Guide for the best of Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO including several parks, historical landmarks and major attractions and several delicious eateries and cafes along the way . . .
If you are staying in Brooklyn you will have to pass through Brooklyn Heights on your way to lower Manhattan. Make a stop in Brooklyn Heights in the morning. Grab a coffee along the charming Montague Street and an egg sandwich from Lassen & Hennigs. This a local landmark that’s been serving some of the best breakfast sandwiches and lunch salads and sandwiches in the neighborhood for 70 years.
From L&H, you’ll be just a couple blocks from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and the quaint streets of Brooklyn Heights. Take a stroll and then enjoy your breakfast with the skyline of lower Manhattan in the background. It’s a great place to scout out your stops for the day and take in the Statute of Liberty from a distance.
After a little time strolling the streets of Brooklyn Heights. Take a little walk down Willow Street you’ll find the former residence of the writer Truman Capote. This is now a private residence so don’t knock on the door but enjoy a little slice of history from a distance. The home recently sold, you can read a bit more about here and here.
If you're walking to the park from the subway, Washington or Main Street will run directly into Brooklyn Bridge Park. The majority of the park is going to be to your left, including the carousel, tons of walking paths and some greenery. The park is also host to different outdoor events throughout the year such as outdoor Opera and it’s often a site for movie shoots and wedding photography.
Whether you came to explore the Brooklyn Bridge or just have a nice day in DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), One Girl is the perfect place to stop for a cup of coffee and something sweet. It’s on the corner of Water Street and Main Street and offers delicious coffees, whoopie pies and a beautiful space to put your feet up before your next adventure.
If you are looking for a proper sit-down lunch in the neighborhood checkout Westville Dumbo on Washington. It’s part of a local chain that’s known for fresh vegetable centric menus. Pan roasted chicken, grilled tuna and rice bowls. Everyone should be able to find something they’ll love even among picky eaters.
Few landmarks embody New York as well as The Brooklyn Bridge. It’s the perfect blend of American history, architecture and modern day scale and function that’s still relevant and still impressive. The bridge dates back to the 1880s when it was the longest suspension bridge and to this day carries a ton of traffic in and out of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The entrance to the walking path is not well highlighted or marked but it’s underneath the bridge itself near the corner of Cadman Plaza East and Prospect Street. I would recommend walking the bridge if it’s your first time visiting. You will see some places to rent bikes but the bridge can get very crowded and there is only one stair case near this entrance. To ride a bike on the ramp starts about 5 minutes away at the corner of Tillary Street and Brooklyn Bridge Boulevard. When you enter on the walking path you will notice there is one side designated for walking and one for biking. If you hang to the far right side of the walking path you will find your experience is much more enjoyable. A lot of bikers use the path and most are not patient with tourists or walkers straggling in the bike lane.
Juliana’s is really the old Grimaldi's Pizzeria. If you’re in DUMBO or anywhere near the Brooklyn Bridge looking for the best pizza head to Juliana’s. While Grimaldi’s is the landmark in the neighborhood, it was sold many years ago and the pizza is very very average now. Juliana’s is the newer spot opened by the real Grimaldi after he sold Grimaldi’s. If this all sounds like a Seinfeld episode, it’s New York - what do you expect.
