Downtown Brooklyn: Places you should check out if you find yourself here 🏙️
There's more to explore in Downtown Brooklyn than you might've thought!
Downtown Brooklyn isn’t the first neighborhood you think about visiting when you think about coming to Brooklyn, but it’s likely you’ll find yourself here anyway. It’s the area that is central to most neighborhoods, and there are trains and buses here to get you to Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Park Slope, and even Long Island City. It’s also walkable to Brooklyn Heights, Fort Greene, and Cobble Hill.
As someone that frequents this neighborhood and completes a lot of my errands in this area, I’d argue that this neighborhood definitely has its own charms. Read on for spots you should check out if you find yourself here.
MetroTech Center
MetroTech Center is an area that mostly belongs to the NYU Tandon School of Engineering, but it also has a park with benches to rest on and places where you can grab a quick bite such as Chipotle, Five Guys, and Blank Street.
My favorite thing about MetroTech Center is the stray dog sculpture. The first time I walked by it, I thought it was a real dog! You might get confused as well when you see it for the first time, but this sculpture always brings a smile to my face.
Given that MetroTech Center is part of the downtown area, they tend to host events in this space to bring more of a sense of the community to the neighborhood. Most of these events are free, and they include ping-pong, zumba classes, and more! Sometimes, they’ll have really unique events that may pleasantly surprise you. I once stumbled upon a puppet show, and later on an animation shorts event that featured horror-fiction stories by Rooftop Films.
I also love Christmas time in the MetroTech Center. The tree is charming, and non-pretentious and just lovely. They do a tree lighting ceremony every year. Whether it’s rainy, snowy, or hailing, I love walking by this tree during the winter time.
There are also ice sculptures during the winter time! I like the New York City-themed one with the with the subway rat and pizza.
Little Pizza Parlor
Not too far from the MetroTech Center is my favorite pizza shop in downtown Brooklyn, or maybe all of Brooklyn! You need to stop by Little Pizza Parlor if you’re in the area for a slice. They are not too thin, but not thick, and I find their slices quite light, but also really filling. My favorite slice here is the buffalo chicken.
I was once waiting in line here, and the man in front of me let me go ahead and I ordered the last buffalo chicken slice which he wanted to get, and he let me have it. That made my day!
City Point
City Point is my favorite place to run errands. There is a Trader’s Joes and Target here, along with many other shops to keep me entertained. If you’re visiting the area, check out Dekalb Market in the basement. They have multiple food vendors if you’re in need of a bite while running errands. My favorites here are BK Jani, and Han Dynasty. I always get the fried fish there.
On the first-level, you’ll find stores like Lululemon, Bang Cookies, and McNally Jackson. There is also a Sephora and Primark connected to City Point, which you can access at the first-level. My favorite stores here are Brooklyn Made, which sells items themed around Brooklyn, and Rumi Life, which sells the softest stuffed-animals.
There is also an Alamo Drafthouse in City Point, where you can watch movies and even get served food. I watched the Barbie movie here in 2023, and of course, had to wear pink!
Fulton Street
Right outside City Point, you’ll find Fulton Street. Fulton Street is the place to go shopping. They have an Express outlet, Banana Republic factory, Nordstrom Rack, Macy’s, and American Eagle. There are also multiple stores selling clothes and shoes for an extremely cheap price compared to New York City. The quality might be somewhat questionable, but if it gets the job done, I’m all for it! The sunsets at the end of Fulton Street by the Shake Shack are also gorgeous in the summer!
Brooklyn Borough Hall
When you get to the end of Fulton Street, you might as well walk over to Brooklyn Borough Hall. This building will light up during holidays, and if you stand it front of it, you can get a great picture of the fountain and see a hint of the Manhattan bridge up ahead.
If you’re walking around the area a little later at night, you might see the Rappin’ Max robot sculpture light up at night.
If you’re an earlier riser on Saturday mornings, stop by the Borough Hall farmer’s market right in front of the robot. I found an interesting mix of a leek and scallion here once, and it had purple ends!
Cadman Plaza Park
Cadman Plaza Park is one of my favorite spots to take a walk in. I love being surrounded by the tall trees here. It’s shaded on a hot day, and feels magical during the sunset. It’s also not as crowded as other parks in Brooklyn, and feels relatively safe.
Unity statue
I just learned the name of this statue today! I usually refer to this as the “One” statue. You’ll see it near the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge on the Brooklyn side. It’s hard to miss at over 22 feet tall!
Gage & Tollner
Gage & Tollner is a historic steakhouse restaurant that has been since the early 1800s. I haven’t been here in a while, but the food is incredibly delicious. The decor inside is also dark and moody, and that paired quite well with my steak dinner and dessert.
HEYTEA
In downtown Brooklyn, you’ll find no shortage of bubble tea shops. There’s Chihiro Tea, Gong Cha, Chun Yang Tea, Kung Fu Tea—you name it! My favorite bubble tea store, though, is HEYTEA. Their focus is on jasmine tea, and the quality here is unmatched compared to other stores.
My favorite order here is an iced jasmine tea with cheese cloud foam, but if you have other suggestions, please let me know!
Recurse Center
I’d be remiss not to mention the place that first brought me to the Downtown Brooklyn neighborhood. The Recurse Center is a programming retreat that enabled me to spend time working on personal projects, build up my resume, and connect with others who are just as passionate about creative programming. If you’re passionate about continual learning and want to get better at coding, this is the place for you!
Brooklyn Curry Project
Downtown Brooklyn is also home to a DoorDash Kitchen, which has takeout options for popular restaurants in New York City. They also host unique vendors from time-to-time, and recently, Brooklyn Curry Project has been making an appearance.
This spot became popular in the Fort Greene farmer’s market last year, but they are now selling their dosas in Downtown Brooklyn on Saturdays. The line can sometimes be long, but it’s worth trying at least once.
Tangerine Yoga
Tangerine Yoga is a new studio I’ve had the pleasure of visiting this year. I haven’t taken any of their traditional yoga classes, but have appreciated their “Yoga for Anxiety” classes that they offer on Sunday afternoons. I’m not the most flexible person, and the pace of this class is not only manageable, but allows me to get a good stretch in while not feeling pressured. I’m not sure if the class actually makes me feel less anxious, but I do enjoy the feeling of peace during the class.
What are your favorite spots in the Downtown Brooklyn or nearby? Let me know in the comments below!
xo that Brooklyn girl.
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Wow! I loved this. I only recently moved from the West Coast to the East Coast, and exploring New York especially Brooklyn is something I’m so excited about. Thanks for making me hungry. I look forward to reading more!
I absolutely loved this guide. It made me see Downtown Brooklyn in such a new light! The stray dog sculpture at MetroTech sounds adorable, and I’m definitely adding Little Pizza Parlor and HEYTEA to my must-try list.