10 Delicious Restaurants in Downtown Brooklyn (Local Foodie’s Guide)
Looking for some of the best restaurants in Downtown Brooklyn and places to eat? This guide is for you. Downtown Brooklyn is a very centrally located Brooklyn neighborhood that you’re not really sure where it ends and begins, which is truly one of the best things about this Brooklyn neighborhood. Not to mention, they have some incredible old-school (and new-school) Brooklyn restaurants.
Whether you are a neighborhood local or just visiting, this guide will provide you with where to eat in Downtown Brooklyn!
Best Places to Eat in Downtown Brooklyn
Gage & Tollner
Address: 372 Fulton Street
An oldcomer turned into a newcomer is Gage & Tollner, a revamped restaurant in Downtown Brooklyn from the late 1800s that came alive again a couple of years ago. The atmosphere immediately draws you in with floor-to-ceiling windows in the front, grand tables and one of the most beautiful bars in the city but you stay for the incredible menu that will make you keep coming back to try everything.
Start with one of the seven martinis listed on their curated martini menu. Add some raw bar items to the table to share, including but not limited to, the shrimp cocktail and oysters, and round out the entree portion with a steak to share. Be sure to add some sides but do not leave without ordering the Baked Alaska.
Gage & Tollner is open every day for dinner and lunch on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Make sure to check out the upstairs bar, one of the best bars in Brooklyn, before you leave, the Sunken Harbor Club, for some delicious cocktails in a completely themed bar to accompany one of the best places to eat in Downtown Brooklyn. Gage & Tollner only offers indoor dining but reservations are accepted.
Han Dynasty
Address: 1 Dekalb Avenue
Originally starting in Philly and hailing many locations throughout the city, Han Dynasty is another ca n’t-miss restaurant in Downtown Brooklyn. The food is Szechuan and it lives up to all the hype that the multiple locations suggest.
Just like all of the other restaurants in Downtown Brooklyn on this list, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu at Han Dynasty but you cannot leave without starting with the wontons in chili oil. For your entree make sure to get the Dan Dan Noodles and the dry pepper style chicken with white rice.
Han Dynasty is open every day for lunch and dinner and is open till 2 am every day but Monday and Tuesday. Indoor dining is available and reservations are accepted, they are located on the lower level of CityPoint in Downtown Brooklyn.
Junior’s Restaurant and Bakery
Address: 386 Flatbush Avenue Extension
I was first taken to Junior’s Restaurant and Bakery by one of my best (and first) friends in the city before a Broadway show at their second outpost in Times Square. I didn’t believe the hype and truly couldn’t believe that she was taking me to a restaurant in Times Square.
Little did I know, this diner would turn out to be one of my favorite places (and a Broadway and Brooklyn tradition) and one of the best restaurants in Downtown Brooklyn.
Everyone knows Junior’s for the cheesecake. It’s amazing and often considered one of the best New York cheesecakes money can buy, which is why it’s one of the most iconic foods in Brooklyn to try.
They deserve to be known for their cheesecake but they should also be known for several other items on the menu, first and foremost the coleslaw, beets, and pickles that are the starter for every meal. Then, their matzah ball soup is definitely my favorite in the city. But you’ll want to order any sandwich and you will be happy but I’m partial to the grilled cheese or the Reuben. But their brisket melt, corned beef, and pastrami are also well known.
Lastly, order a dozen black and white cookies (and a cheesecake) to go.
Junior’s Restaurant and Bakery is open every day from early to late. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night eats are available. Reservations are not accepted and both indoor and outdoor dining are available.
As You Are
Address: 252 Schermerhorn Street
I’m always immediately drawn to any concept that has anything to do with the Ace Hotel and As You are located in the Brooklyn Ace Hotel location is no exception and definitely should be at the top of your list of where to eat in Downtown Brooklyn (technically Boerum Hill, but very close it’s included). The space is perfectly curated to offer both a mix of modern aesthetics and a farmhouse feel.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch on the weekends are all worth giving a try. Breakfast and coffee is one of my favorite meals and experiences at As You Are. From pastries to pancakes all of your sweet tooth needs are covered. For something more savory order the Taylor Egg and Cheese served on one of the best English muffins around.
For another of the best experiences, make sure you order the special Saturday bread from croissants to cinnamon rolls to the cheddar (and regular) focaccia and the star of the special Saturday items are the jumbo size english muffins.
If you’re looking for something other than breakfast, this is a great spot to come for cocktails and stay for dinner. Their burger is fantastic served on that incredible English muffin.
As You Are is located in the iconic Ace Hotel Brooklyn and is one of the best restaurants in Downtown Brooklyn. They are open every day from early to late with a break between lunch and dinner on the weekends. Make sure to check Google for hours before visiting. Both indoor and outdoor seating options are available and reservations are accepted.
Dekalb Market Hall
Address: 445 Albee Square West
You cannot visit Downtown Brooklyn without visiting Dekalb Market Hall. With over 40 different food vendors, including Han Dynasty listed above and A Taste of Katz of Katz Delicatessen, there truly is an option for everyone making this market hall the destination on where to eat in Downtown Brooklyn.
There are two of the best restaurants in Downtown Brooklyn located within Dekalb Market including A Taste of Katz and one of my favorite spots, Pierogi Boys, that offers some of the best pierogies in the city. They also have several other incredible options from Asian to American to Pakistani and Italian. In addition, they have special events and bars throughout the space.
Dekalb Market Hall is open every day for lunch and dinner. Reservations are not accepted and only indoor dining is available.
Grand Army
Address: 336 State Street
Another of those beautiful Brooklyn spots is Grand Army, another one of the incredible and best restaurants in Downtown Brooklyn (at the edge of Boerum Hill). The facade alone on the tree lined street away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of Downtown Brooklyn alone is enough to draw you in.
One of my favorite things about Grand Army are the unique cocktails and the delicious raw bar. They also have a great wine list and some incredible items on their late-night menu.
As far as food goes, start with oysters and tuna tartare. They offer both East and West coast oysters depending on what is available and are always some of my favorite oysters in the city.
For entrees, order the sourdough bread to start (it is amazing) and finish with some shared plates of whatever is seasonally on the menu. In the summer, don’t miss their fresh heirloom tomatoes.
Grand Army is open every day for dinner and late-night eats as one of the best places to eat in Downtown Brooklyn. Reservations are accepted and both indoor and outdoor dining are available. They also have a great bar that is also available for walk-ins. It’s where to eat in Downtown Brooklyn for any occasion – a solo outing, date night or a gathering with friends.
Kuun
Address: 290 Livingston Street
For excellent Korean cuisine, no need to go all the way to Midtown anymore. Kuun is without a doubt one of the best restaurants in Downtown Brooklyn if you’re looking to spoil yourself with authentic Korean cooking.
Better yet, when you order a round of banchan comes out which usually consists of various styles of kimchi or other vegetable dishes they are serving that day. Be sure to try one of their pajeon (Korean pancakes) to start. Then the next hard part is deciding what else to order. If you’re with a friend, the bulgogi is a MUST as well as their dolsot bibimbap (the dolsot bibimbap is the best as it’s served in a hot stone pot and the rice gets a little crispy).
They also have box lunch specials where you can pick and choose your own items for an array of delicious Korean dishes for one. Since Korean cuisine is typically shared and orderd for a table to eat communally, this is a great way to try a few different things if you don’t have someone else to dine with.
Don’t miss their cocktails either, they have a few options combining Korean alcoholic beverages and spirits like makgeolli (a delicious, milky Korean rice wine) and soju. Their take on an espresso martini also features Korean instant coffee (IYKYK) and is insanely good!
Xi’an Famous Foods
Address: 54 Willoughby Street
While you’ve probably seen Xi’an Famous Foods all over New York City, if you haven’t eaten here, you are definitely missing out. For a chain, they serve some of the best Chinese cuisine, are one of the best cheap eats in NYC, and are one of the best restaurants in Downtown Brooklyn.
Xi’an Famous Foods started out as a small stall in the mall in Flushing, Queens. The recipes haven’t changed and you cannot go wrong with anything you order but since this is a guide for the best places to eat in Downtown Brooklyn, there are some standout items that you shouldn’t miss when you are here.
The dumplings are my favorite. With many varieties and options, all should be tried at some point but the best is the pork. They also have delicious spinach dumplings for a vegetarian option. For noodle choices, the pork hand ripped noodles are a spicy combination of deliciousness.
Xi’an Famous Foods is open every day for lunch and dinner except for Sundays. Reservations are not accepted and indoor dining is available.
KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot
Address: 430 Albee Square
Korean BBQ and hot pot is a great experience in itself. It’s more than just a typical meal at a restaurant since you get to be the chef. You can enjoy all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue and or hot pot.
You start by choosing your base and then add on vegetables, meat, and/or fish to a grill in the center of your table, allowing you to cook everything to the perfection you desire.
KPOT has so many options for vegetables, dumplings, tofu, meat and fish that everyone in your party will be satisfied. They also offer an all-you-can-eat option for lunch and/or dinner on certain days of the week not only making this one of the best places to eat in Downtown Brooklyn but also one of the most affordable.
KPOT is open every day for lunch and dinner. Reservations are not accepted but they offer indoor dining.
Maison Sun
Address: 200 Schermerhorn Street
Walking into Maison Sun you are immediately transported to the feeling of being in someone’s kitchen, someone’s very clean kitchen. Not to mention the open kitchen concept where you can watch all the incredible chefs at work at this incredible restaurant in Downtown Brooklyn and Boerum Hill.
The menu at Maison Sun is curated on a rotating basis depending on the seasonal ingredients available. The restaurant is also extremely accommodating to any dietary restrictions for the tasting menu. The best part of the place is the Executive Chef is a veteran of several Michelin-starred kitchens including Momofuku Ko, clearly making Maison Sun one of the best restaurants in Downtown Brooklyn.
Maison Sun is open every day but Monday and Tuesday for dinner. Reservations are accepted and recommended and indoor dining is available. There is also a private dining room located in SoHo for special events.
Where to Eat in Downtown Brooklyn (Post Summary):
- Gage & Tollner
- Han Dynasty
- Junior’s Restaurant and Bakery
- As You Are
- Dekalb Market Hall
- Grand Army
- Kuun
- Xi’an Famous Foods
- KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot
- Maison Sun
Did we miss your favorite restaurant in Downtown Brooklyn? Let us know in the comments below.
