The best green salad is south of Atlantic Ave

Every day of spring should be spent near Cobble Hill

You know that sly smile on Amélie’s face as she plucks a raspberry off of each of her fingers in the opening credits of the 2001 romcom? Or when she holds up a spoon ready to crack the shell of a crème brûlée, thrilled to discover the creamy custard underneath? I think this is what the first days of spring feel like. A little unexpected joy by way of something silly.

First of the season produce, unexpectedly sunny days, extra crunchy salads, the smell of humidity when you sleep with your window open, the feeling of shelling fresh spring peas, the tulips opening up reaaallly wide on the sidewalk. I am reminding myself during this week of rain of how much these little novelties can make a day feel special, especially as winter gives way to blue-sky afternoons. I am a May romanticizer through and through.

This past week I had a quiet morning strolling through Boerum Hill, enjoying a sunny and warm day loitering between beds of flowers and stopping into every store I walked past. This time of year makes everything feel so LIGHT and FUN, and it is so nice to lean into the newfound warmth and relish in neighborhoods that have perfect little hidden gems on every corner. The stretch tucked between Atlantic Avenue, the Gowanus Canal, and Route 278 technically spans three neighborhoods—Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, and Boerum Hill—but to me, it feels like one charming, stroller-filled pocket of Brooklyn. It's also the perfect place for a spring wander—and home to my favorite crunchy green salads in all of New York.

I’ve gotten a lot of requests for Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill guides lately, and I apologize for holding out for so long. The time has come, because it is the best place to be this time of year. There is far more down here than you can hit in one day, so I’ve highlighted the hits for meals, with a slew of stops for shopping. Bonus this week for a few Mother’s Day meal destinations!

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Pastries

Start your day at Laurel Bakery—criminally underrated, with incredible sandwiches, fluffy focaccia, and sweet speculoos buns. The kouign amann is fabulous, baguettes are perfect, and if they have the ramp escargot, don’t skip it.

Poppy’s is equally valuable for a buttermilk biscuit with butter and jam or a yummy yogurt bowl with a bright seasonal compote. And a pastry on the side, why not.

Another great stop—I will never say no to an iced matcha tea and a cruller from Daily Provisions. Cafe Volkan does the trick too.

Green Salad Lunches

I stumbled into Rucola for a too-early lunch and was stunned by the near-empty and sun-drenched dining room. Bistro chairs lined the brownstone the restaurant is housed in, a corner booth was occupied by two friends catching up over cappuccinos, and a few solo diners sat on laptops at the bar. I had 30 minutes to kill, and crushed an unbelievable salad. A big bowl of escarole was nestled under a generous crumble of feta, toasted marcona almonds for a little fatty crunch, and the most lovely springy lemon-wildflower honey vinaigrette. I fear I could never truly replicate this salad, try as I might. It tasted like Spring in a bowl. I would happily return alone, bring a friend for lunch, or maybe visit while family is in town for a cozy dinner.

Frankie’s 457 Spuntino has gotten quite a love letter here already, because I think it is such a magical little pocket of south Brooklyn. I would recommend their house salad (literally green lettuces, olives, and a cipollini onion vinaigrette) to anyone at any time of day. However!! I recently went for a perhaps too early glass of wine and had the caesar salad—no croutons, no anchovies draped over top, just the crunchiest romaine I have ever had, a delightfully balanced and supremely simple caesar dressing, and a shower of parmesan cheese This has surpassed all of my favorite caesars in the city. How about that. If they have the radish antipasti, get that too.

A Pit Stop or Three

Anaïs is perfect at any hour—the wine bar/used book store will make you a frothy cappuccino to enjoy while you pretend you are in Paris reviewing the copy of the Kama Sutra next to your bright blue bistro table. Most books are some form of erotica, an ode to the bar’s namesake, French writer Anaïs Nin. Lounge long enough and you will be ready for a bottle of wine. Perfect segue.

The delight of a cuisine-specific mini grocery store!! Ten Ichi, my favorite of all, has onigiri and delicious sushi all day long, alongside black sesame mochi and cartons of wasabi peas. Blocks away, Tavola is full of Italian provisions, with every sauce, oil, and pasta you can dream of. Just down the street is a Spanish counterpart, Mercado Central, with regional treats, cured meats, tinned fish, and fancy potato chips. There is ALSO a little French grocer, Le French Tart Deli, where you can find baguette sandwiches, croissants, eclairs, and endless mustards. Why book a plane ticket when you could just walk down Court Street?

No warm day is complete without an ice cream, which you can get at Brooklyn Farmacy—old school soda fountain where I would die for a root beer float, Malai for chai ice cream I have heard is life changing, or Dolce for a little gelato. You might as well be in Europe after all?

Perhaps you need a book, and can pop into two book stores I adore, Books are Magic, which has an incredible kids selection, and Liz’s Book Bar, where you can sip a glass of wine and peruse an art book or two.

If you need a glass of wine, Black Mountain Wine House is the best spot for a nightcap or to hold hands with someone, or you can continue a very French afternoon and recline at BIGTINY.

If you are the luckiest person in the world and timed your day to be in Carroll Gardens between 4 and 7pm on a Friday or Saturday, go to ACQ Bread.

A light dinner?

And you might be full but also you probably walked 15,000 steps and it’s only 6 p.m. Treat yourself to a tuna toast and leeks vinaigrette at Bar Bête. They also make another TOP 5 GREEN SALAD, that is covered in frizzled shallots, cold mushrooms barely cooked in wine and oil, and a sharp mustard dressing that tastes somehow like dessert. The yellow cake, which I wrote about over a year ago, is so light and moist that the dense chocolate ganache that sits on top nearly topples over every time. Perfect cake. Perfect dinner. Perfect springy day.

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In other news…if my mom were coming to the city for Mother’s Day, we’d be at PDF’s Apero Hour, Gertrude’s for bialys and chocolate cake, or snagging a reservation at Cafe Kestrel for brunch. I am pro somewhere quiet, relaxing, and not fussy nor stuffy. I wrote about my favorite brunches a year ago, and I stand by them.

BBB ™

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So much more exciting stuff in the pipeline…see you next week!!!!!