New York City is one of the most famous cities on Earth, if not the most famous of them all. With more than 20 million residents calling the NYC metro home, it can get easy to get lost in the mix—especially for outsiders.
Of the five famous boroughs of New York, Brooklyn offers its residents all the amenities of nearby Manhattan but plenty of things that make it stand out on its own. Now, you should know that there are literally too many things to list, but here are four things that make Brooklyn unique.
Manhattan culture, Brooklyn vibes
Brooklyn will get a lot of stereotypes of being rich families and hipster kids who think that Manhattan is too mainstream, in reality, Brooklyn does share a lot of similarities with its neighbouring borough to the east culturally speaking, but with one key difference: Brooklyn is more relaxed. That’s probably why it’s called hip.
Take the Williamsburg area and it’s thriving music culture. Enjoy a fun night out at places like Pete’s Candy Store or Main Drag Music—or visit Rough Trade NYC to find some music to play at home. Another great Brooklyn neighborhood to checkout is Red Hook right on the waterfront. Hit up Van Brunt’s cobblestone streets for boutiques, mom-and-pop shops, and a less crowded feel.
The Brooklyn art scene is one to see for yourself
Like we mentioned in the above section, Brooklyn offers a more relaxed scene that is attractive to artists, which yes, can bring in a certain hipster vibe, which isn’t exactly a bad thing. It gives the borough a cultural presence. This gives people a great selection of music to hear, theater to take in, or art to view. Here are some places to check out.
For music, checkout:
- The Owl Music Parlor for a close, intimate listening experience.
- Barbès for jazz and blues.
- Union Hall offers guests a spacious bar, restaurant, and music venue, completely with bocce.
Theatre recommendations include:
- Kings Theatre with its amazing aesthetics.
- XIV gives its viewers an intimate theater and bar experience.
And you can checkout art at these galleries:
- Bushwick Collective is a walk of interesting murals to checkout.
- Clover’s Fine Art Gallery develops and curates exhibits full of emerging and mid-career artists from diverse backgrounds.
Brooklyn Cuisine
In a city this big, you know there’s some solid food options. For flavors that are found in Brooklyn online, residents recommend:
- & Sons in Prospect Lefferts Gardens offers you new American foods and a great selection of wine.
- Soldier Jerk Center And Restaurant near Greene Ave and Lexington Ave is the place to go for Carribean flavors such as their jerk pork.
- Mr. Fulton between Arlington Pl and Nostrand Ave offers a mix of Chinese and Soul Food, with a price that most folks can’t deny.
- Burly Coffee & Better Read Than Dead Books gives you both delicious coffee and a selection of books to peruse while sipping on your oat milk latte.
The Brooklyn Brownstones
An iconic image of a home in the big city, the brown townhomes sitting side-by-side with a big bay window is well known and can be found in any of the five boroughs—but everywhere you go, they go by Brooklyn Brownstones. These picturesque homes were born from the borough, and make great homes.
And speaking of homes, you should know that in Brooklyn you’re more than likely to get more space, experience a little more green space on your drive, and overall not be quite-as-on-top of each other as you would in Manhattan.
Now remember, these are just a few things that make Brooklyn unique, are there any you want to share? Tell us in the comments below!
One thing that can be experienced in Brooklyn and most of the NYC boroughs is that space is tight, and while relatively affordable, Brooklyn cost of housing can be pricey. And while not unique to the borough, a self storage unit in Brooklyn cna help get the most out of the space.
Click here to learn more about how Brooklyn self storage can benefit you.
