills a similar zenlike calm to that of Park Slope’s rows of brownstones, but architecture buffs will spot subtle stylistic differences between the two neighborhoods’ buildings and lots. Start on the Carroll Gardens side (F to Carroll), and you’ll see the neighborhood’s unique feature – real front yards. Walk down President Street from Smith to Bond to get the archetypal Carroll Gardens sightseeing experience.
The beauty of these neighborhoods is more than skin deep. The stores, restaurants and bars that dot Court, Smith, and Henry Streets will blow your mind. If you’re feeling adventurous, try what’s arguably Brooklyn’s best Sushi restaurant (among stiff competitors), Ki Sushi. On the other end of the spectrum, both geographically and stylistically, is one of Brooklyn’s best New American (yelp’s phrase for “chef-driven, artisanal”) restaurants, Buttermilk Channel. In between is an eclectic mix of shops that includes everything from family-owned-generations-old salami shops to upstart cheese shops, and plenty of craft and fashion. If you’re looking for boutiques, you’ll find a few on Smith Street, though hardly the density you’d see in Williamsburg or next door along Atlantic Avenue. Here, it’s niche food oddities (often tinged with Carroll Gardens’ Italian American heritage) and kitsch that rules the day.
Read on for an ever-growing list of our recommendations.
How to Get There
We recommend taking the F train from one of its many Manhattan stops – no transfer required if you can catch it at one of these places. For more F train locations, consult the MTA Subway Map.
A. From Soho – “Brooklyn Bound” F train at Broadway/Lafayette – 15 minutes, service 24/7 unless posted.
B. From Greenwich Village – “Brooklyn Bound” F train at West 4th Street – 20 minutes, service 27/7 unless posted.
C. From 14th Street – “Downtown” F train at 14th Street and 6th Ave – 25 minutes, service 24/7 unless posted.
D. From Bryant Park/Times Square – “Downtown” F train at 42nd Street and 6th Ave, 35 minutes, service 24/7 unless posted.
E. From the upper east side – “Downtown” F train at 63rd St and Lexington Ave, 40 minutes, service 24/7 unless posted.
Where to Eat
1. Ki Sushi 
– 122 Smith Street between Dean and Pacific Streets
Comparing Ki to an average neighborhood sushi joint is like comparing your uncle who rolls some jiujistu to Anderson Silva. In fact it’s worth a trip from Manhattan just to eat at Ki, etc. You get the point.
Everything is good, including entres, salads, and appetizers. But you’re here for the fish. Don’t mess around – order the Ki Roll and the Spicy Girl Roll. Then thank yourself.
2. Court Street Grocers – 485 Court St between Nelson and Huntington Streets
This slyly named shop is actually a forward-thinking, chef-driven take on the classic New York sandwich shop.
They let the menu speak for itself. It sports twists on many classic sandwich components like corned beef, roast beef, and even bacon, but the meats are mostly prepared from scratch in house. See if this makes your mouth water – “short ribs corned in house,” “heritage pork shoulder,” “house made roast beef,” “confit dark meat [turkey], roast white meat.”
