A day outside Manhattan
March 15, 2023 7:47 AM   Subscribe

This Sunday, Mrs. Ardo and I are heading to NYC for the week. There are plenty of things to do in Manhattan and we plan on doing some of them (plays, Cloisters, LES strolling, etc). I'm also looking for a neighborhood outside Manhattan where we can get very good pizza or other non-fancy food for lunch and maybe dinner, see some interesting new art and do a little shopping. Any suggestions?
posted by donpardo to Travel & Transportation around New York, NY (15 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn: Lucali's Pizza, F&F Pizza, Baby Luc's Pizza, Frankie's.
posted by Sreiny at 7:57 AM on March 15, 2023 [3 favorites]


Take the ferry over to DUMBO (Brooklyn Bridge Park - Pier 1), and stroll around the park and piers and DUMBO. Take a ride on Jane's Carousel. Eat pizza at Grimaldi's or Patsy's or any of the pizza joints along that pizza block. If you are in DUMBO on Thursdays, the art galleries stay open late for art, openings, artist talks and live performances.
posted by ichimunki at 8:10 AM on March 15, 2023 [3 favorites]


Come to New Jersey! No, seriously! Jersey City and Hoboken are both just a PATH ride away. There isn't nearly as much in terms of art as there is in Manhattan, but there are a handful of galleries and museums. Highly recommend Hoboken Terminal (one of the PATH stops) if you enjoy beautiful old train stations.

As for food, an old favorite of mine for some nice casual dining is Amelia's Bistro in Jersey City, but there's a lot to choose from in the area.

I haven't been to either city in awhile (thanks, pandemic), so I apologize that this isn't much, but I hope it helps all the same.
posted by May Kasahara at 8:13 AM on March 15, 2023 [3 favorites]


I'd add to May Kasahara's suggestion that strolling the Jersey City waterfront is a FANTASTIC way to get a view of Manhattan from outside. Arguably better than many Brooklyn viewpoints as the Hudson's wider (letting you see further uptown from the pier) and there's no bridges in the way. Plus, usually lots of river traffic to watch.
posted by cyrusdogstar at 8:22 AM on March 15, 2023 [4 favorites]


Consider Lucky Rabbit Noodles.
posted by praemunire at 8:35 AM on March 15, 2023 [1 favorite]


Either Williamsburg/Greenpoint (younger, more hip) or Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens (Super nice, feels back in the day)
posted by sandmanwv at 8:39 AM on March 15, 2023 [1 favorite]


Nthing Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens, just walk down Smith then up Court and you're covered. More shopping and food, less art. You could also go to Brooklyn Museum then walk along Vanderbilt and Washington Avenues in Prospect Heights to do food. Less shopping there though, though not nada. Fort Greene is also good for food and shopping/strolling (Dekalb and Fulton), but again with less art.
posted by greta simone at 8:56 AM on March 15, 2023


Brooklyn Museum is also right next to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden where cherry blossom season is just kicking off.
posted by moonmilk at 9:10 AM on March 15, 2023 [5 favorites]


Nthing all the suggestions here; but since I live in the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill area I'll expand on that by adding that there actually is some art. There's the Sculpture Park in the Brooklyn Campus for Pratt Design School, there are some small gallery areas in BRIC and BAM, and there's the Museum of Contemporary African Diaspora Arts. And there's also several murals scattered throughout the neighborhood paying homage to Biggie Smalls (he grew up around here).
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:42 AM on March 15, 2023 [1 favorite]


Consider Astoria in Western Queens. Eat pizza from Sac's Place, check out the public art at Socrates Sculpture Park on the waterfront (great view). And you can take the ferry there!
posted by brainwane at 11:15 AM on March 15, 2023 [2 favorites]


This isn’t art, but the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx is a nice afternoon, and not far from good old-style Italian food in the cluster of restaurants on Arthur Avenue.
posted by LizardBreath at 11:52 AM on March 15, 2023 [4 favorites]


In Bushwick at the Jefferson street L train subway stop there's a ton of restaurants, but more importantly, blocks and blocks of street art. There are many tours that will discuss the murals and the artists who make them, or you can just wander and look.
posted by newpotato at 12:48 PM on March 15, 2023


Response by poster: Thanks, everybody!
posted by donpardo at 5:48 PM on March 15, 2023


Their 2023 season doesn't open until April 15, but for posterity I'll leave the Queens Night Market here (more, more).
posted by Special Agent Dale Cooper at 6:33 PM on March 15, 2023


DUMBO has picture-perfect views; I also love Red Hook, and if the Ikea ferry is still running, you can pick it up from near South Street Seaport. Can check out https://pioneerworks.org/ for art and https://www.sunnysredhook.com/ for drinks. Baked for cupcakes.


Jersey City downtown (via PATH from crazy $4B mall/architectural delight/railway): You can't go inside (probably), but home to the amazing radio station WFMU. Second Street Bakery during the day, NYTimes-praised pizza at night. (I'm partial to drinks at The Archer). Shopping is fun around Kannibal. Ice cream at Torricos or Milk Sugar Love. Deeper into JC (passing through "Little India") is Mana Contemporary.

Always check days/hours/distance.
posted by armacy at 3:52 PM on March 16, 2023


« Older ‘A bit of bat wrapped around a fish’ — U.K. slang?   |   Supporting a team in a chaotic work environment Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.