From Village to Town to City of Williamsburg(h), the neighborhood we know has passed through several incarnations, all felt in some way today. After being annexed by the City of Brooklyn in 1855, many familiar manufacturers set up shop along Broadway, and names like Cornelius Vanderbilt constructed mansions along the river. Decades later, Brooklyn’s incorporation into New York City and the opening of the Williamsburg Bridge facilitated a more diverse and densely populated part of the borough. From the 1970s into the 2000s, artists and musicians flocked; the area became a breeding ground for rising independent performers. As Williamsburg has achieved name-brand recognition, its evolution has only continued. Recent developments along the water include Domino Park, greenery located on former Domino Sugar Refinery ground. McCarren Park sits at the extreme northern edge of the neighborhood, so much so that it may be in Greenpoint, depending on who you ask.

If there’s one thing that unites the various portions of the greater Williamsburg area, it has to be the food. Not because it’s all similar in style and taste, but because it’s all similar in greatness. The neighborhood has become the epicenter of the borough’s dining scene. From homegrown joints to local chains to Michelin-starred institutions, they’re all liable to serve up an excellent meal. Standing up there with the food is, of course, the drinks. Dives, wine bars, cocktails at brunch, beer gardens, craft brewery tours, in between concert sets, after picking up a 7–10 split—if you want a place to sip on something, worry not, you’ve got your choices cut out for you. Shopping in Williamsburg is constantly changing as famous brands move in, but you’re still going to find charming boutiques and vintage shops as well as book and record stores. After all, it’s still Brooklyn.