Discovering Brooklyn, New York: Activities, Dining, and Sights

With over 2.5 million residents, Brooklyn is not just the most populated borough of New York City but also one of its largest. Spanning 71 square miles, Brooklyn is more than three times the size of Manhattan, making it challenging to experience everything in a single visit—or even a lifetime. To assist in refining your itinerary, Dinogo’s local resident editor has compiled a vibrant selection of trendy newcomers and beloved local favorites, featuring a historic green space, a hidden art center, the most thrilling new dining spots, and much more.

Activities to Explore in Brooklyn

Pioneer Works

• Neighborhood: Red Hook
• Address: 159 Pioneer St. | Locate on Google Maps

Pioneer Works is a nonprofit cultural hub located in Red Hook, housed in a historic 19th-century brick structure that was once the site of Pioneer Iron Works. The center features three floors and a spacious courtyard, offering studio space for resident artists, changing exhibitions, and engaging workshops and classes. Previous exhibitions have highlighted works by notable artists such as Nan Goldin, Anthony McCall, and Jacolby Satterwhite.

Green-Wood Cemetery

• Neighborhood: Greenwood Heights
• Address: 500 25th St.| Locate on Google Maps

Designated as a National Historic Landmark and arboretum, Green-Wood Cemetery spans 478 picturesque acres and serves as the final resting place for notable New Yorkers like conductor Leonard Bernstein and artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. It is also a haven for bird-watchers, attracting over 185 species of migratory birds each year.

New York Transit Museum

• Neighborhood: Downtown Brooklyn
• Address: 99 Schermerhorn St. | Locate on Google Maps

To visit this museum, located in a former subway station in Downtown Brooklyn, guests descend to a platform that stretches an entire city block, where they can explore a collection of 20 vintage subway and elevated trains dating back to 1904.

Marché Rue Dix

• Neighborhood: Crown Heights
• Address: 1453 Bedford Ave. | Locate on Google Maps

Part concept store and part nail salon, Marché Rue Dix features its own range of coffees, teas, natural skincare items, and both vintage and contemporary clothing crafted in Senegal. At the rear of this Crown Heights establishment, a full-service nail salon provides nail art and mani-pedi services using its exclusive line of 100 percent vegan, nontoxic, and cruelty-free polishes.

Where to dine in Brooklyn

Sahadi’s

• Neighborhood: Sunset Park
• Addresses: 187 Atlantic Ave.| Locate on Google Maps | 34 35th St. | Locate on Google Maps

The Sahadi family, originally from Lebanon, founded this Middle Eastern grocery in Manhattan back in 1895. Still family-owned, the store relocated to Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn in 1948 and has since become a favorite among locals for its homemade hummus, nuts, dried fruits, and freshly baked breads. In 2019, they opened a second location, featuring a grocery store alongside a sit-down café and bar in Industry City, a vibrant arts and shopping hub in Sunset Park.

Misi

• Neighborhood: Williamsburg
• Address: 329 Kent Ave.| Locate on Google Maps

Nestled on the ground floor of a modern building near Domino Park, Misi serves as a relaxed extension of Lilia—chef Missy Robbins’s first Italian venture in Williamsburg. Instead of traditional entrées, it focuses on pasta dishes, vegetable sides, and delightful desserts. (Don't miss the ricotta-filled lemon occhi—it’s a must-try.)

Masalawala & Sons

• Neighborhood: Park Slope
• Address: 365 5th Ave.| Locate on Google Maps

In late 2022, restaurateur Roni Mazumdar launched Masalawala & Sons in Park Slope, offering a menu inspired by his father's Kolkata heritage. Highlights include daab chingri, featuring tiger prawns served in a young coconut shell, and macher dim, a delicately poached fish roe dish with curry flavors. Be sure to book ahead—reservations are in high demand.

Gage & Tollner

• Neighborhood: Downtown Brooklyn
• Address: 372 Fulton St.| Locate on Google Maps

From 1879 until 2004, this oyster and chop house was the most renowned dining establishment in Brooklyn. Reopening in Downtown Brooklyn in 2021, it features its original wooden revolving door, brass chandeliers, and newly upholstered wall panels. Expect timeless favorites like seafood towers, strip steaks, and Baked Alaska. Executive chef Adam Shepard introduces Clams Kimsino, featuring a delightful bacon-kimchi butter.

Fan Fan Doughnuts

• Neighborhood: Bed-Stuy
• Address: 448 Lafayette Ave.| Locate on Google Maps

During the pandemic, pastry chef Fany Gerson launched Fan-Fan Doughnuts in a cozy spot on Bed-Stuy's western edge. Drawing inspiration from her childhood in Mexico City, Gerson crafts yeasted doughnuts in flavors like Churros and Chocolate, Guava and Cheese, and La Donna, which features a vibrant fuchsia raspberry-currant glaze inspired by her grandmother's recipe.

Little Egg

• Neighborhood: Prospect Heights
• Address: 657 Washington Ave.| Locate on Google Maps

After 15 bustling years, Williamsburg’s beloved brunch spot, Egg, closed its doors in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Reimagined as Little Egg in April 2023, this Prospect Heights gem is now run by its former chef, Evan Hanczor. Diners can enjoy favorites like Eggs Rothko (a unique take on toad in the hole smothered in melted Grafton cheddar) alongside new additions such as a delightfully crispy katsu sandwich featuring a panko-crusted egg patty on a brioche roll, topped with yuzu kosho mayo and pickled shallots.

F&F Pizzeria

• Neighborhood: Carroll Gardens
• Address: 459 Court St.| Locate on Google Maps

While Brooklyn is famous for pizza spots like Lucali, L&B Spumoni Gardens, and Roberta’s, the Italian eatery Frankies 457 Spuntino has made its mark since 2019 with a slice shop in a repurposed garage in Carroll Gardens, worth a visit via the F train. F&F Pizzeria boasts over a dozen varieties of pizza, from classic pepperoni to clam slices and square Sicilian pies, all crafted with naturally leavened sourdough crust, Bianco DiNapoli organic tomatoes, and their signature Frankies 457 Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The highlight is the Hot Sausage and Sage pizza, inspired by one of Frankies’ beloved pasta dishes, featuring hot sausage, mozzarella, pecorino romano, and sage fried in brown butter.

Where to stay: hotels in Brooklyn

Ace Hotel Brooklyn

In 2021, the Ace hotel group launched its second location in New York City, situated right across from the Hoyt-Schermerhorn subway station in Downtown Brooklyn. The new 13-story structure showcases a brutalist exterior and interiors designed by Roman and Williams. Inside, green leather sofas, wood paneling, and fiber art bring warmth to the industrial raw concrete walls and ceilings of the 287-room hotel. For stunning views of the borough, opt for a south-facing Medium Skyline room on one of the top four floors.

1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

As part of the eco-conscious 1 Hotels brand, this 195-room establishment is located just south of the Brooklyn Bridge and boasts carbon neutrality certification. Many rooms offer breathtaking views of the skyline and the bridge through floor-to-ceiling windows. The hotel features four types of suites, including the expansive 2,000-square-foot, two-bedroom Riverhouse. Enjoy a spritz at the rooftop bar before heading out to the nearby revitalized Brooklyn Bridge Park, just steps away from the entrance.