Brooklyn is a massive borough that’s home to a whopping 77 official neighborhoods. In fact, if Brooklyn was an independent city, it’d be the 3rd most populous city in the United States.
Greenpoint is a tiny slice of Brooklyn nestled on the Northern tip of the borough. This humble 11222 zip code started as farm land– hence the name “green” point. In the 19th century, it was transformed into a ship building hub. This brought an influx of Polish immigrants eager for work– hence the unofficial nickname “Little Poland”. Oil companies followed soon after. When oil went out, artisans and hipsters flooded in.
Like many New York neighborhoods, Greenpoint has experienced rapid gentrification in the past couple decades. People who can’t lay out a cool couple mil for an apartment are getting pushed out to make room for trendy matcha shops, quirky craft breweries, and top-notch restaurants that have the NYC foodie scene in a buzz.
I hoped on the 1 to the 7 to the G (Greenpoint is quite annoying to get to…) for a Greenpoint food crawl to see if the top spots are worth it.
Let’s dive in!
Stop 1: Radio Bakery
Radio Bakery is a newcomer to the Greenpoint food scene that’s causing a splash on social media. They serve up all types of savory and sweet pastries as well as classic coffee concoctions.
The tomato focaccia ($5.50) was the star of the show. It had a crispy, buttery crust with an airy center boasting a tender, almost gooey texture. A lovely olive oil flavor complemented the nearly sweet tomato to perfection. And healthy chunks of garlic tied it all together.
The twice baked pistachio croissant ($8) was lovely as well, with a beautiful buttery flakiness and perfectly sweet pistachio filling. The earl grey morning bun ($5.50) was my least favorite item. While I loved the strong earl grey flavor, the dough was thin and flat rather than buttery with a slight gooey quality.
My current bakery obsession in NYC is Librae Bakery, and I must say Radio Bakery is a strong contender and an amazing addition to the Greenpoint food scene.
Stop 2: Paulie Gee’s Slice Shop
Paulie Gee’s Slice Shop has been a Greenpoint food staple since 2010. The triangles and squares come with a healthy dose of nostalgia, curtesy of the retro vibes. A rerun of the Price Is Right from the 80s made for fun viewing.
The pepperoni slice ($4.75) is everything you want in a NY slice. (Get the scoop on the history of New York pizza HERE!) Thin crust. Not too much sauce. (Although a little too much cheese for me.) The Hellboy Square ( $5.50), however, is exceptional. This baby is loaded with tomato sauce, cheese, pepperoni, pecorino romano, and a generous drizzle of hot honey. The crust perfectly thick and is coated with sesame seeds which adds a little sumthin’ sumthin’.
Stop 3: Taqueria Ramirez
Taqueria Ramirez is often hailed as the best taqueria in NYC, and it’s the third and final stop on this Greenpoint food crawl. It’s a small shop whipping up authentic, Mexico City-style tacos, and the line often stretches down the block. (Pro Tip: go at 12pm on a Wednesday if you despise lines like me!) We ordered two al pastor tacos for $5 a pop.
The Pros: Loads of juicy meat with a nice crispy charring.
The Cons: MEGA salty.
I’m not sure if this was a one-off instance of if the al pastor is always that salty. I’ll need to go back for further investigation.
