Gowanus is one of the neighborhoods in Brooklyn previously known for its unwelcoming and highly industrial nature with lots of warehouses and factories, while it boasts only of its nice canal.
However, in recent times as extensive development has taken place and Gowanus has transformed into a pleasant and thriving neighborhood.
Now Gowanus brims with all kinds of restaurants offering several delicacies and diversity in its menu. From Chinese to Korean and Sicilian, there is something for everyone.
Pizza houses, seafood restaurants, and dessert spots deliver the variety needed in the Gowanus neighborhood.
For a visitor or local in this neighborhood, we have made a list of the top-rated restaurants for your selection to satiate your taste buds.
1. Claro
284 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215, United States
Website: https://www.clarobk.com
Phone: +1 347-721-3126
This upscale restaurant exudes cool and classic vibes with the toned-down color of the indoor space, hanging vines, and string lights. They deliver excellent-looking and sumptuous delicacies that are mostly Oaxaca- inspired.
If you fancy Mexican dishes, this is a great restaurant for you to visit for any meal of the day. The nice decor also makes it a perfect spot to hang out with a date.
On the menu are dishes like Tostadas and Memelas and I particularly recommend the aguachile.
If you are not a fan of indoor dining, you can also sit out and enjoy your meal on the patio with fresh air caressing your face. Bring in a friend for a casual date and make memories in the wonderful neighborhood of Gowanus.
Everything you need to know about Claro
2. My Cuban Spot
488 Carroll St., Brooklyn, NY 11215, United States
Website: https://mycubanspot.com
Phone: +1 718-855-1941
My Cuban spot is a splendid restaurant that perfectly fits the welcoming neighborhood of Gowanus. It is ideal for cheap eats and offers a great chance to quickly pick up lunch or dinner take-outs.
Enjoy simple meals to your satisfaction at an affordable price if you are on a budget.
What’s more, My Cuban Spot is known for the best sandwiches in New York; The Cubano— a rich sandwich with tasty and well-seasoned pork.
The strategic location also allows for a delightful chat with people in the neighborhood, while you take out your meal.
3. Insa
328 Douglass St, Brooklyn, NY 11217, United States
Website: insabrooklyn.com
Phone: +1 718-855-2620
Insa is one of the exquisite restaurants known for excellent Korean dishes and is glamorously located in the neighborhood of Gowanus.
If you crave some tasty kimchi fried rice and other Korean cuisines, then you should definitely check out this spot whenever you are around.
As a big Korean BBQ arena, you can have a swell time with friends and all the people you love, as the restaurant offers a perfect space for group parties and hangout sessions.
They also have a karaoke bar for fun moments while you enjoy delectable meals and if you require some kind of privacy, you can be assigned a private karaoke room for optimum form and relaxation. Insa is open every day of the week.
4. Surfish bistro
550 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215, United States
Website: https://www.surfishbistro.com
Phone:+ 718-788-8070
This restaurant is renowned for doling out finely prepared seafood cuisine that keeps you returning for more with their top-quality service.
They hold an impressive number of ceviche options and are appreciated for using fresh ingredients and multiple flavors to delight the taste buds.
Enjoy meals like Toro Conpalta, nicely plated salmon with cauliflower, and shrimp-based chupe in a lively environment.
Apart from these ceviches, we recommend quinoa or avocado salad for veggie enthusiasts. Their dynamic range of entrées and sides put the cherry on top of the cake as one of the best seafood restaurants in Brooklyn.
5. Littleneck
288 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215, United States
Website: littleneckbrooklyn.com
Phone: +1 718-522-1921
Reliable seafood restaurants may be hard to come by in Brooklyn, but it is something Gowanus has in good numbers. Littleneck is an impressive seafood restaurant that is also a haven of clams.
Experience an exciting array of delectable seafood dishes that can’t be found anywhere else in Gowanus. From delicious dishes like a lobster roll, clam toast, PEI mussels, and more.
You can also have brunch with nicely seasoned fish and chips or a rich tuna tartare with cucumber and avocado.
On special occasions, I recommend that you have the grilled octopus special with squid ink hummus with a classic cocktail.
6. Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
604 Union St., Brooklyn, NY 11215, United States
Website:https://www.dinosaurbarbque.com
Phone:+1 347-429-7030
This top-notch restaurant already has several branches spread across different locations in New York State, like in Rochester and Harlem, one of the neighborhoods in Manhattan.
With a fairly unique menu, the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que makes a very entertaining point for group hangout and celebratory moments.
For starters, you can enjoy nice barbecue nachos, Cajun fried shrimp, or some BBQ pork ribs with original barbecue sauce.
We also recommend the Cajun fried catfish extra, which is crispy and served with an impressive tartar sauce. The atmosphere thrills with nicely curated playlists and makes it the ultimate fun place.
7. Fai Bene
255 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215, United States
Phone:+1 929-295-8425
Craving a flawlessly made Italian pasta and some solid tasting Italian wine while in Gowanus, then the Fai Bene restaurant is your best bet.
Set in a lake house style, the interior is designed with a bright splash, and you can also opt for take-out or deliveries if indoor dining is not your preference.
On the menu is a variety of Italian basics and classics. Relish any of the bucatini dishes, ravioli ragù, or spaghetti and meatballs with a yummy-looking salad with truffle oil or prosciutto toppings.
The fried zucchini and calamari might eventually make your list of favorite appetizers at this restaurant.
8. Reyes Deli & Grocery
4th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215, United States
Website: https://reyesdelibk.com
Phone: +1 718-369-3211532
Reyes does a perfect job of combining a grocery and restaurant as a family-owned bodega. This restaurant with Mexican delicacies is great for breakfast lunch and dinner take-out.
Try their variety of tacos options including fish tacos, tacos campechano, and veggie tacos for the vegetarians.
Check out their Huaraches with the homemade corn tortilla and choose your meat preference from either chicken, pork, or beef and decide exactly how you want it made.
Burritos and tortas with different cheese options are also available, and you can catch the lunch special of rice, beans, and avocado with your choice of meat.
9. Kittery
305 Smith St., Brooklyn, NY 11231, United States
Website: http://www.kitterybrooklyn.net
Phone: +1 718-643-3293
Kittery is such a versatile restaurant in Gowanus Brooklyn that offers you everything literally on a platter of gold.
With an extensive menu of seafood, hamburgers, and sandwiches, watch your appetite and taste buds ignite whenever you step into this restaurant.
The seafood menu includes warm crab and artichoke dip, jumbo lump crab cake, with crispy oysters and fried shrimps.
I particularly enjoyed the New England clam chowder which is a combination of bacon, potato, and clams.
We also recommend that you have a taste of their salads and other delectable entrées.
10. Four and Twenty Blackbirds
439 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215, United States
Website: https://birdsblack.com/
Phone:+1 718-499-2917
A favorite place for baked pies with different recipes, this restaurant makes available a wide range of pies from brown butter apple streusel, matcha custard, and chocolate pie.
You can also mix and match different spice slices to give your taste buds a blend of different flavors.
The sisters-owned restaurant takes pride in making homemade pies to perfection with several unique recipes and is open for take-out or deliveries.
While you are there, try out their immaculate tasting chocolate ganache or any other dessert made by this delectable restaurant.
11. Runner and Stone
285 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215, United States
Website:http://www.runnerandstone.com
Phone +1 718-576-3360
Runner and Stone is home to bread and countless pastries and prides itself as one of the top-rated pastry and bread producers in Gowanus.
With whole grain flour, the pastries are an excellent choice for breakfast. Choose from the cheddar bread, and a variety of baguettes to be enjoyed with your favorite coffee choice.
This restaurant’s menu is quite overwhelming, as we found it hard to select from over ten types available.
Runner and Stone do not serve only bread, as they provide homemade pasta with numerous delicious sauces and other classic meals for a fulfilling lunch or dinner. End your meal with a pistachio nougat or chocolate croissant as dessert.
12. Baba’s Pierogies
295 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215, United States
Website: http://www.babasbk.com
Phone: +1 718-222-0777
Baba’s pierogies is a restaurant that is home to various delightful European-style pierogies. On the menu is an ample range of delicious handmade pierogies with different kinds of fillings, served in a very cozy and casual atmosphere.
You can have any pierogi for any meal of the day. On a cold day, we highly recommend that you have a taste of their sauerkraut soup to warm up your taste buds while enjoying a delightful treat.
13. Table 87
473 3rd Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215, United States
https://www.table87.com
+1 718-965-8400
Table 87 pizza restaurant has recently launched another branch in Gowanus to serve the locals and visitors top-quality pizzas in a fairly Italian setup.
Popular on the menu is the coal oven Margherita pie, calzones, and fried calamari. For chocolate lovers, make sure to try out the Nutella pizza and relish the different flavors.
While you can have other non-pizza meals like pasta and your favorite sauce, or orecchiette, in a perfect ambiance that offers a remarkable view of the neighborhood, Table 87 is best known for the delicious pizzas in Brooklyn.
14. Gowanus Garden
256 4th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11215, United States
Website: https://gowanusgardensbk.com
Phone: +1 347-799-2588
This restaurant was established in 2019 by friends who desired to make food variants available for everyone.
In a laid-back and casual setting to cater to an array of food preferences, have some tofu fried rice with any of your add-on choices, from crispy chicken to bacon coleslaw. The restaurants are known for providing meals sourced from fresh and wholesome ingredients.
You can try the fried pickles and pepperoncini bites which are among the most popular side dishes at the restaurant and compliment your meal with a nice mimosa or Bellini cocktail.
It also offers a pleasant patio dining decorated with nice flowers which offer lovely scenery to relax with friends.
Conclusion
The old Gowanus neighborhood of mainly industrial activities is long gone, and the new one has a lot of social and enterprising restaurants which blend with the neighborhood perfectly and offer diverse delicacies in cuisine from different places and cultures around the world, and we love to see it.
Have you visited any of these restaurants? Do you have a favorite restaurant that you believe deserves a wordy mention? Do leave it in the comments box below and suggest other nice spots in Gowanus that we should try.
If you visit any of these restaurants based on our recommendation, come back and leave a comment, we love to hear about your experience.
