Barcade (388 Union Ave. www.barcadebrooklyn.com), a long, hallway-style hangout, features a dozen 1980s arcade games facing a bar with 25 beers on tap. Its specialty is martinis garnished using in-house pickled vegetables. 

 

The Shanty (79 Richardson St. www.nydistilling.com/the-shanty) is a dimly-lit, orange-brick bar which serves select craft beers and a seasonal cocktail menu focusing on gin and rye whiskey-based drinks with inventive names like Red Headed Stranger and Cannibal Corpse Reviver No. 2.  

 

Although Ba’sik (323 Graham Ave. www.basikbrooklyn.com) may smell like a high-end spa, the simple, rustic-industrial interior gives it a more home-like vibe, in keeping with the relaxed atmosphere and friendly service. Steps from the subway, it’s a great place for a night out with niche live jazz music. 

In an elegant brick warehouse, Reynard at WYTHE Hotel (80 Wythe Ave. reynardnyc.com) stands out for its towering neon sign and resolutely modern three-story glass-and-aluminum roof addition. The food is well-executed and contemporary—think albacore tuna with rhubarb, radish, treviso and, of course, bacon (this is hipster central, after all). There’s also a rooftop lounge. 

 

Caffeine snobs should head to Blue Bottle Coffee (160 Berry St. www.bluebottlecoffee.com) for a cuppa joe freshly brewed with organic beans. The famous Californian roasters built its reputation on using Kyoto-style cold drippers for iced coffee and 50s espresso machines for hot coffee, as well as the long drip bar for pour-over. The New Orleans and Kyoto cold brews really stand out. 

 

Smorgasburg (www.smorgasburg.com) is an extensive all-food weekend market. It takes place every Saturday at East River State Park, the same location as Williamsburg Flea, and at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 5 on Sunday. From Konbucha (Korean sweet tea) to German schnitzel, Indian curries to fusion ramen burgers, there is always something interesting to sink your teeth into. 

Every Sunday, you can find antique, vintage and handmade items as well as plenty of food at the Williamsburg Flea (90 Kent Ave. www.brooklynflea.com/markets/williamsburg), on the Williamsburg waterfront. Rifling through sellers’ trays for assorted antiques with the Manhattan skyline in the distance is a highlight of any Brooklyn trip.

 

Artists and Fleas (70 N 7th St. www.artistsandfleas.com) is a cool independent vintage and crafts marketplace in a graffiti-covered warehouse crowded with artists, designers and vintage collectors. Rare vinyl, embroidered 70s outfits, weird-shaped glasses—it’s all there for those who look deep enough. 

 

Specializing in mid-century home décor, Brooklyn Reclamation (676 Driggs Ave. www.brooklynreclamation.com) is well worth a visit when exploring Williamsburg. The friendly, knowledgeable staff are always keen to dish out decoration tips, and there’s also a service to have industrial-style furniture pieces custom made.

Last year, Rough Trade NYC (64 N 9th St. www.roughtrade.com) opened the city’s largest record store in a repurposed black-brick warehouse. They sell all music formats, music-related books and after-hours concert tickets by The Bowery Presents. Check the online schedule for free shows. 

 

Top indie acts like Kurt Vile, Washed Out and Animal Collective perform practically every night at Brooklyn Bowl (61 Wythe Ave. www.brooklynbowl.com), a six-lane bowling alley that serves not only great music but also quality food from the team behind Blue Ribbon Restaurant. Grab a craft beer and get down Brooklyn-style. 

 

The grungy, psychedelic party-house that is Grasslands (289 Kent Ave. www.theglasslands.com) used to be an art gallery before it turned into an indie-rock heaven. Artists like Cymbals, King Krule and Neon Indian play on a fancily decorated stage, while the audience neck strong drinks and dance till dawn. 

ESSENTIALS