Where To Eat In Gowanus

With its big canal running through the middle, Gowanus is kind of like the Venice of Brooklyn. You probably don’t want to swim in the canal or even get too close to it, but it’s still nice to look at for about one minute, and there are a bunch of great places where you can grab some food once you're done with that. Here are our favorites.

THE SPOTS

Claro

If you get a table in the backyard at Claro, a Oaxacan-inspired spot on 3rd Avenue, you can watch them make a lot of your meal in a big outdoor oven. You’ll want to sit out there anyway, since it’s a great little space with hanging vines and string lights. The menu changes often, but it always includes things like tostadas, aguachile, and memelas (which come on thick housemade masa cakes). There’s also always a mole available, and it’s always a must-order. Bring a date, or just anyone who likes good food. And also good mezcal. They’ll be happy here.

Cotra

Cotra took over the old Monte’s space, a neighborhood Italian institution. But before you wax poetic about all the red wine you drank there, you should know this—the Japanese izakaya has kept the pizza oven, because the sushi chef experiments with Japanese-style pizza. Not much has changed, except now you can eat mochiko chicken and something called addictive cabbage here, which tastes like a salt-and-vinegar chip but in cabbage form. Start your meal there, and then move on to larger plates, like tonkatsu, and a mazesoba with saucy ground pork and a soft boiled egg. Come here for a casual date night, and drink a carafe of sake by candlelight.

Nene’s Taqueria

The Gowanus outpost of Nene’s Taqueria is even better than the original Bushwick location, because it isn’t bogged down by hour-plus wait times. Even though it's small, their system is highly organized and efficient. It’s not the kind of place where you’ll want to linger, but you can definitely grab a seat at the red subway-tiled counter and eat as much birria as you please. It comes in taco, ramen, empanada, and even pizza form. We also love their horchata.

Baba's Pierogies

Baba’s looks like a place that would serve grain bowls in Soho or Midtown—it’s a bright, all-wood space with speakers playing alt-rock and a menu by the register explaining how to construct your order. But instead of fancy bowls or ancient grains, this place does build-your-own pierogies. Choose your type (boiled or fried), your filling (standard ones like sauerkraut or unusual ones like mac and cheese), and your toppings (sauteed mushrooms or smoked bacon bits). Our go-to order is potato and cheese, fried, with caramelized onions and sour cream.

Kiosko 787

For a quick lunch in the area, check out Kisoko 787. The extra-slim, periwinkle-blue storefront serves a takeout-only menu of Puerto Rican classics like arroz mamposteao and gooey-on-the-inside guava and cheese empanadillas. The pernil is well-marinated, and the thick Cubano has a crispy, golden brown outside, and a soft, mustardy inside. And if the scent of roast pork convinces you that you won’t possibly be able to wait until you get home to have your first bite, there are a couple tables out front where people consume large amounts of mofongo on their lunch breaks.

Insa

At Insa, you can grill high-quality meat and eat kimchi fried rice and tteokbokki. In case you’re not already convinced by those things, know that there are private karaoke rooms in the back where you can (and should) spend several hours after your meal. This big Korean BBQ spot is ideal for special occasions and groups, so invite everyone who you’re comfortable singing TLC or Journey in front of, and spend a night eating really good food and getting laughed at by your friends.

Surfish Bistro

Maybe while scanning WebMD to find out whether you have a cold or the bubonic plague, you also read an article about the benefits of omega-3s. Or perhaps you’re craving raw fish but don’t want to get delivery sushi for the fourth time this week. Check out Surfish, a Peruvian spot on 3rd Avenue that serves around eight different types of ceviche. Our favorite is the mixed seafood one, which is a big portion of fish, shrimp, mussels, and octopus covered in citrus and red onion. Come for a low-key date, or eat a quick, solo dinner at the bar while doing more medical research on your phone.

Runner & Stone

Runner & Stone is a casual spot that’s half-restaurant, half-bakery, and it’s worth making a visit just to try their excellent bread. Inside, there are a bunch of tables, exposed brick, and the constant smell of something being taken out of the oven. At lunch, you can try some of the excellent sandwiches—the menu changes often, but there’s usually something with fish, whether it's an Italian-style tuna melt or something a little more exciting, like mackerel and bluefish. Or, come for a quiet dinner, and always order a pasta dish—on a recent visit we loved the orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe.

Four & Twenty Blackbirds

If you’re not a pie person, you just need to try the salty honey pie at Four & Twenty Blackbirds. We promise. This pie shop with a cult following is also our favorite place in the neighborhood to post up with a laptop and get work done or have a coffee date with a friend or colleague. In addition to big slices of pie, they serve great sweet and savory baked goods. You can also get whole pies here—we almost always find a reason to leave with a lemon chess pie.

Public Records

Public Records feels like a communal space you’d find in a utopian condo building. It has a huge skylight, there’s a great sound system, and the high ceilings are lined with shelves of records (which seems impractical, but looks cool). There’s also a venue in the back that hosts ticketed shows (DJs, mostly), as well as a full vegan menu in case you want to sit down for dinner. Try this place when you want to have some casual daytime drinks and listen to good music with a group, or stop by on a weekend night when you’re looking for a place where you can potentially dance until 4am.

Public Display Of Affection

Public Display of Affection is a Neapolitan slice shop you could easily walk right past. Don’t do that. The centerpiece of this tiny restaurant is a wood-burning oven that churns out great vegetable dishes in addition to excellent pizza. The noteworthy pepperoni pie has a chewy crust and fresh mozzarella, but they also add red chili flakes that are far superior to whatever comes out of those free little packets.