City Guide: Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn
Montero's, Montague Diner, Inga's, L'Appartement 4F, Sahadi's...
Welcome to City Guides, a paid-subscriber exclusive featuring personal recommendations for my favorite neighborhood spots for drinking and eating around New York City and beyond.
Today’s LAST CALL City Guide is free to all readers thanks to the generous support of Casamara Club.
I’ve been a big fan of Casamara Club since I first met with founders Jason LaValla and Erica Johnson in 2018 when they were preparing to launch their creative lineup of easy-drinking, botanical-based “leisure sodas” inspired by the distinctive flavor profiles of regional Italian amaro.
And today they’re launching a brand new addition to their stylish portfolio, Superclasico—their very first cocktail-strength non-alcoholic drink. Think of if it as a bittersweet, Italian-style aperitivo in a supercharged 8-ounce can.
Superclasico channels the spirit of the iconic Negroni by way of Italy’s sunset-hued, ready-to-drink, non-alcoholic sodas like Sanbittèr and Crodino.
Like all of Casamara Club botanical sodas, Superclasico is made with real ingredients—no artificial flavors, no sugar substitutes, and no preservatives—and is sweetened like a real cocktail, with top quality Demerara cane sugar.
Superclasico’s sprezzatura style starts with a big, bittersweet punch from Italian chinotto along with an aromatic brightness from juniper berries. “We import the chinotto directly from Italy,” says LaValla. “I think that single ingredient, and the effort we go through to obtain it, makes a huge difference in terms of taste, and for me is so essential to recreating that authentic Italian flavor experience.” In addition, you’ll experience tannic notes from red currant and allspice, with kola notes on the mid-palate and a pleasant, lingering bittersweet finish softened by Madagascar vanilla.
Superclasico is ready to drink straight from the can, or pour it into an ice-filled glass garnished with an orange slice. And it’s the perfect companion for an at-home aperitivo spread of your favorite salty snacks.
“Your leisure awaits…”
Casamara Club is offering a special discount for LAST CALL readers—save 10% on Superclasico, or any other purchase of Casamara Club products at the Casamara Club online shop, through Friday, September 27.
City Guide: Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn
During the American Revolutionary War, the elevated plateau of the terrain of what is now Brooklyn Heights offered strategic views and was a heavily fortified position. And it was here, on August 27, 1776, during the Battle of Brooklyn, where General George Washington thwarted capture by the British troops (who would go on to occupy Brooklyn and Manhattan for 7 years) with a skillful nighttime escape across the East River with his surviving troops and remaining supplies and lived to fight another day.
As the closest Brooklyn neighborhood to Manhattan, Brooklyn Heights would come to be known as New York’s first suburb. Hezekiah Pierrepont, a merchant, farmer, one-time gin distiller, and landowner had been developing on 60 acres of purchased land on what was then called Clover Hill and later Brooklyn Village. As a prominent investor in the New York and Brooklyn Steam Ferry Boat Company, Pierrepont swayed Robert Fulton to offer regular service to the area in 1814, helping drive more traffic to what is now Brooklyn Heights. Soon a grid system of streets and lots inspired new arrivals to buy and develop property, and by 1860 there were more than 600 homes built, compared to only 7 in 1807.
The completion of the Brooklyn Bridge in 1883 made Brooklyn Heights even more accessible from Manhattan. The shadow of Robert Moses looms large in the neighborhood in the 1940s and 1950s with his development of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, whose construction razed historic brownstones replacing them with rowhouses and essentially erased the northwest corner of the neighborhood. In 1965, in an effort to keep Moses from building the BQE along Henry Street, Brooklyn Heights became the first NYC neighborhood to be designated a National Historic Landmark.
Another positive was the eventual development of the Brooklyn Promenade, which still stands with its unrivaled panoramic views encompassing the Statue of Liberty, the skyline of Manhattan, the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, the Brooklyn Waterfront, and Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Brooklyn Bridge Park between the BQE and the East River is one of the area’s more recent developments and its 6 piers and popular parks and playing fields continue to draw locals and tourists alike.
The neighborhood borders of Brooklyn Heights are Atlantic Avenue on the south, Old Fulton Street to the north, Cadman Plaza West on the east, and the BQE/Brooklyn Bridge Park/East River to the west.
Brooklyn Heights is accessible by subway (2,3,4,5,A,C,N,R,W) and the B25, B61, B63, and B65 buses. But you’ll do a lot of walking within its borders.
Brooklyn Heights Fun Facts!
Where the Streets Have Known Names: Clinton Street (for U.S. senator, mayor of New York City, seventh and ninth governor of New York, and three-time Presidential candidate DeWitt Clinton), Fulton Street (for Robert Fulton, who was responsible for the steam ferry service between Brooklyn Heights and Manhattan), Hicks Street (for brothers John and Jacob, early colonial settlers in Brooklyn), Joralemon Street (originally called Ramsen’s Lane, named for Tumis Joralemon, first person to own a brick house in Brooklyn), Montague Street (for Lady Mary Wortley Montague, a relative of Hezekiah Pierrepont), Pierrepont Street (for merchant, farmer, and developer Hezekiah Beers Pierrepont).
The Fruit Streets: How did Orange, Pineapple, and Cranberry Streets get their colorful names? There are a couple of theories, both dating to the 1800s. One story involves prominent Brooklyn citizen Lady Middagh, who found it pretentious that the neighborhood streets were named after wealthy landowners. Late one night she replaced the signs with the names of her three favorite fruits, and the city later made them official. Another take claims that the Hicks Brothers (of Hicks Street fame) sold exotic fruit and named the streets to as a strategy to advertise their wares.
No Sleep Till Brooklyn: In May 2013, on the 1-year anniversary of his death, Palmetto Playground, on the corner of State Street and Columbia Street, was renamed Adam Yauch Park (27 State Street), after the late musician, rapper, founder of the Beastie Boys, filmmaker, and Brooklyn Heights native. Respect.
Nothing to See Here: 58 Joralemon Street may seem like another stunning Greek Revival home lining a tree-lined block, but the blackened windows are a clue that something’s amiss. In fact, the structure hides a subway ventilator that also serves as an emergency exit for the 4/5 train line nine stories below the surface.
Can’t Get There From Here: Three charming historic dead-end streets include Grace Court Alley, Love Lane, and Hunts Lane.
And.. Action! Movies filmed in Brooklyn Heights include: Moonstruck, Three Days of the Condor, Bridge of Spies, Prizzi’s Honor, Mo’ Better Blues, Age of Innocence, Taxi Driver, Superman, Catch Me If You Can, and The Godfather.
Stars—They’re Just Like Us!: Home to many well known actors, including John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, Peter Dinklage, Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Rebecca Hall, Amy Schumer, Paul Giamatti, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach.
Arts & Leisure: The neighborhood was also home to Truman Capote, W.H. Auden, Norman Mailer, Gypsy Rose Lee, Salvador Dali, Arthur Miller, W.E.B. Du Bois, Walt Whitman, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Carson McCullers, and Hart Crane.
Drinking & Eating in Brooklyn Heights
Montero Bar & Grill
Even if you’ve never set foot in the Montero Bar & Grill, the historic cash-only dive bar on the western edge of Atlantic Avenue just shy of the Brooklyn waterfront, odds are you’ve passed by their iconic neon sign casting the sidewalk below in a red glow and serving as a beacon in the night. But it’s more likely you have been in Montero’s, first opened in 1939 by Joseph and Pilar Montero and a longtime hangout for local longshoremen and visiting sailors, whether for a cold beer on a quiet Saturday afternoon or with a posse of friends fired up for a late night belting out songs during their popular karaoke sessions. Nearly every surface of the bar is covered with nautical ephemera, from faded newspaper clippings and framed black-and-white photographs to orange life preservers, bearing the names of ships like the USS Edward Rutledge and USS Stonewall Jackson, hanging over the bar. There’s a pool table in the back and a nonworking vintage telephone booth up front, and when it’s busy, it’s a standing room only affair with space at a premium.
When I interviewed former Montero bartender Kaddy Feast for my book, Last Call, she had this to say:
“I think of Montero like the building in Ghostbusters. It’s got this nexus of energy from all of the people that have come before. I think a lot of bars have that, but this place is special. It’s the ghosts of people in their rawest form. You drink, you lose inhibitions, there’s sometimes conflict, but mostly it is people coming together.”
I’ve lived in the apartment above Montero’s for four-and-half years now and even with all the Seinfeld-related Kenny Rogers Roasters jokes about the Krypton red neon glow that illuminates my apartment it’s definitely a place full of character, and history. Back in the 1980s then substitute teacher and future Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt called my very apartment home. How’s that for a space with solid literary bones? Just keep the late-night “Hey, BTP, we’re downstairs” texts to a minimum.
Montero Bar & Grill (73 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11201)
L'Appartement 4F
In what has become a popular new-wave bakery origin story, what started out as selling homemade bread and pastries from home during the pandemic became a brick-and-mortar reality in 2022 with non-stop lines down the block when Gautier and Ashley Coiffard opened their Parisian-inspired bakery L’Appartement 4F on Montague Street. While I still tend to skip Saturday mornings to avoid the crowds and sold-out pastries, on weekdays I love to walk up to Montague for a cappuccino and Kouign-amann, and then admire the adoptable cats in the window at the nearby Brooklyn Cat Cafe before settling in on a bench at the Brooklyn Promenade to enjoy my breakfast while watching the passing tug boats journey up the East River.
They’re a darling of the influencer circuit with their bespoke $50 boxes of homemade mini-croissant cereal and brand collaborations, but also serve the neighborhood and visitors from near and far with exquisite baguettes, hand-rolled croissants, slow-fermented sourdough breads, and artisanal pastries. Their Kouign-amann is my favorite in NYC (so buttery with a crackly, toffee-like crunch), and I’m hooked on their Pain au Chocolat aux Amandes and Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookie au Sel de Mer.
Thursday through Sunday evenings, their upstairs is transformed into L’Apero 4F, an intimate natural wine bar (bookings via Resy). They’re also expanding across the Brooklyn Bridge with a West Village outpost.
L’Appartement 4F (115 Montague Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201)
Montague Diner
Last March Montague Diner took over the former home of the longtime Montague Street open-24-hours Happy Days Diner, which shuttered in 2022. When the new owners—two film directors, a production designer, an attorney, a contractor, and two restaurateurs—signed the lease they worked to keep the spirit of the old diner while refurbishing and recasting the space as a whole new character in the leading role, and with more practical business hours.
The menu features an All Day Breakfast with Griddled Blueberry Muffins, Breakfast Plates like Corned Beef Hash and Eggs, Pancakes, or a Greek Omelette, as well as Potato Latkes and a loaded Smoked Salmon Plate. Montague Diner has the Classics covered with a Turkey Club, three different Burgers, and a variety of Elaine Bennes-approved Big Salads. But how many diners feature Steak Frites or baller “for the table” platters such as A Pile of Fries and a Bottle of Champagne, Mozzarella Sticks & Orange Wine, or The Giant Grilled Cheese & A Bottle of Chilled Red?
Montague Diner (148 Montague Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201)
Inga’s Bar
Inga’s Bar first opened in March 2022 in the space previously occupied by neighborhood favorite Jack the Horse Tavern, with owners chef Sean Rembold (formerly at Marlow & Sons), and designer Caron Callahan, bringing an upscale tavern vibe to a cozy corner of Hicks Street that’s a bit of a hike from Atlantic Avenue but worth the trek. They’re on Resy but for some reason they don’t have a website, but they do post an updated photo of a semi-current menu on their Instagram page from time to time. While it’s fun to be surprised with specials, it’s also nice knowing what you’re getting into before walking through the door. Among some favorites you will find on the menu are small plates of Mortadella, Aged Gouda, Brown Butter, and Pistachio, Grilled Pork Belly, and the house Cheeseburger served with pickles, mayo, onions, and excellent French fries.
Inga’s Bar (66 Hicks Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201)
Colonie / PIPS
Colonie has been a mainstay of New American, seasonally driven dining on Atlantic Avenue since they opened their doors in 2011. It’s packed on weekends (it’s a go-to spot for brunch and the crowds spill out into sidewalk seating). While bustling and buzzy, it maintains a chill, relaxing vibe into the evening when the dinner crowds descend for their Shaved Cherry Salad with toasted pistachios, Parmigiano, and dates and Tagliatelle with lump crab, serrano, artichoke, panko, lemon-pepper cured egg yolk, and fines herbs
Colonie (27 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11201)
Right next door is PIPS, an intimate space with big open windows that look upon Atlantic Avenue that’s inspired by “the flavors and spirit of coastal Italy.” It’s equal parts wine bar, with a curated list of low-intervention natural wines, as well as a relaxed aperitivo bar with a rotating Spritzes and cocktails. If you’re hungry, there’s a selection from the raw bar, nibbles like Duck Fat Fries, Crispy Chick Peas, or Whipped Ricotta Crostino, and more substantial fare such as Chicken Milanese or a Bison Burger. Saltue!
PIPS (129 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11201)
Sahadi’s
Sahadi’s began in 1895 when Abrahim Sahadi opened his namesake shop in downtown Manhattan’s Little Syria neighborhood. They moved to Atlantic Avenue in 1948 and have been a neighborhood fixture ever since (they opened a second location in Industry City in 2019). Today, Christine Sahadi Whelan and Ron Sahadi run the shop, where its entrance is flanked with barrels, bins, and large glass containers of buy-by-the-pound bulk spices, nuts, coffee, chocolates, and candies. Wind your way through the rest of the store’s narrow aisles for imported cheese and olives, pantry goods and condiements, and a deli section stocked with so many delicious dips and spreads, including tangy labneh creamy hummus, and garlicky Tzatziki, along with Middle Eastern breads and baked goods like baklava and borkeas.
In 2017, Sahadi’s was awarded a place among the “America’s Classics” by the James Beard Foundation, and their cookbook, Flavors of the Sun: The Sahadi’s Guide to Understanding, Buying, and Using Middle Eastern Ingredients, was released in 2021.
Sahadi’s (187 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11201)
Dellapietras
Owner Rob Dellapietra opened his namesake butcher shop Dellapietras in 2013 on a busy block of Atlantic Aveneue just south of Court Street. It’s a neighborhood go-to for various cuts of dry-aged steaks and holiday briskets, prime-rib, ham, and turkey. You’ll also find bacon, sausages, burgers, chicken, and prepared foods. And don’t sleep on their made-to-order sandwich offerings, including BBQ Brisket, Sausage & Peppers, Meatloaf, and Porchetta to name a few.
Dellapietras (457 Court Street, Brooklyn, New York 11231)
More to Explore in Brooklyn Heights
Al Badawi (151 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11201)
Popular family-style, 100-seat Palestinian restaurant from Abdul Elenani and Ayat Masoud.Table 87 (87 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11201)
Their flagship location specializes in coal oven pizza, by the pie or slice.Noodle Pudding (38 Henry Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201)
Cozy, cash-only, no-reservations spot known for their hearty Italian dishes.Chez Moi (135 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11201)
French bistro favorites with a modern vibe in a compact, romantic space.Felice Montague (84 Montague Street, Brooklyn, New York 1120)
Brooklyn outpost of the popular chain of upscale, Tuscan-inspired restaurants (with locations in Manhattan, Long Island, and Florida). Plenty of alfresco sidewalk seating. Sant Ambroeus
Our thanks to Casamara Club for underwriting today’s LAST CALL dispatch.
Casamara Club is offering a special discount for LAST CALL readers—save 10% on Superclasico, or any other purchase of Casamara Club products at the Casamara Club online shop, through Friday, September 27.
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