The Borough’s Best: 20 Brooklyn Neighborhood Superlatives
DUMBO
There are downsides to living here, like the fact that trains clattering over a bridge is very noisy and never stops, but if you can afford to move here (rents are the highest in the borough, so start saving now!) there are upsides, too. DUMBO is only, like, 20 square blocks, but on those blocks there’s one of Brooklyn’s premier venues for literary events (powerHouse Arena), a slew of art galleries (from Front Street to Jay Street), one of the borough’s leading performance spaces (St. Ann’s Warehouse), an arts and performance space (Galapagos), a great used bookstore (PS) and specialty shops for poetry (Berl’s) and manga (Zakka). Not to mention a great bakery (One Girl), chocolatier (Jacques Torres), two of the foremost pizzerias in Brooklyn (Grimaldi’s and Juliana’s), plus other notable restaurants (the River Cafe! and Gran/Electrica, Atrium, Al Mar, Superfine), likable bars and more. There’s even a little movie theater (reRun)! So whether it’s film, books, fine art, performing arts, or food that you enjoy, DUMBO has so many places for you to visit—all within walking distance from each other and you, down charming old-fashioned streets lined with old, repurposed brick buildings, down which are also walking, by day, lots of smart people who commute here to be part of tech and media startups.
