Red Hook, marked

My favorite restaurant in all of NYC – plus a weekend-only rye bakery, waterfront bars, and the closest you can get to the Statue of Liberty on dry land.

Summer is when New Yorkers remember Red Hook is a thing. The ferry picks back up, the waterfront fills in, and everyone suddenly wants to make the trek out to the part of Brooklyn the subway never reached. But honestly? I’d go any time of year.

Here’s how I’d spend the day: coffee in a back garden before the crowds, a bakery that’s only open on weekends making some incredible Danish rye, plenty of spots to day drink right on the water, and my favorite dinner restaurant in all of New York (no, it’s not Red Hook Tavern). There’s live music, a brand new bar doing sourdough pizza, and some cold treats to send you off.

Coffee & bakeries

Get in before everyone else does.

• The Black Flamingo: A café with a beautiful hidden garden out back. Stop in for an iced coffee on the way to the water, and grab a scone while you’re at it.

• Frø: A beautiful space with vibrant art on the walls, open just on weekends, where two sisters bake some of the best Danish rye you’ll find. Take a loaf home – it keeps forever in the freezer and toasts right back to life – and don’t leave without one of the buns with butter and cheese. Very good.

• High Beam: The newest coffee shop, and they roast their own. Best of all, there’s loads of room to sit and the interiors are lovely.

Things to do

Pinball, day drinks, and the best view of the skyline.