Best New Chinese Take-Out
Michael and Ping's
Brooklyn's first green-certified restaurant is serving up free-range (and gristle-free) sesame chicken, juicy pork buns, and pleasantly un-greasy lo mein in compostable containers.
437 Third Ave, Gowanus
Best New Indian
Tamarind Tribeca
From basics like first-rate chicken tikka masala to less common dishes, like nizami keema (grilled lamb with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and lemon), this gussied-up Indian spot is worth a splurge.
99 Hudson St, Tribeca
Best Can of Beer
Fette Sau
The Tecate at this meat-lover's mecca, served in a closed can that's rimmed with kalamansi (sour citrus) juice and chili-sugar-salt, is the most nuanced can in town.
354 Metropolitan Ave,�‚ Williamsburg
Best Pretzel
Sigmund Pretzelshop
Chewy, warm, hand-rolled and sprinkled with salt, sesame, or poppy seeds—or infused with flavors like gruyere-paprika—these pretzels can't be beat.
29 Avenue B, Alphabet City
Best Canadian Import
Mile End
The savory smoked meat here is like a one-way ticket to Montreal between two slices of rye. Stumptown coffee and friendly staffers add to the good vibes.
97A Hoyt St, Boerum Hill
Best Fried Fish Sandwich
The Commodore
Chicken ain't the only thing in the fryer at this wood-paneled tiki joint. The super-spicy hot fish sandwich has a crisp cornmeal crust and is topped with cooling coleslaw.
366 Metropolitan Ave,�‚ Williamsburg
Best Stand-In for Grandma's Pie
4 and 20 Blackbirds
The South Dakotan sisters behind this Gowanus pie shop put a new spin on traditional flavors—think salted caramel apple. Adding to the homey vibe, the slices are served with ornate antique forks.
439 Third Ave, Gowanus
Best Meat and Potatoes
Sue Perette
This friendly French spot offers cassoulet, duck confit, and a lovely lentil salad, but don't miss the generous filet mignon with impossibly creamy potato gratin.
270 Smith St, Carroll Gardens
Best Place to Score Street Food
Red Hook Mercado
It doesn't get better than sitting outside and eating savory pupusas and tacos from Red Hook Ball Field vets Rafael Soler and Fernando Martinez, respectively, not to mention the crazy cupcakes from Robicelli's.
Van Brunt Street between Coffey and Van Dyke Sts, Red Hook
Best Place for Unexpected Cake
Hot Bird
Go for the brews and brats, stay for a stout paired with the sweet and gooey chocolate cake served at the food truck out back—a slice is big enough to share.
825 Atlantic Ave, Clinton Hill
Best Offbeat Japanese
Fultummy's
No sushi here, but we love the chicken katsu sandwich and the vegetarian "burger"—saut�ƒ©ed, shredded burdock, seaweed, and lotus root chips on brown rice buns.
221 Columbia St, Red Hook
Best Wine Bar for Novices
Mauzac
This romantic nook on Fort Greene Park is perfect for those who don't know a Riesling from a Rioja. Friendly servers offer tastes and explanations to help you through their affordable and
well-chosen list.
136 Dekalb Ave, Fort Greene
Best Guacamole
Cari�ƒ±o
Spiked with a hard-to-come-by Mexican herb called papalo, Ricardo's Guacamole is a bright, peppery, and delicious riff on this chip dip. It's just the beginning of the fine, fresh fare at Cari�ƒ±o, opened by the staff and cooks of the now-shuttered Bonita.
82 S 4th St, Williamsburg
Best New Brooklyn Nook
Kaz an Nou
They don't take reservations, but this cozy little spot serves home cookin' from the French-Caribbean family you always wished you had.
53th Sixth Ave, Prospect Heights