Our Neighborhood

Brooklyn Heights is remarkably well served in most respects. This neighborhood guide will help you find what you need immediately and will lead you to new discoveries of your own as you explore this beautiful corner of Brooklyn and New York City's very first Historic District.

Bakeries

This is one thing we don't have. However, Cranberries, a take-out shop on Henry Street just past Cranberry Street, has excellent breads, muffins, bagels, cookies and dangerous snacks. Garden of Eden, a fancy grocery on Montague Street, has its own bakery, and on Atlantic Avenue between Court and Clinton is Damascus Bakery, known for its pita breads and Middle Eastern desserts. Other good bakeries are a fifteen minute walk away on Court Street past Atlantic Avenue in Cobble Hill.

Banks

Chase, Citibank, Fleet, HSBC and Independence are some of the banks crowded together on Montague Street between Court and Clinton. Others are on Court Street south of Montague Street.

Bookstores

A Barnes and Noble is a few blocks down Court Street between State and Schermerhorn Streets. Independent and used book stores include Heights Books on Montague Street between Henry and Hicks and, a little further afield, Bookcourt on Court Street in Cobble Hill, a couple of blocks south of Atlantic Avenue.

Brooklyn Bridge Walkway

The Brooklyn Bridge walk and bikeway is close by, across Cadman Plaza. Turn right out the front door, right again on Pineapple, left on Henry to Cranberry. Cross Henry and walk through the passageway between the town houses, past the subway entrance. Cross Cadman Plaza and follow the path across the greensward and under the bridge ramp to the stairway up to the walkway. Bikers may prefer the street-level access on Tillary Street, where you can get onto the walk- and bikeway in the median between the two streams of bridge traffic. On a bike, go right out the front door, right on Pineapple, right again on Henry, left on Clark to Cadman, right on Cadman half a block to Tillary, and left on Tillary.

Buses

See transportation.

Butcher

Heights Prime Meats butcher shop is around the corner on Clark Street.

Cards and Gifts

Overtures, a card and gift shop, is on Hicks Street between Montague and Remsen, and a Hallmark store is on Montague Street between Court and Clinton.

Delis and Fancy Foods

Convenience stores are dotted around the neighborhood. Peas 'n' Pickles on the corner of Henry and Pineapple is open 24 hours, and there is a deli at the Clark Street subway entrance on Clark Street. Sunny Delicatessen on the corner of Henry and Joralemon Streets near the Borough Hall subway is open into the wee hours. On the south side of Montague Street, Lassen & Henning is a fancy deli that also caters. Also on Montague between Court and Clinton is Garden of Eden, a fancy-foods shop that is more than a deli but not quite a supermarket.

Drug Stores & Pharmacies

The closest are Rite-Aid at the corner of Montague and Clinton Streets, and Duane Reade at the corner of Montague and Court Streets. Another Duane Reade is a few blocks south on Court Street at Joralemon and a new CVS store has opened on Henry Street at Love Lane. There is also a pharmacy inside Gristede's supermarket on Henry Street.

Dry Cleaners

There is at least one on every block, it seems. The closest are Coleman Cleaners at the corner of Hicks and Pineapple (out the door to the right), and Golden Hanger around the corner to the left on Clark Street. A few more are on Henry Street and on Montague Street.

Florists

On Montague Street between Clinton and Henry Streets you can find James Weir Floral. On Hicks Street between Montague and Remsen is Seaport Flowers, which sells cut flowers and potted plants. Several delis sell cut flowers, including the one at the Clark Street subway and Peas 'n' Pickles.

Greenmarket

A farmer's Greenmarket is held on the plaza behind Borough Hall on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays in the spring, summer and fall, and on Saturdays straight through the winter with at least one or two hardy vendors. The hours are from early morning until the vendors go home in mid- to late afternoon.

Hardware Stores

A small hardware/housewares shop, Variety Mart, is on the south side of Montague in the block between Henry and Clinton. Serious hardware stores are Bruno's and Sid's.

Bruno's is in two sections on Court Street at Schemerhorn, the housewares store and, farther along the block, the hardware store. (Turn left out the door, left again on Clark to Cadman Plaza, right on Cadman, which turns into Court Street at Montague. Stay on Court for about two blocks past Borough Hall. Bruno's is on the left.)

Sid's is a lumber yard and hardware store on Jay Street in a MetroTech building. (Turn left out the door, left again on Clark to Cadman Plaza. Right on Cadman, cut across the plaza in front of the court house and go down the stairs along side the court house to Adams Street. Cross Adams and take the walkway along side the hotel to Jay Street. Sid's is to the right across Jay Street.)

Hospitals

The nearest hospital is Long Island College Hospital at Hicks Street and Atlantic Avenue. The emergency room entrance is on Hicks Street between Atlantic and Pacific Streets

Laundry service

Many of the neighborhood dry cleaners also offer a drop-off and pick-up/delivery laundry service. In addition, there are two reliable laundromats on Montague Street offering these services, one between Henry and Clinton, the other between Hicks and Montague Terrace (turn right at Montague).

Libraries

The Brooklyn Business Library and the Brooklyn Heights branch of the Brooklyn Public Library are in a new two-story building on Cadman Plaza between Pierrepont and where Clinton Street turns the corner onto Cadman Plaza. The Business Library and Periodicals Room are on the first floor, the branch library and the children's library are on the second floor.

Locksmiths

All Security Locksmiths is just around the corner, on the Henry Street side of this block.

Movie Theaters

The closest is the Pavilion Brooklyn Heights, a few blocks north on Henry Street at the corner of Orange Street. This is a small, two-screen theater that shows a mix of mainstream and independent movies. There is a large United Artists multiplex on Court Street at State Street, and a smaller theater, the Cobble Hill Cinema, several blocks south on Court Street in Cobble Hill. The Brooklyn Academy of Music, known as BAM, shows first-run movies as well as films from the archives in their Rose Cinema. To get to BAM, take the 2 or 3 subway to Atlantic Avenue.

Neighborhood Organizations

The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy, 334 Furman St., 718-802-0603, is the grassroots support group for the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corp., the official entity in charge of creating Brooklyn Bridge Park along the waterfront and on the piers from Atlantic Avenue to just north of the Manhattan Bridge. The first piece of this enormous undertaking is the rebuilt and renovated Empire Fulton State Park in Dumbo north of the Brooklyn Bridge and, a little further north almost under the Manhattan Bridge, a new children's playground in the shape of a large ship.

The Brooklyn Heights Association, 55 Pierrepont St., 718-858-9193, is an old and esteemed neighborhood booster, advocate and information resource. It sponsors a House Tour every spring that lets you go inside some of the great homes that line these streets. Individual memberships are $15 a year.

Brooklyn Historical Society, 128 Pierrepont St., 718-222-4111, is a museum, research resource and sponsor of great tours around the borough. Its grand edifice on the corner of Pierrepont and Clinton Streets reopened in 2003 after a multi-year renovation.

Parking

See transportation.

Post Office

The nearest post office is in a large, Romanesque building across Cadman Plaza between Tillary and Johnson Streets, across from the library. The building has been under renovation for years but the post office is finished and open. (Turn left on Clark Street three blocks to Cadman Plaza, right on Cadman, cross Tillary and the post office is across the park on the left.)

Restaurants

Too many to count. Montague Street is lined with restaurants: American, Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, French, Polish - try them all. Two local favorites are on Henry Street: Henry's End serves excellent meats, fish and fowl; Noodle Pudding is a delightful, no-tomato-sauce Italian place.

Almost under the Brooklyn Bridge, at Old Fulton and Water Streets, is the famous River Cafe, and on the Fulton Ferry Landing itself, the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory. Across the street is Pete's Downtown, a traditional Italian restaurant, and farther up the block is Grimaldi's pizzeria, formerly called Patsy's until the other Patsy's complained. New restaurants and shops are opening with some regularity along this strip and all over Dumbo, so it pays to explore.

Also here are Bargemusic on a barge to the left of the River Cafe, and St. Ann's Warehouse performance space a block or so along Water Street, opposite the main entrance to Empire Fulton State Park. (Turn right out the door, turn left on Pineapple to Columbia Heights, turn right on Columbia Heights and follow it down the steep hill off the Heights to Old Fulton Street. The River Cafe is ahead on the left, Pete's is across the street on the corner.)

In the opposite direction, Atlantic Avenue has many good places to eat and is known for its array of Middle Eastern restaurants and shops. Just east of Court Street (a ten to fifteen minute walk) is Smith Street, with a diverse mix of restaurants-Italian, Peruvian, French, Thai, seafood, fusion-as well as bars and coffee shops.

Popular coffee shops/diners are at the corner of Henry and Clark Streets, on Henry Street at Pineapple, and on Cadman Plaza at Pineapple Walk, which is a continuation of Pineapple Street between Gristede's and Peas 'n' Pickles.

Inexpensive take-out and delivery places for Chinese, Japanese, pizza, soups, sandwiches, etc., can be found on Clark Street and on Henry Street, as well as on Montague Street.

Specialty Foods

Atlantic Avenue between Court Street and Henry Street offers numerous Middle-Eastern specialty shops. Two favorites are Damascus Bakery, best known for its pita bread, and Sahadi's, an all-purpose deli and grocery with the best prices on cheeses, olive oils, coffees, teas, herbs and spices, dried fruits and nuts.

Subways

See transportation.

Supermarkets

There are several supermarkets in the immediate neighborhood. The closest are Gristede's, one block away at Pineapple and Henry, and Key Food, two and a half blocks away on Montague between Hicks and Henry. Perelandra, on Remsen Street between Court and Clinton, is a supermarket for organic foods, household supplies and pharmaceuticals.

Video Stores

The closest one is Mister Video III on Clark Street across Henry. There's also Montague Street Video on Montague Street between Henry and Clinton.

Wine Stores

The nearest wine and liquor store is Michael Towne Wines, offering a wide selection and price range at the corner of Clark and Henry Streets next to the Clark Street subway entrance. Montague Wines and Spirits is on Montague Street west of Hicks (turn right at Montague).