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Restaurant/Bars to the north (Clinton Hill-Stuy) and south of Fulton (CrownHts) — Brooklynian

Restaurant/Bars to the north (Clinton Hill-Stuy) and south of Fulton (CrownHts)

trumystic
trumystic
edited November -1 in Crown Heights/Prospect Lefferts Gardens

So this weekend I decided to try some of the new restaurants on the other side of Fulton/Atlantic that I had been hearing about. I decided to visit the strip along Bedford. I went to Black Swan for dinner. Then I did a little bar hopping and stopped in at Sud, Do or Dine (foie gras donuts? really?!) and Voduo Bar (on Nostrand actually but has the bestest drinks). I was struck by how different the aesthetic is north of Fulton. I would describe it as trying to create a really swank and sexy atmosphere. In some ways I feel some of the restaurateurs/bar owners might (self consciously) be trying to drive home the point "You dont have to go to Manhattan (or other parts of Brooklyn) for a scene".

This is in direct contrast to this side of Fulton. I continued my bar hopping and ended up at NoBar. NoBar looks to be shaping up to be a lovely neighborhood bar (the bartender introduced himself and makes a mean martini). And this made me think about the rest of the restaurants and bars over here which seem to be very simple and neighborhood-y. Whether its Franklin Park, Franklin Roadhouse, Brooklyn Exposure, Chavella's or Island Thyme. Maybe the swankiest we get in terms of decor is Sweet Basil or ThirstBar (cough overpriced cough). A perfect example is comparing coffee shops like Urban Vintage as compared to Glass Shop or Breuklen Coffee.

I find this pattern of development fascinating. I wonder how the new additions to Franklin will or wont change this. What does this pattern say about the restaurant/bar developers or what the developers think the respective communities want? Anyone else noticed this difference? Thoughts?

Comments

  • whynot_31
    whynot_31

    Hypothesis: The places you mention on Fulton have a slightly older crowd than those on Franklin. Indeed, the area around Fulton may have slightly older residents than the Franklin Ave area.

    Hypothesis: With age may come wealth and/or refined tastes.

    Truth: Mrs. Whynot keeps hoping age will have this effect on me, but it hasn't yet.

    Hypothesis: Fulton is also in close proximity to many high rise condos with view$ of Manhattan, which (for the most part) Crown Heights-Franklin Ave area lacks.

    Hypothesis: The Fulton area may also lack the "somewhat affordable" tenement apartment buildings and Jewish hospital complex, both of which have played a large role in housing Franklin's Ave's newer residents.

    Premature Conclusion: The above factors explain the phenomena Trumystic describes.

  • boygabriel
    boygabriel

    I'm not sure how swanky or scene-y Black Swan is.

    It's your standard dark wood faux-Anglo-pub neighborhood public house.

  • cool the kid
    cool the kid

    Can't believe the bar scene in CH is better than the bar scene in damn near all of Manhattan

  • boygabriel
    boygabriel

    I haven't enjoyed bars in Manhattan in years.

    Too many are too crowded.

    Too many are filled with overly drunk "bros" (frat-style guys).

    There's no sense of neighborhood or locality in a majority of the ones I go to.

    In Brooklyn, if I go to a bar, there's a good chance the person I'm talking to actually lives near by. That means a lot.

  • cool the kid
    cool the kid

    A lot of bars in the UES are like that. Actually, most. Nobody is coming from outside the UES to chill in the UES. The problem is they are complete fresh college grad bro-fests. Or they will be a novel idea w/poor execution/lack of attn to details. And the prices... man oh man. I do my best to get out to PH once a month. Need to hit up The Vanderbilt and have some of that excellent blood sausage.

  • whynot_31
    whynot_31

    As a result of not being in the dating scene, I prefer neighborhood bars with repeat customers.

    ...Sepia or Washington Commons

  • boygabriel
    boygabriel

    wait, CTK are you in the UES?

  • cool the kid
    cool the kid

    Yea for over a year now

    It sounds a lot more expensive than it is. Comparable places even in PH were close to the same $$$, and in places like Brooklyn Heights or Bouerum Hill or w/e were priced the same or higher. Fiancee's commute is 15 minutes, no crackheads, it was a no brainer.

  • boygabriel
    boygabriel

    Yeah, I know there's pretty good rental prices up there. I didn't realize you weren't in BK right now.

    I had a couple friends move to UWS recently from BK b/c of commutes.

    They're the first people I've known who moved to BK and then back to Man.

    BTW - congrats on the engagement.

  • cool the kid
    cool the kid

    Thanks BG.

    UWS is primo but we couldn't swing the prices. Plus this apt will prob be our last one in NYC. I wish we had checked out Morningside Heights though.

    I know a lot of people moving from Manhattan to BK these days. As much as I love BK, my ride in to work is about 15 minutes. And my gf can walk the dog w/o being harassed. Everyone has their priorities

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