Nominate Neighborhood Bests! (2020) Updated with Survey Monkey

By on January 3, 2020 10:54 pm in 11201, Restaurants, Shopping

Happy New Year from BHB to all!

A new decade calls for a poll of neighborhood bests. In fact, some of our dedicated readers have gone rogue and started an informal poll in the open threads. Let’s make it official then. Nominate your favorite tried and trues. Keep it within the Brooklyn Heights boundaries – Atlantic Avenue to Old Fulton Street, and Court Street and Cadman Plaza West to the East River. Here are the categories:

  • Best Fine Dining
  • Best Casual Dining
  • Best Coffee/Breakfast
  • Best Lunch Spot
  • Best Pizza
  • Best Burger
  • Best Groceries
  • Best Hair Salon/Barber Shop
  • Best Nail Salon/Spa
  • Best Dry Cleaner/Laundry
  • Best Gym/Fitness
  • Best Miscellaneous Retail
  • Best Miscellaneous Service

This will only work if we get a critical mass to respond. Tell your family, friends, and neighbors to nominate their favorites. If you’d rather keep it private or can’t be bothered to sign up for a Disqus account, email your nominations to: marykimbhb@gmail.com.

UPDATE: You can also nominate by filling out a quick and easy Survey Monkey, in 2 parts.

Part 1

Part 2

Thanks for participating!

– Support our local small businesses, always. –

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  • aconcernedneighbor

    Oh yay! Thank you!

    Best Fine Dining
    Colonie

    Best Casual Dining
    Sushi Gallery (subway sushi)

    Best Coffee/Breakfast
    Tough one, but my heart is with Clark’s because Clark’s Wrap!

    Best Lunch Spot
    Hancos. Love love love the Bahn Mi sammies. Close runner up – Heights Falafel.

    Best Pizza
    Fascati’s.

    Best Burger
    Five Guys

    Best Groceries
    Key Foods but….

    Best Hair Salon/Barber Shop
    Boy Luv Girl on Atlantic.

    Best Nail Salon/Spa
    Dashing Diva

    Best Dry Cleaner/Laundry
    Best Cleaners on Henry. They’ve always done a great job with tailoring requests, large or small

    Best Gym/Fitness
    N/A because we go to the Dodge YMCA (which is amazing)

    Best Miscellaneous Retail
    Han’s Market

    Best Miscellaneous Service
    James Weir Florist

  • Remsen St Strollin

    Best Fine Dining: Colonie
    Best Casual Dining: River Deli
    Best Coffee/Breakfast: Teresa’s (so sad)
    Best Lunch Spot: Iron Chef
    Best Pizza: Norm’s (voting this way bc it is new; consideration to Table 87, Brado, and Juliana’s… we are awash in great pizza)
    Best Burger: Shake Shack
    Best Groceries: Key Food Montague (but really FreshDirect)
    Best Hair Salon/Barber Shop: Have become loyal to Cutting Edge Barbers

  • Edo Express

    Best Fine Dining: Jack the Horse Tavern
    Best Casual Dining: Lantern
    Best Coffee/Breakfast:Clark’s
    Best Lunch Spot:Le Pain Quotidian
    Best Pizza: Dellarocco’s
    Best Burger:Henry Street Ale House
    Best Groceries: Key Food Atlantic Ave
    Best Hair Salon/Barber Shop: Clinton Street Barber Shop
    Best Nail Salon/Spa: Dashing Diva
    Best Dry Cleaner/Laundry: Best Cleaners Henry St.
    Best Gym/Fitness:Equinox
    Best Miscellaneous Retail: Perelandra
    Best Miscellaneous Service: Montague Wine & Spirit

  • Banet

    Norm’s? I don’t know this place. Where is it? Tell me more.

  • Andrew Porter

    Wow! So many categories I can’t vote in because I don’t do that/no longer do that/never did that…

    Best Casual Dining: Teresa’s

    Best Coffee/Breakfast: Two for the Pot – coffee and teas for you to brew up at home

    Best Burger: Five Guys

    Best Groceries: Trader Joe’s except they’re outside the defined boundary, so Key Food/Montague

    Best Hair Salon/Barber Shop: Salon Van Sickel on Middagh

    Best Miscellaneous Retail: Sahadi’s

  • Remsen St Strollin

    It is new in the last 2-3 months, right bw Shake Shack and Rocco’s Mexican restaurant. It is from some guys who have nice pizza places elsewhere in the city and while it is set up as a slice joint, it is very good, very high standards. I recommend the Margherita in particular. Let me know what you think!

    https://ny.eater.com/2019/9/5/20851079/norms-pizza-downtown-brooklyn-upside-pizza

  • Banet

    Thx.

  • Jorale-man

    Best Fine Dining: Jack the Horse Tavern
    Best Casual Dining: Hanco’s
    Best Coffee/Breakfast: Maison Kayser
    Best Lunch Spot: Le Pain Quotidian
    Best Pizza: Luzzo’s
    Best Burger: Don’t eat red meat (unhealthy and contributes to climate change)
    Best Groceries: Fresh Start (only because TJ’s is technically in Cobble Hill).
    Best Hair Salon/Barber Shop: Salon 78
    Best Nail Salon/Spa: N/A
    Best Dry Cleaner/Laundry: N/A
    Best Gym/Fitness: N/A
    Best Miscellaneous Retail: Sahadi’s
    Best Miscellaneous Service: The shoe-repair store/dry cleaner place next to Clinton St. Barber Shop

  • Mike Suko

    Just a suggestion that voting online makes it easier to “tally” – Mary’s done something amazing here. Making her be a bean counter is a little nuts…. Of course, the decision of the judge(s) is final, but again – frustrated school marm, me – don’t risk wasting a vote by going outside the designated area … or naming TWO choices in a category…. But mostly, this *IS* exciting (at some level for anyone voting), and categories may/will evolve if the contest turns out to be annual. (I’d suggest a question #14, calling for “missing categories” or any other suggestions. Might be good, too, if MK clarified Best Misc Retail [vs] Best Misc Svc, because the couple of ballots filled out below suggest such a need.)

  • http://www.yotamzohar.com StudioBrooklyn

    Here we go!

    Best Fine Dining: Colonie
    Best Casual Dining: Sushi Gallery (Clark St.)
    Best Coffee/Breakfast: Cranberry’s
    Best Lunch Spot: Heights Deli
    Best Pizza: Dellarocco’s
    Best Burger: Five Guys
    Best Groceries: Key Food Montague
    Best Hair Salon/Barber Shop: The Cutting Edge
    Best Dry Cleaner/Laundry: 78 Laundry Services (Teresa’s)
    Best Gym/Fitness: BBP Pier 2
    Best Miscellaneous Retail: Underground Thrift Store (Plymouth)
    Best Miscellaneous Service: Pets Emporium

    *EDIT*
    Sorry! I’ll fill out the Survey Monkey so I’m not using the internet like a pleb. BUT! We need one more category: best bodega!

  • Mike Suko

    Love your 2 UNconventional choices – 1 re “gyms,” and the other re Misc. retail. Kudos!

  • http://www.yotamzohar.com StudioBrooklyn

    Thanks! I suppose my choice for Misc. Retail and Misc. Service could be switched…?

  • Daddyo

    Best Fine Dining HENRY’S END
    Best Casual Dining LA TRAVIATA
    Best Coffee/Breakfast PROMENADE RESTAURANT
    Best Lunch Spot TERESA’S
    Best Pizza JOHN’S ON HENRY ST.
    Best Burger HEIGHTS SALOON
    Best Groceries D’AGASTINO’S
    Best Hair Salon/Barber Shop IRENE DINOV
    Best Nail Salon/Spa IRENE DINOV
    Best Dry Cleaner/Laundry EXPRESSWAY LAUNDROMAT
    Best Gym/Fitness CLUB WILD FYRE
    Best Miscellaneous Retail TOY BOX
    Best Miscellaneous Service ROAMING KNIFE SHARPENING GUY WITH THE OBNOXIOUS BELL ON HIS TRUCK

  • Heightsguy77

    Good selections by all. But I’m shocked Pinto isn’t on anyone’s list. Pinto could fit into best thai/and/or fine dining. It really is refined, delicious and fresh. Residents should give it a try. The basil noodles are a favorite, and the shrimp appetizers are fantastic!

  • ColumbiaHeightster

    Agreed that it is great, but isn’t that Downtown Brooklyn?

  • Mike Suko

    You right, s/he not perhaps reading the boundaries carefully enuf. (But I’ll try it, too!)

  • Remsen St Strollin

    Yeah I missed the boundaries, oops. But still… happy to spread the gospel of norms. And I think of think of the western facing side of Brooklyn bridge boulevard as part of the hood. I want shake shack to be in my neighborhood.

  • Mike Suko

    It’s probably “too close to call,” but maybe the one on Old Fulton would qualify. I’m guessing no, but where’s Mary when we simply GOTTA know?! Hate to quibble, but … Osprey (in BBP)?? – Heights?? (or Dumbo? or “ineligible?”, because it was just possibly under water a mere 20 years ago?) Similarly, I’m sure the marina would win Misc. Service with the wind in its sails if she deemed it geographically eligible.

  • Banet

    Osprey is definitely not in Dumbo. Dumbo starts on the other side of Old Fulton. Osprey, and the hotel itself, are definitely in our neighborhood.

  • ColumbiaHeightster

    Totally agree. It’s phenomenal. And in a moment of pot calling the kettle black, I voted for Shake Shack in the survey monkey. Oops!

  • ColumbiaHeightster

    Best Fine Dining: COLONIE
    Best Casual Dining: THERESA’S (one last vote – sad)
    Best Coffee/Breakfast: CRANBERRY’S
    Best Lunch Spot: PARK PLAZA
    Best Pizza: MY LITTLE PIZZERIA COURT STREET (but vote for best pie is the leek pizza from Fatoosh)
    Best Burger: FIVE GUYS
    Best Groceries: FRESH MARKET (formerly Garden of Eden/Montague St.)
    Best Hair Salon/Barber Shop: CHOO CHOO CUTS
    Best Dry Cleaner/Laundry: Folks on Joralemon and Clinton
    Best Gym/Fitness: EASTERN ATHLETIC
    Best Miscellaneous Retail: WHISK
    Best Miscellaneous Service: MONTAGUE WINE & SPIRITS and NY KIDS CLUB

  • http://www.yotamzohar.com StudioBrooklyn

    I’ve been thinking lately how crummy it is that the bars and restaurants (and public-accessible toilets) in that horrible view-blocking building are so absolutely wonderful.

    And I don’t mind the architecture either.

  • Mary Kim

    Norm’s is great, but it’s Downtown. The Shake Shack on Old Fulton is Brooklyn Heights. The one near Fulton mall is Downtown. Osprey is within Brooklyn Heights borders. See my latest post for a handy map.

  • Jorale-man

    Yes, I won’t go eat there out of principal. The restaurant does look nice from the outside but I can’t bring myself to give them my money after what they did to promenade views. Though I suspect they’ll survive without me!

  • Mary Kim

    Misc. retail is a business you pay to buy a thing. Misc. service is a business you pay to do something for you. Many voters took liberties in interpreting, but that’s fine. Fine and casual dining also meant different things to different people. That’s okay too.. It’ll all be worked out in tallying.

  • http://www.yotamzohar.com StudioBrooklyn

    Yeah, Sammy has done a lot for us so I think of his business as being nebulous between retail, service, and straight-up friend. My family has close ties to the Plymouth Church community (though we’re technically not parishioners) but for the most part our interactions with the UTS itself have been as customers.

    I still think the bodegas could have their own little competition. And honestly, I’d be torn between Heights Deli and 79 Green Apple (AKA Peas and Pickles), which straddles the line between bodega and supermarket. That’s a whole other debate!

  • Andrew Porter

    D’Agostino’s? All the stores are in Manhattan. And a bunch of your list is out of business

  • Daddyo

    Um, no kidding…it’s called “irony”…

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7nPOzGeyaw Arch Stanton

    Best Fine Dining: Jack the Horse Tavern
    Best Casual Dining: Formerly Teresa’s, now???
    Best Coffee/Breakfast: Grand Canyon
    Best Lunch Spot: Hanco’s
    Best Pizza: Dellarocco’s (only because it’s the only one that has a GF option) Otherwise Fascati.
    Best Burger: Five Guys, best fries too.
    Best Groceries: Key Food Montague.
    Best Hair Salon/Barber Shop: Supercuts
    Best Dry Cleaner/Laundry: Best Cleaners
    Best Gym/Fitness: My bedroom ;)
    Best Miscellaneous Retail: City Chemists
    Best Miscellaneous Service: Housing Works.

  • http://www.yotamzohar.com StudioBrooklyn

    I’m a big fan of Pinto, but for me it only wins if I pit it against Lantern and perhaps a few other local spots that also serve Thai food. We could also have a runoff vote between scrappy, lunch-friendly Curry Heights and slightly more upscale, dinner-friendly Asya.

    Ranking restaurants is tough. Too many variables!