Wander Historic Red Hook, Brooklyn's Best-Kept Secret

Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood was once New York’s busiest freight port. Then it was left behind by shipping trends, cut off by the Brooklyn Queens Expressway and the Hugh L Carey Tunnel. It's also 20 minutes from the nearest subway station. City buses can get you to Red Hook, but they run infrequently and can take longer than walking. Renting a CitiBike is another option if you prefer to pedal The neighborhood is tricky to reach, no doubt, but that remoteness has helped preserved its authentic, maritime vibe. 

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Today, Red Hook is one of Brooklyn’s most distinctive and beloved neighborhoods, with a strong creative streak, iconic eateries and a quirky community that refuses to be forgotten. Fantastic waterfront views, converted warehouses and the salty sea air make it ideal for an unhurried stroll, capped off a cocktail.

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Starting at the shore

The easiest (and most scenic) way to get to Red Hook is via the South Brooklyn ferry route from Atlantic Ave, Wall St, Corlears Hook or E 34th St. From the terminal, it’s a straight shot down Ferris St to Valentino Pier, where locals come to fish, picnic and launch kayaks. The unobstructed views of the Statue of Liberty and Lower Manhattan are among Brooklyn’s finest. Just steps away, Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pie is the clear first stop. Its tart pies and chocolate-dipped Swingle pops are Red Hook institutions.

Following the waterfront south brings you to the Pier 44 Waterfront Garden, a landscaped stretch where plantings soften the otherwise industrial shoreline. Beside it floats the Waterfront Museum, housed in a restored 1914 wooden barge. Explore the captain’s quarters, browse historic artifacts, and ring the gongs and bells of the Port of New York maritime network before continuing along the harbor.

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Nearby stands the Red Hook Trolley, a weathered, graffiti-covered streetcar perfect for a grunge album cover. The trolley commemorates an ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful effort to restore transit to the neighborhood and has become an unlikely landmark. 

The heart of Red Hook

Head northeast on Van Brunt St. This is the neighborhood’s main drag, chockablock with stores, restaurants and galleries, and swimming in local character. 

High Beam Coffee Roastery is an airy, inviting former industrial space that it says is "focused on saturating beautiful coffees with light." A block further, Kentler International Drawing Space, founded by artists Florence Neal and Scott Pfaffman, showcases rotating exhibitions of contemporary works on paper alongside artist talks, performances and community programming.

The next stretch of Van Brunt captures Red Hook’s playful, hippieish personality. At the Red Hook Pinball Museum, visitors can play vintage machines from the 1930s through the 1970s, with beautifully illustrated Gottlieb games sharing space with early prototypes. Next door, the one-room Record Shop is way too small to hold its regulars, who chill out on the sidewalk in front where they chat, dance and work the turntable. The welcoming shop pairs thoughtfully curated vinyl with live performances and workshops. 

Just beyond, Red Hook Tavern attracts diners from across the city with its celebrated dry-aged burger, topped with American cheese and a slab of raw onion and served on a sesame bun. It’s consistently in the conversation for NYC’s best and snagging a table can be difficult. The mustardy steak tartare and roasted chicken are excellent, too, but you may get FOMO once you see what everyone else is eating.

An artistic turn

Turning onto Pioneer St, your route passes the Dustin Yellin Studio before arriving at the artist’s nonprofit art space, Pioneer Works, which blends contemporary art with science, music and technology through exhibitions, performances and public programs in a beautifully restored 19th-century ironworks.

Between its revolving slate of thought-provoking events and exhibits and a star-studded advisory board, including David Byrne, Darren Aronofsky, Princess Eugenie and MoMA curator Paola Antonelli, Pioneer Works is a major player in Red Hook’s art scene and the city’s as a whole. Even without a scheduled event, the soaring atrium, sculpture-filled spaces and peaceful garden make it worth lingering.

Finish by returning to Van Brunt St for a well-earned drink at Seaborne, an understated cocktail bar run by Lucinda Sterling, who was mentored by legendary bartender Sasha Petraske. Seaborne serves classic and hand-crafted drinks in a relaxed setting – an appropriately thoughtful finale to a walk through one of Brooklyn’s most creative corners.