20 Bayard Street

Sitting along the East River just over the Williamsburg Bridge, this is the Brooklyn that comes to mind first for many. It’s the neighborhood that has long been the epicenter of the borough’s artisanal and local dining scene, which you experience in restaurants that have pressed-tin ceilings and are illuminated by Edison bulbs and where the dishes are served by bearded and tattooed waiters. For better or worse, Williamsburg’s time as an edgy neighborhood has drawn to a close. These days, Chipotle, Equinox, and Whole Foods all have locations on or near Bedford (the main drag). The new Domino Park, designed by James Corner Field Operations (collaborators on Manhattan’s High Line), provides the area with another much-needed green space. Williamsburg is huge. While the area roughly between Roebling and the river may have the vibe that looms largest in the public imagination, Williamsburg also has distinct pockets of Hasidic, Italian, Puerto Rican, and other cultural groups.