Pizza from L&B Spumoni Gardens in Bensonhurst
Haven’t had a square from L&B Spumoni Gardens? What are you waiting for? L&B is one of the best pizzerias in the country (which is why we take you there on our Pizza Tour)…and that’s saying a lot! L&B serves Sicilian-style pizza which originated in, you guessed it, in Sicily, Italy. The crust is generally thicker and the pies are square or rectangular with the sauced placed on top of the cheese.They made pizza the way their Sicilian Grandmother taught them how to make it and the classic L&B “squares” were born!
Hot Dog from Nathan’s Famous in Coney Island
The perfect hot dog does exist and you can find it at Nathan’s Famous! Nathan’s started as a nickel hot dog stand in 1916 and is still going strong today. Charles Feltman came up with the idea to put German all-beef Frankfurters in a long roll he made at his Park Slope bakery. He called them ‘Coney Island Red Hots” and at 10 cents each, they were a hit. Eventually they just became known as “hot dogs”.
Nathan Handwerker worked at Feltman’s restaurant. The singer and piano player at Feltman’s, Eddie Cantor and Jimmy Durante, lent Nathan $350 in order to open up his own hot dog stand on the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues. Nathan used his Mother-In-Law’s recipe for an all-beef hot dog. Cantor and Durante also convinced Nathan to undercut Feltman’s 10 cents hot dogs by a nickel and sold his for 5 cents each. Feltman refused to come down in price to just a nickel. Urban legend is that Nathan’s put Feltman’s out of business but the two co-existed for nearly 40 years.
Bagel from Bagel Hole in Park Slope
If you’re looking for an authentic Brooklyn bagel then look no further than Bagel Hole in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn. They are old fashioned, hot, crispy and chewy. Bagel hole gets a hard time because their bagels are smaller than what people are used to these days, but they are just keeping it authentic. That’s how bagels SHOULD be. Mayor DiBlasio once claimed they were the best bagels in NYC and that’s at least one thing we all can agree with him on. ????
Porter House from Peter Luger Steak House in Williamsburg
If you haven’t had the legendary Porterhouse steak from Peter Luger Steakhouse then you’re not really living!
Since 1984, it has been rated the top steakhouse in all of New York by Zagat, has a Michelin Star and most importantly is recommended by all Brooklynites.
Peter Luger is very particular about their meat,
“If selected, the short loins and shells are then brought to the on-site dry aging facilities at either restaurant. Here, they are kept under carefully regulated conditions that are controlled for temperature, humidity and air circulation. Once properly aged, the short loins are butchered, trimmed and brought up to the kitchen for broiling. This zealous selection process ensures that when a steak hits the plate at Peter Luger’s, it’s among the country’s finest.”
Fried Calamari at Randazzo’s Clam Bar in Sheepshead Bay
You haven’t had fried calamari until you’ve had it at Randazzo’s Clam Bar.
Helen Randazzo opened Randazzo’s in 1916 and it’s still serving some of the best seafood in Brooklyn and right on the water. Just walk up to the window and order fried calamari or a dozen clams on the half shell. You can’t lose! Plus it’s always nice to support a family owned and operated business.
Italian Biscotti from Court Pastry in Carroll Gardens
Brooklyn definitely has the corner on classic Italian food and Court Pastry is no exception. They’ve been making traditional pastries like cannoli and biscotti since 1948. Get ready for sensory overload when you walk into the family-owned shop. It smells so good you won’t believe it. Court Pastry is more than a shop, it’s an institution.
Roast Beef Sandwich at Roll N Roaster in Sheepshead Bay
A trip to Roll-N-Roaster is a no brainer when you’re in Brooklyn. Their roast beef is slowly roasted throughout the day and prepared to your liking. They slice it thinly and pile it high on their own freshly baked rolls, topped off with natural pan gravy and optional cheese.
Cheesecake from Junior’s on Flatbush Avenue
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, if you look up cheesecake in the dictionary you’ll see a slice from Junior’s. The Flatbush Avenue landmark has been serving their heavenly, melt-in-your mouth cheesecake for over 50 years and the recipe hasn’t changed one little bit.
