This past weekend, my boyfriend and I took a day trip to Brooklyn. We explored the bustling streets of the famous NYC borough, and of course enjoyed some amazing eats! While I always adore a Manhattan adventure, I truly enjoy delving into the streets of Brooklyn. Keep on reading to find out how to spend the perfect day in Brooklyn, NY!
Transportation from Manhattan to Brooklyn
We arrived to NY Penn Station from New Jersey on Saturday afternoon, and immediately hopped on the C-line subway to downtown Brooklyn. We took the subway to the “Jay Street-Metro Tech” stop in Brooklyn, and took a short walk to Fort Greene Park. There are other subway lines that can take you to Brooklyn, but this is how we got there.
Fort Greene Park and Historic District
Fort Greene Park offers spacious grassy areas, tennis courts, beautiful fall foliage, The Prison Ship Martyrs Monument, and more. We made our way through the quaint city park, and continued to explore what the Fort Greene Historic District has to offer. We walked onto Dekalb Ave where local businesses set up booths for the greenmarket every Saturday. The greenmarket is a street market where local vendors sell fresh produce, breads, cheeses and more.
On Dekalb Avenue, you can see beautiful brownstones lining the street, but this isn’t the only spot in Brooklyn to view these homes. We crossed Deklab Ave and began walking on South Portland Ave, which is a beautiful street lined with many of these classic brownstone townhomes. We stopped and snapped some aesthetic photos in front of the brownstones.
Lunch at Tacombi
From South Portland Ave, we walked down to Lafayette Street which is full of local restaurants, cafes, and some shops. On Lafayette Ave is one of Tacombi’s locations, where we had a delicious and quick bite for lunch. Tacombi has become one of our favorite New York eateries to grab fresh tacos, burritos, and guac. We both had the chicken burrito and shared a small chips and guac.
TACOMBI RESTAURANT RATING
Food: 4.7/5
Atmosphere: 4.5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Overall Rating: 4.6/5
Downtown Brooklyn
After our satisfying lunch at Tacombi, we walked more into downtown Brooklyn. We stopped into Brooklyn Baklava, where I bought a pack of fresh walnut baklava bites. The staff inside this local bakery are very friendly and also gave us free samples of Turkish delight and baklava. Brooklyn Baklava is located on 4th Avenue where you can see the famous Barclay’s Center in the near distance.
DUMBO
From downtown Brooklyn, we walked up to DUMBO and the Brooklyn Bridge Park. DUMBO is one of my favorite parts of Brooklyn to wander around as it has iconic photo-spots and views of the skyline, bridges, and river, amazing restaurants, and loads of shops. You can’t visit DUMBO without walking on the famous Washington Street which offers a picturesque view of the Manhattan Bridge with the Empire State Building between its arch.
If you walk on Washington Street towards the water, you will arrive to Bridge Park. Here you can relax on the grass along the East River, and take in the scenic view of the Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge. Along Bridge Park is Pebble Beach, a very small rocky beach along the river with iconic views of the skyline. You can also check out Jane’s Carousel along the waterfront, and the Time Out Market. The Time Out Market is a food hall offering delicious eats from many local restaurants and bakeries.
Brooklyn Bridge
From the Time Out Market, we walked to the entrance of the Brooklyn Bridge and began our 1.1 mile trek across to Manhattan. I will never get tired of the skyline views from the Brooklyn Bridge. I recommend walking across around sunset, but anytime of the day is beautiful.
Dinner in the Lower East Side at Spaghetti Incident
Once we crossed over into Manhattan, we walked through the Lower East Side and Little Italy. Little Italy was popping when we visited as it was a Saturday night. Here you can dine at a local Italian restaurant and enjoy the city ambience. I usually crave Italian food when I go to the city, and we actually chose a place just about a 10-15 minute walk from the famous Little Italy neighborhood.
Nestled on a more calm street in the Lower East Side, Spaghetti Incident is a hidden gem for handmade pasta. This was our second time dining here, and everything was delicious. The menu offers dishes such as homemade arancini, burrata, salads, fresh pasta, and desserts. I had the spinach fettuccine which is served in a rich gorgonzola cheese sauce with fresh parmesan and black sesame seeds. My boyfriend had the mushroom gnocchi in a butter and sage sauce, which was a daily special. Entrees are priced around $18-$24, which is pretty standard for a casual Italian restaurant in the city. Portions are sizable, but not too overwhelming. We were able to make a reservation just a few hours before we dined in. They also have a very cute setup for outdoor seating which we enjoyed.
SPAGHETTI INCIDENT RATING
Food: 4.8/5
Atmosphere: 4.7/5
Service: 4.5/5
Overall Rating: 4.7/5
Dessert in the Lower East Side
After dinner, we walked about five minutes to Van Leeuwen Ice Cream Shop in the Lower East Side. Van Leeuwen has many locations throughout NYC and makes homemade ice cream with both classic and unique flavors. This sweet treat was definitely a delicious way to end off our perfect day in the city!
