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6-30-2022 1:06am
FOCUS ON: Dumbo, A Neighborhood That Led The Way For Brooklyn's Renaissance
Brian Harrod
Editor
DUMBO (BROOKLYN) NYC: The Dumbo's waterfront district’s iconic East River and Manhattan views and its stunning bridge-framed architectural vistas have defined it long before its current acronym and status as a coveted residential choice.
Unlike many other Brooklyn neighborhoods, the area it occupies is quite small, but its architecture, infrastructure, and economic status are formidable.
The neighborhood is made up of a section of land between the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges and another section that runs east from the Manhattan Bridge to Vinegar Hill.
Its boundaries are Brooklyn Bridge Park to the north, the Brooklyn Bridge to the west, Brooklyn Heights to the south, and its tiny sister enclave of Vinegar Hill to the east.
Originally a ferry landing, until the 1990s the historic streetscapes of Dumbo were comprised of little-used 19th- and early 20th-century warehouse buildings that lined wide Belgian-block streets.
In the late 20th century, artists and craftspeople began taking advantage of the bounty of available space, looking for room to create.
there used to be an annual arts festival, where many New York City residents’ first foray into the neighborhood.
Artists, furniture makers, and other creatives opened their studios for visits and hosted performances.
The now pricey, sought-after neighborhood was among the first outside Manhattan to attract major residential real estate development.
Developers have launched new Dumbo conversions and new construction projects, many of which have followed the loft blueprint, attempting to honor the neighborhood’s warehouse history.
The two East River bridges, and the architecture that supports them, make an awe-inspiring backdrop for events.
The celebrated Brooklyn Flea makes its summer home under the Manhattan Bridge Archway, a venue that also hosts concerts and other celebrations.
Recently, a combination of new businesses, restaurants, cultural additions, and peerless public parks has continued to attract attention, visitors, and residents.
Among The Best Places To Eat in Dumbo Are:
Time Out Market
A relatively recent addition to the neighborhood, this food hall courtesy of Time Out New York events magazine opened in 2019.
Perpetually topping the city’s “best pizza” lists year after year, the coal brick-oven pizzeria’s modest location at 1 Front Street has an also-perpetual line of hungry diners waiting every day–and they don’t do slices.
This Mediterranean-influenced restaurant tucked into a photogenic spot under Manhattan Bridge, offers seasonal fare and sweeping views of both bridges and the downtown city skyline.
Tucked away in the tiny Vinegar Hill neighborhood that lies between Dumbo and the Navy Yard, this seasonal American restaurant was one of the first destination eateries to open along this stretch of Brooklyn’s waterfront.
This Dumbo pioneer was, at one time, among the only choices in the neighborhood for brunch, dinner, or dining with a crowd.
The wait isn’t as long as Grimaldi’s just down the block, and if the thin-crust, coal-oven-fired pies at Juliana’s taste remarkably similar, that’s because Patsy Grimaldi is also the man behind this excellent pizzeria.
The neighborhood go-to spot for Mexican food and mezcal under the Brooklyn Bridge is more than just a watering hole.
This floating fine-dining establishment has been through ups and downs, but the atmosphere and views from the windows of this impossibly romantic boat on the shores of the East River are unsinkable.
Established in 2004, this artisan French bakery offers exquisite pastries in the classic style–think perfect croissants, tarts, eclairs, and madeleines.
Ample Hills Creamery at Fulton Ferry Landing
The beloved ice cream purveyor’s Brooklyn flagship is perched on the water’s edge in a historic fireboat house.
Since 2000, Jacques Torres–A.K.A. Mr. Chocolate–has been sharing his creations.
Oddfellows boasts an impressive archive of flavors and a selection that rotates daily including exotic highlights.
In an upscale neighborhood like Dumbo, it’s good to have a local. This corner bar has kept its industrial vibe, and, since it opened in 2003.
