“Stroller Mafia be damned,” says Amanda Waas, TONY’s brand solutions coordinator, “Park Slope has a bad rep for its obnoxious parents with equally obnoxious, precocious children, but I hate kids and still love this neighborhood. Why? Beautiful brownstones and tree-lined streets mix nicely with delicious restaurants, bars with ample patio space for summer drinking, and cutesy boutiques. Even if you have to take the F train to get there, Park Slope is A-grade.”
Check out her favorite spots after the jump.
Her favorite restaurants
Stone Park Cafe 324 Fifth Ave at 3rd St (718-369-0082, stoneparkcafe.com) “While the menu is a little pricey, Stone Park Cafe is hands-down my favorite restaurant in Park Slope. It serves classic dishes with haughty twists. Example? Their BLT is made with pork belly, not bacon. Whatever their reasoning, the food is always delicious and the staff is always attentive and welcoming. If you want to try Stone Park but don’t have the cash to spend on their dinners (entrées usually run $22–$34), try their brunch—amazing, reasonably priced egg dishes and strong, spicy Bloody Marys abound.”
JPan 287 Fifth Ave between 1st and 2nd Sts (718-788-2880, jpansushi.com) “JPan’s extensive menu has all of the classic sushi pieces, but the restaurant spices it up with inventive, crazy rolls (there’s one literally named “crazy roll”). Try the special Volcano roll and you won’t be disappointed. It’s $12, but you won’t even care because you’ll be in sushi heaven (FYI, it doesn’t smell like fish in said heaven).”
Barrio 210 Seventh Ave at 3rd St (718-965-4000, barriofoods.com) “With its garish pink and orange awnings, you can spot Barrio from a mile away. This Spanish bar/restaurant is one of my favorite summer spots mainly because because the music is festive, the patio is awesome, the mojitos are strong, and the food is amazing. I hit on the bartender once, got rejected, and I still go there (but not in a creepy way).”
Bar Reis 375 Fifth Ave between 5th and 6th Sts (718-832-5716) “Kitschy doesn’t even begin to describe this brick-walled bar that’s home to colored Christmas lights, Betty Page wallpaper and blood-red floors. The downstairs lounge is cavernous and candlelit, with a pool table and a TV that is always tuned to AMC. When it’s warm, the patio’s hodgepodge seating of wicker chairs and picnic tables is always filled. My only complaint? The jukebox was taken out in favor of a DJ booth. FAIL.”
Her favorite shops
Community Bookstore 143 Seventh Ave between Garfield Pl and Carroll St (718-783-3075, communitybookstore.net) “While there’s a full-service Barnes & Noble on Seventh Avenue, I much prefer to walk a few blocks down and visit the Community Bookstore. Cozy and relaxing, it has a wide selection of books, comfy overstuffed couches, free coffee, and plenty of sleepy dogs and cats to swoon over.”
JackRabbit Sports 151 Seventh Ave between Garfield Pl and Carroll St (718-636-9000, jackrabbitsports.com) “Although I consider spending 30 minutes on the elliptical while watching Jeopardy a tough work out, I still love this sporting goods store. Full of snazzy nylon-spandex workout clothing, hip Nalgene and SIGG water bottles and even treadmills (if you’ve got P. Diddy money), it has everything you need to get physical. And if I liked exerting myself, I could even join one of JackRabbit’s weekly group runs.”
Prospect Wine Shop 322 Seventh Ave between 8th and 9th Sts (718-768-1232, prospectwine.com) “Rather than participate in one of JackRabbit’s heart-healthy group runs, I usually head over to the Prospect Wine Shop for a giant bottle of Absolut or a reasonably priced, already chilled bottle of white wine. This place has weekly wine tastings and is stocked with an impressive assortment of wines, liquors and an incredibly knowledgeable staff. Party at my place—who’s in?”
