Destination Clinton Hill
What this foodstroll is
Our favorite things to eat in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, and things to do nearby.
Why this foodstroll works
The sister neighborhoods of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill date back to the mid 19th century and are among the oldest and most beautiful Historic Districts in New York City. They’re walkable, packed with outdoor spaces and playgrounds, and home to Brooklyn’s famous Fort Greene Park. With Dekalb Market nearby, you’ll have no shortage of great food options, and other destinations like The Barclays Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Prospect Park are all close by. Both neighborhoods are easily visited in an hour, but worthy of an entire afternoon.
Strolling
Fort Greene and Clinton Hill are very well located if you have other Brooklyn attractions in mind like The Barclays Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Prospect Park, The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, or the Prospect Park Zoo. Walking from Manhattan to Dekalb Market over either the Brooklyn or Manhattan Bridge is manageable, and a great way to work up an appetite.
If you’re coming from other parts of the city, you’ll likely arrive at the Barclays Center, aka “The House that J Built.” It is adjacent to the Brooklyn Academy of Music Historic District, a five minute walk to the Fort Greene Historic District, or a ten minute walk to the Clinton Hill Historic District. You should visit all three on your stroll.
Across the street from the Barclays Center at One Hanson Place is the former Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower, one of Brooklyn’s most iconic structures. Constructed in 1929, it was Brooklyn’s tallest building until 2010 (81 years). The neo-Romanesque structure remains one of the world’s tallest four sided clock towers.
The Brooklyn Academy of Music is just up the block from the Williamsburg Savings Bank Tower. BAM, Brooklyn’s oldest performance art venue, dates back to 1861 (current building 1908). Both buildings belong to the very small Brooklyn Academy of Music Historic District, which along with the nearby Hanson Place Baptist Church, was developed around 1860.
Walk another few blocks and you’ll arrive in The Fort Greene Historic District, which occupies the blocks east and south of the park. Constructed between 1840 and 1890, it is one of the oldest architectural neighborhoods in Brooklyn. The area was given its name in the 20th century, prior to which it was considered to be the middle class section of greater Clinton Hill. The homes are fine examples of all the Revival styles popular at the time, and it’s a good place to stroll before or after a meal!
Fort Greene Park, formerly an active military fort during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812, was converted into a public park by the City of Brooklyn in 1867. Although it was designed by famous architects Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, the men responsible for Central and Prospect Park, it is much smaller than its siblings. You can easily walk around it in minutes.
Olmsted and Vaux designed the park with a crypt in the middle for soldiers who died in captivity during the Revolution aboard British prison ships. Eventually a larger monument was constructed, and in 1908 the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument was unveiled. The urn at the top of the 149 foot column symbolizes the presence of human remains. It is estimated 12,000 prisoners died aboard ships anchored in Wallabout Bay during the Revolution, only a small fraction of whose remains were ever formally interred.
From the top of the hill inside the park, you can look back at the clock tower to maintain your sense of direction. Fort Greene Park is about equidistant from the Barclays Center to the middle of the Clinton Hill Historic District, which should be your next destination!
In the 19th century, the area we now call Clinton Hill was home to many of New York’s wealthiest residents. Specifically the freestanding mansions along Clinton and Washington Avenues belonged to people like Charles Pratt, a partner at Standard Oil, who decided to build one mansion on Clinton Ave for each of his six sons. He also founded the nearby Pratt Institute in 1887, and to this day is one of Brooklyn’s wealthiest residents of all time.
Food Spots
1. Dekalb Market Hall
Dekalb Market Hall is one of several excellent food halls in NYC with over a dozen vendors selling eclectic dishes from all over the world. The entrances are deceptively not on Dekalb Ave, and are instead around the back Albee Square W, or on Flatbush Ave closer to Willoughby. But things like the Dutch Fries from Moritz are worth a little confusion.
The food hall has a bunch of vendors we’ve included in previous foodstrolls, including the famous Arepa Lady from Queens, and Kotti Berliner Doner from Industry City. Kotti serves Berlin style Turkish Doner Kebab, made famous by turkish immigrants to Germany in the 1970s. Today the equivalent of $3 billion of doner kebab are sold annually in Germany!
When it comes to NYC restaurant royalty, tough to argue anything trumps Katz’s Delicatessen. The iconic Jewish deli dates back to the 19th century, and has seen more celebrities, politicians, and athletes then perhaps anywhere on earth! The “I’ll have what she’s having” Rueben was made famous in When Harry Met Sally.
The lineup at Dekalb is basically a Who’s Who of popular NYC vendors, and we’re not going to list them all. But names like Eight Turn Crepe, Fat Fowl, Hana Noodles, and BK Jani (pictured) should resonate with many New Yorkers.
Osteria Brooklyn is our favorite sit down restaurant in Clinton Hill, and one of our favorite Italian spots in all of NYC, which is saying something… We’d order things like the Beef Tartare and Polpo Al Carbone again and again.
They’re wood oven pizzas come in all shapes and sizes, and some resemble middle eastern flatbreads as much as they do New York style pizza. The Salsiccia Piccante, or spicy sausage pie, is a family favorite.
It is very difficult for us not to order Crab Ravioli when its on a menu, and we generally get the Crab Ravioli and Pisellini at Osteria. However we should also mention the Fettuccini Osteria, their house special, is a must order.
Overall Osteria is on the upscale side of things for hungry kids, but its still Brooklyn, family friendly, and pretty affordable considering the level of food. The restaurant itself is also beautiful, spacious, and fun.
Transportation
Atlantic Terminal/Barclays Center is one of the largest transportation hubs in NYC and it’s a 10 minute stroll from there to Fort Greene Park. The G train stops in Clinton Hill at Clinton - Washington Ave.
Streetside parking is possible in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, just not too close to Flatbush Ave.