Dumbo – Vinegar Hill – Dining

Many will swear that Dumbo is home to not one but two of the city’s best pizza purveyors: Grimaldi’s Pizzeria and Juliana’s Pizza. And because man cannot live by pizza alone, the neighborhood offers much more as well.

 

Gair

Is Gair a cocktail bar that serves New American cuisine, or a New American restaurant with an upscale cocktail bar? More important, does it really matter? The seasonal menu is organized by Gateway, Mostly Plants, and Mostly Not Plants; appetizers—or rather, gateways—such as candied walnuts with Aleppo pepper or deviled eggs with nori and tōgarashi will get your meal off to a hot start. Golden beets with Sicilian pistachios and vanilla was a flavorful springtime entrée, as was the roasted branzino with chimichurri. And it’s a solid bet that the double smash burger with cheese will be a year-round favorite.

 

Superfine

More than a restaurant/bar, Superfine is a neighborhood gathering spot. It displays works by local artists in its mini gallery as well as hosts a jazz jam every other Wednesday evening and musical brunch on Sunday afternoons. Various other events take place here too, from fashion shows to cabaret performances. As for the food, Superfine focuses on sustainable and organic ingredients, with a menu that changes daily. Savor slow-roasted lamb shank one night, a portobello sandwich with chèvre and roasted peppers the next, pan-seared tuna tostadas with jalapeño and watermelon radish the night after that.

 

Celestine

With floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the East River and the Manhattan Bridge, Celestine offers plenty to look at while you dine on its Eastern Mediterranean cuisine. House-made labneh with honey and house-made flatbread with za’atar will prime your tastebuds for the likes of agnolotti with ramps and sheep’s-milk ricotta, lamb skewers, and fennel-roasted chicken. Celestine also serves weekend brunch, where you can start the day with duck confit hash or a walnut-arugula pesto scramble.

 

Pearl Street Supper Club

Pearl Street Supper Club is not where you head on the spur of the moment. It’s open only Wednesday through Saturday evenings and hosts only two seatings a night. What’s more, it can accommodate only 10 people at a time—at a counter facing the open kitchen, where you can chat with chef Chris Cote—so it’s easy to see why reservations are required. Its nine-course tasting menu changes daily, but the focus is always on fresh, seasonal New England-inspired cuisine. Dishes might include seared bluefish with a buttermilk whey and asparagus sauce, chilled oysters with tomatoes, grated root vegetables with mussel mayonnaise, and linden-flower sorbet. Dining here isn’t just a meal; it’s a culinary experience.

 

Time Out Market New York

A score of eateries and bars are represented here, on the first and fifth floors of Empire Stores, a former warehouse complex. Brisket from Bark Barbecue, samosas from Chote Miya, open-face hand rolls from Kamasu Sushi, hibiscus doughnuts from Dough, and blueberry-cheesecake ice cream from Sugar Hill Creamery are among the myriad options to ensure you don’t leave hungry.

 

Vinegar Hill House

Vinegar Hill House is a relaxed restaurant in an unassuming and historical part of the Brooklyn waterfront. They use the best ingredients possible through developing relationships with like-minded produce, meat and fish producers, to compose artful and satisfying eats out of their wood-fired oven.