Brooklyn Bridge
My daughter (12) and I will be in NY next week and hope to walk the Brooklyn Bridge. We thought we would take a train to the Brooklyn side, grab a bite to eat and walk the bridge toward Manhattan. We heard Bubby's Pie Company was very good. We just want to experience NY is this a good choice?
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When you come down the stairs from the bridge, walk downhill and you are on Washington Street. Keep walking down a couple blocks and you will reach the water (passing Front St. and then Water St., where most of these recs are). We live near Bubbys and I agree that it isn't very good. The area is fantastic to walk around and you shouldn't miss it. But, you can get a decent brunch there, like a BLT with fries or French Toast, etc. My daughter and her friends love it there. On the weekends there are lots of people in the restaurant and with the view, its not that bad. During the week you should avoid it, as it is dead. Like others said, go to Almondine and get a sandwich to bring to the park, which is right there. Go to J. Torres; they now serve ice cream too. In the Dumbo neighborhood, we also have the General Store (on Front, off of Washington) for great paninis and simple salads. It is a very local, buzzing place during the week. There is a great food shop, Foragers (Front St. couple of doors away from General Store), that also has really good food that you can take out or eat on stools in the store or at a counter outside. Grimaldis always has a long line, but its up to you whether you want deal with it. We usually take out, but the kids love going there. Pizza is good, but not the absolute best in Brooklyn. There will be so much to see that you will both most likely have the best time if you get something really good from either Almondine or Foragers and take it to the park. Unless it is raining, of course. BTW, Almondine has great pretzel bread. I highly recommend getting some if it isn't sold out. Have fun!
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I assume from your original post that you aren't necessarily looking for the best new restaurant but rather for the most authentic new york experience. granted "authentic new york experience" is extremely subjective but the tried and true tradition of grimaldi's, ice cream from the brooklyn ice cream factory, and a walk across the bridge is pretty much the standard. i don't think you can go wrong, and you'll love the pizza.
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Take the 4 or 5 train to Clark St. Walk down Henry St. (towards the bridge) and go to Noodle Pudding. It's really good, but usually crowded.
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oolah
Jun 28, 2009 11:45 AM
Just had another idea: if you're planning on walking the bridge on Sunday, the Brooklyn Flea is now under the bridge (corner of Water and Dock St), and they have a really great assortment of NY street food from pupusas and lobster rolls to ice cream and pies. They're only open on Sundays though...
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re: gator gal
My friends with young kids suggest buying a pizza to go from Grimaldi's (to avoid a long line) and then eating it in the park right by Bubby's. The park is very nice with great water views. The walk over the Brooklyn Bridge is always a highlight for everyone who does it. I think Bubby's is okay and would fit the bill.
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NYJewboy
Jun 27, 2009 07:21 AM
Bubby's stinks, plain and simple. It is a glorified diner.
Maybe try Noodle pudding or Henry's End on Henry street, although I am not sure if they are open for lunch.
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re: NYJewboy
HEIGHTS CAFE serves a great lunch, and the outdoor cafe is delightful on a nice day. Great Burgers and hand cut, freshlky made fries, excellent salads.
CLARK'S CORNER is an nice choice for Diner food. The omelettes are great, but the prices are npot much less for lunch than HEIGHTS CAFE.
Of course there is akways TERESAS, with its charming outdoor cafe. Very reasonable prices, and good, fresh, simpole food. The Burger with fries at $5.00 is a bargain, and quite good.
For dessert in DUMBO , we love ALMONDINE, a deliciously tempting authentic French bakery.BROOKLYN ICE CREAN FACTORY has some superior Ice Cream, and the view frim the sitting area is spectacular.
Neither Noodle pudding nor Henry's End are open for lunch. Please, avoid BUBBY'S at all cost. I agree with the OP, PARK PLAZA is a real dive. The food isn't fresh, it is unappetizing.
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To answer your general question, walking the bridge is a great choice: as a (not native, but now long-time) New Yorker, walking the Brooklyn Bridge is the one touristy activity I let myself do, because it's definitely worth it.
That said, Bubby's in DUMBO doesn't have many fans on this board (http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/584268). If you're going early enough in the day (i.e. can get there before noon), I'd go to Grimaldi's instead. It's no longer thought of as the best pizza in New York, and can be a total zoo if you hit it at peak hours, but it's still very good pizza and it's about as classic a NY experience as you can get, and usually if you're there when it opens at 11:30 or a few minutes after you can just walk in and get a table. My personal opinion is that there are a lot of old-school New York diners in Manhattan, but Grimaldi's is an institution.
Whatever you do, if you're going to be in DUMBO, save some room for dessert and stop by Jacques Torres on your way out!
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The NY experience should include eating at one of the manhy diners. Take the A or C to High St-Brooklyn Bridge station. Exit using the Cadman Plaza exit and walk over a block to the Park Plaza Restaurant http://www.parkplazarestaurant.com/
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re: Jack_
oolah
Jun 27, 2009 10:39 AM
Are you serious? The Park Plaza has AWFUL food. It's among the worst diners I've ever been to. Everything tastes old, stale and the place is almost always mostly empty.
I have seen some threads suggesting taking the train to brooklyn and then walking back across the bridge to Manhattan and grabbing a bite to eat in Chinatown. Unless you want to stand in line at Grimaldi's Pizza (where they sell whole pies only), that's probably your best bet.
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