trip to brooklyn

[foodywannabe]

Staying in Sunset Park in late July. Looking for suggestions for all of Brooklyn. Now living in Virginia Beach, I grew up around NYC but never got to know Brooklyn.
Would like to know:
Best Italian Deli Sandwich
Best Place to buy fresh pasta and cannolis & real bread/other grocery. I am from New Jersey and I miss Corrados terribly
Best slice of pizza
Roasted Deli Artichokes - we love artichokes, we were in Castroville last month
Is De Stafanos the place we should go for a prix fix dinner on Sunday night?
Best fried calamari or grilled octopus
Best tacos/latin - we had fish tacos and seafood cocktail at Taco Baja in east LA last month -MMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmm

Any input on any item would be most welcome

[bigmackdaddy]

I'd try Caputo's Fine Foods on Court St & 4th Pl for grilled artichokes and Italian deli sandwiches. They have decent pastas as well.

[MrsT]

Best sandwich John's in Bensonhurst, I'm kind of bummed the one in Bay Ridge closed
Best Pizza: one poster said Vesuvio, but theirs is kind of hit or miss. I prefer Pizza Wagon or Grandma's.
Best Tacos: Tacos Matamoros in Sunset Park
Best Dessert: Chocolate Room in Park Slope.

[foody1964]

John's Deli on Stillwell Ave. Best sandwiches EVER!!!!

[Geo8rge]

+ John's

[demigodh]

I'll do my best to help out but keep in mind I live in Brooklyn and have a car so my suggestions might not be easily accessible to you if you're taking the train.

Italian Deli Sandwich: Defonte's in Red Hook for a great sub or B&A Pork Store in Dyker Heights for my favorite pork store (and great prosciutto mozzarella sandwiches)
Pasta/Cannoli/Bread: Royal Crown Bakery in Bensonhurst has the best cannoli's I've ever had and equally impressive breads.
Best Pizza: DiFara's in MIdwood if you don't mind waiting an hour. Best casual slice is at Vesuvio in Bay Ridge and the best Sicilian slice is at L&B Spumoni Gardens
Roasted Deli Artichokes: no clue
Prix Fix: I'd suggest Al di La for your "high end" meal. Get there early but it's worth it (i'm also trying to stick to your italian theme)
Best Octopus: Aegean Cove in Astoria. Greek place but they have the best.
Best Tacos: No fish tacos but for this one you can stay in sunset park. My favorite is Rico's but really any taqueria on 5th ave between 45th-65th is excellent)

[Wet Towel]

Best Italian Deli Sandwich - Lioni Latticini deli in Bensonhurst or Paneantico in Bay Ridge. (Lioni also makes, hands down, the best fresh mozzarella in brooklyn.)
Best Place to buy fresh pasta and cannolis & real bread/other grocery - i second royal crown mentioned above for bread. the owners also own paneantico, so you can buy the bread there at same time you get your sandwich.
for cannoli, nothing beats villabate on 18th ave in bensonhurst.
for fresh pasta, go to pastosa, on new utrecht ave and bay ridge parkway. outstanding fresh pasta and dozens of varieties.
Best slice of pizza - difara in midwood; nothing is even close.
grilled octopus - if youre staying in sunset park, agnanti in bay ridge has great grilled octopus. easier than going to astoria.

[Geo8rge]

Sunset Park - These days sunset park is more known for Chinese/Vietnamese and Hispanic. Italian Brooklyn is much smaller than it used to be.

Most of the stuff you want is the subject of endless 'Best of' posts. You might look at Bensonhurst, the last Italian area of Brooklyn. Fernando's and John's might be of interest for sandwitches. Mazzola bakery for Proscuitto or Lard bread, and other stuff.