Bedford Stuyvesant (known as BedStuy to anyone who lives anywhere near New York) has seen a huge resurgence in the past few years. Gentrification has slowly invaded this neighborhood, bringing new local (and pricey) businesses to the area. While there are mixed feelings about all the rapid changes in the neighborhood, BedStuy has become a destination for some of Brooklyn’s best restaurants. If you have yet to make it to the neighborhood, check out some of BedStuy’s best restaurants to start!
This southern restaurant is known as one of the best in all of New York City! Start with classics like catfish nuggets or fried green tomatoes with bacon, but be sure to save room for Peaches’ signature dish: hot chicken ($13). Served regular, hot, or extra hot, this Nashville special is only for heat chasers. A slice of white bread below the super spicy chicken helps with the heat factor, and sides like collard greens and mac & cheese will chase it all down. For a culinary thrill, head to one of the best restaurants in BedStuy for food that will make you sweat, smile, and certainly return.
393 Lewis Ave, bcrestaurantgroup.com/peaches
Upscale bar snacks and share plates are the theme here. Sit down for a beer with a snack like spicy frog legs with Dr. Pepper glaze ($8) or tuna crudo with ginger ($8). The foie gras doughnut ($12) is one of the specialties that put Do or Dine on the New York dining map, and is definitely worth a try. For heartier appetites, larger plates like an excellent New Zealand style duck breast with kiwi and fennel ($28) are served. The $14 brunch menu is also worth checking out!
1108 Bedford Ave, doordinebk.com
This duo restaurant features a European-style coffee shop on top and a full-fledged Korean restaurant (complete with a terribly wonderful K-pop soundtrack) downstairs. Easily one of BedStuy’s most unique restaurants, you can spend an entire day here without feeling stuck in one place (or getting hungry)! The lower level restaurant offers Korean classics like bibimbap, noodle soups, dumplings and grilled meats, and every dish comes with a plate of pickled vegetables and kimchi (check out our easy kimchi recipe if you’re interested). To save a few bucks, opt for the lunch special, which offers combos at under $10. Upstairs, enjoy Stumptown coffee, tea lattes, and your standard cafe fair. Bounce back and forth between the two or hang out and work at the cafe all day. Takeout is only 30 seconds away!
232 Taaffe Place, cafe232.blogspot.com
Alice’s Arbor serves classic and new American dishes with an emphasis on farm-to-table fare and natural and organic wines. The restaurant also has a store in it, selling local and organic groceries included pickles, cookies, and pasta. During the day you can stop by for a sandwich or salad, hang out for the 5:30-7pm happy hour that features $1 oysters and dine through the late night enjoying weekly specials like fish and chips ($16) or leg of lamb ($22). Perhaps the best part of Alice’s Arbor is their customizable mac and cheese menu: choose ingredients from lobster to truffle oil to pulled pork to add to their rich goat cheese pasta dish.
549 Classon Ave, alicesarbor.com
This fresh and flavorful restaurant is all about Italian food done right. Made with fresh, local ingredients, the pizzas you’ll get here are truly spectacular. Choose from classics like margarita, marinara or buffalo and top off your meal with a Peroni or Italian wine. Fresh salads, like the watermelon with feta ($9) are a good accompaniment to the pizza, but if you don’t care about trying to be healthy, go for the fritto misto ($13), a pile of deep fried calamari and shrimp that will leave you licking crumbs of crispy breading off your aioli dipped fingers.
435 Halsey St, saraghinabrooklyn.com
Know by locals and even Manhattanites as one of the best restaurants in BedStuy, SCRATCHbread is famous for their bread– lines form for fresh baked loaves– along with their American fare. Check out their online breadule to know what to expect each day! The menu is pretty loose– build your own kale salad, sandwich, or bowl of grits or choose one of their daily specials.
1069 Bedford Ave, scratchbread.com
BedStuy has gone through huge changes in the past few years, and is continuing to expand and grow with new local businesses and restaurants opening every few weeks. Cafes, coffee shop, and small neighborhood spots thrive in the area, and there are plenty of dining opportunities in the area.
Let us know your favorite BedStuy spots in the comments below!
David is the resident nerd around these parts. Running a popular tech blog (TheUnlockr.com) for the past 6 years, he’s taken his over-analytical mind and made the transition to food.
