BoCoCa (I use this term only reluctantly) stands for Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens. To figure out where Cobble Hill ends, where Boerum Hill begins and if certain stretches of Smith Street belong to either one of the three is a science. Neighborhood Associations have overlapping claims. Don't believe anyone who claims to know exactly, especially realtors and restaurant reviewers. Actually most of the residents don't really care. The whole area used to be called South Brooklyn, which does not fit anymore. Gentrification means also reviving old neighborhood names. So I list restaurants for all three neighborhoods here plus Red Hook, the waterfront neighborhood further south.
My list contains a couple of restaurants in the four neighborhoods, which have received good reviews by Zagats, New York Times or New York Magazine. For the latest restaurant and food news you might want to check New York Magazine's blog, Grub Street or some of the neighborhood blogs listed above.
Smith Street & Vicinity
top notch:
The Grocery, American-French, 288 Smith St. (bet. Sackett & Union Sts.), Tel: 718-596-3335, one of the top ten restaurants in NYC as per Zagats! Stunned a lot of experts in Manhattan a couple of years ago. Not anymore.
Saul, American-French, 140 Smith St. (bet. Bergen & Dean Sts.), Tel: 718-935-9844, an equally strong contender for the top spot
Chestnut, American, 271 Smith St. (bet. DeGraw & Sackett Sts.), Tel: 718-243-0049
Patois, French, 255 Smith St. (bet. DeGraw & Douglass Sts.), Tel: 718-855-1535
Chance, Pan-Asian, 223 Smith St. (Butler St.), Tel: 718-242-1515 - our regular hangout, great price/quality
Cubana Café, Cuban, 272 Smith St. near DeGraw St., Tel: 718-858-3980
Union Smith Café, American, 305 Smith St. corner Union St., Tel: 718-643-3293, nice front garden, good food and people watching.
Sherwood Cafe, French (Bistro), 195 Smith St. (bet. Baltic & Warren Sts.), Tel: 718-596-1609
BarTabac, 128 Smith St. (Dean St.), Tel: 718-923-0918
Lunetta, 116 Smith St. (bet. Dean & Pacific Sts.), Tel: 718-488-6269
.... good, yet reasonable:
Zaytoons, Middle Eastern, 283 Smith St. (Sackett St.), Tel: 718-875-1880, simple decor but great food for the money!
.... pizzas:
Savoia, 277 Smith St. (bet. DeGraw & Sackett Sts.), Tel: 718-797-2727, consistently great pizzas
From Court Street to the East River, including Red Hook
top notch:
Good Fork, Eclectic, 391 Van Brunt St. (bet. Coffey & Van Dyke Sts.), Tel: 718-643-6636
Joya, Thai, 215 Court St. (Warren St.), Tel: 718-222-3484 - our favorite Thai spot!
Osaka, Pan Asian, 272 Court St. (bet. Degraw & Kane Sts.), Tel: 718-643-0044 - love this one too!
Royal's Downtown, American, 215 Union St. (bet. Clinton & Henry Sts.), Tel: 718-923-9866
360, French, 360 Van Brunt St. (bet. Sullivan & Wolcott Sts.), Tel: 718-246-0360
Cube 63, Japanese, 234 Court St. (bet. Baltic & Warren Sts.), Tel: 718-243-2208 - tiny but great sushi
Fragole, Italian, 394 Court St. (bet. Carroll St. & 1st Pl.), Tel: 718-522-7133
Frankies Spuntino, Italian, 457 Court St. (bet. 4th Pl. & Luquer St.), Tel: 718-403-0033
Bouillabaisse 126, French, 126 Union St. (bet. Columbia & Hicks Sts.), Tel: 718-855-4405
Alma, Mexican, 187 Columbia St., 2nd fl. (DeGraw St.), Tel: 718-643-5400
.... good, yet reasonable:
Ferdinando's Focacceria, Sicilian, 151 Union St. (bet. Columbia & Hicks Sts.), Tel: 718-855-1545, the genuine stuff, as if you were in Sicily.
.... two of the best hamburgers joints in NYC:
Schnäck, 122 Union Street (bet.Hicks & Columbia St.), gateway to Red Hook and burger heaven
Crave, 570 Henry St (1st Place), Tel: (718) 643-0361, great, great, great!
.... pizzas:
Sal's Pizza Store, 305 Court St Brooklyn (DeGraw St.), Tel: 718-852-6890, thumbs up for this one!
.... sandwiches:
Panino'teca 275, Italian panini & munchies, 275 Smith St. (bet. Degraw & Sackett Sts.), Tel: 718-237-2728
.... sweets:
Sweet Melissa, 276 Court St. (bet. Butler & Douglass Sts.), Tel: 718-855-3410, great place, literally death by chocolate cookies!
Atlantic Avenue & Vicinity
top notch:
Downtown Atlantic, American, 364 Atlantic Ave. (bet. Bond & Hoyt Sts.), Tel: 718-852-9945
Mai, Pan-Asian, 497 Atlantic Ave. (bet. Nevins St. & 3rd Ave.), Tel: 718-797-3880
.... good, yet reasonable:
Brawta Caribbean Café, Caribbean, 347 Atlantic Ave. (Hoyt St.), Tel: 718-855-5515
ChipShop, British (nostalgia), 129 Atlantic Ave. (bet. Clinton & Henry Sts.), Tel: 718-855-7775
.... sandwiches:
Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches Vietnamese, Sandwiches, 311 Atlantic Ave. (bet. Hoyt & Smith Sts.), Tel: 718-855-8838
post your comments herelast updated: October 15, 2008