16 Best Restaurants in Greenpoint, New York City

21 Greenpoint

$$$ | Greenpoint Fodor's choice

Co-owned by Homer Murray (actor Bill Murray's son), this restaurant gained notoriety when it relaunched with a legendary event featuring the older Murray tending bar. But it's worth a visit, with or without Bill, for chef Sean Telo's creative menus that aim to make tasty dishes while sourcing sustainably and reducing food waste; from tempura-coated shishito peppers to wood-fired pizzas, it's always fun to see what he'll come up with. The urban-rustic design (white subway tiles, wooden tables, hanging plants) is equally welcoming for weekend brunch or a romantic dinner by candlelight.

Bakeri

$ | Greenpoint Fodor's choice

When Williamsburg's best European-style bakery wanted more space, it opened a Greenpoint outpost and included a rustic communal table, antique finishes, and hand-painted wallpaper. From house-made focaccia to financiers, there are plenty of mouthwatering choices (including vegan and gluten-free options) for breakfast and lunch. At breakfast you can watch the bakers in the open kitchen as you sip your morning coffee and snack on a raspberry pistachio muffin or Norwegian skolebrød. Soups and sandwiches on freshly baked bread are served at lunch.

Búdin

$ | Greenpoint Fodor's choice

Coffee aficionados head to Greenpoint for Búdin’s $10 latte—it's pricey because it's made with Danish licorice syrup, topped with licorice powder, and served on a silver tray. Come during the day for coffee by the Oslo-based roaster Tim Wendelboe, whose beans are favored by top European chefs, or after hours for wine and Nordic craft beer. The back of the shop is stocked with a rotating selection of Scandinavian-design goods .

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Glasserie

$$ | Greenpoint Fodor's choice

Its past as a glass factory inspired Glasserie's warm, romantic atmosphere, and details like rare light fixtures and prints of original electric bulbs abound. Owner Sara Conklin spent her childhood in the Middle East, and her experiences there influence the farm-to-table cuisine. Pair the Persian Gold cocktail (a gin and tonic with saffron) with the phyllo pastries, then order a few more small plates to share.

Karczma

$$ | Greenpoint Fodor's choice

Of all the Polish restaurants in this Polish neighborhood, family-run Karczma is the best, so dig in and order the pierogis—fried, not boiled—and one of the Polish, Czech, or German beers served in giant glasses. The farmhouse-style tavern is easygoing and fun, with oversized picnic tables, camping lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and waitresses wearing traditional folk dresses from the mountain region in southern Poland. This restaurant is a great value for the price, so come hungry and prepare to feast.

Ovenly

$ | Greenpoint Fodor's choice

This tiny bakery has made a name for itself with standouts like vegan salted chocolate-chip cookies, pistachio agave cookies, and currant-rosemary scones. The seasonal specials are equally mouthwatering—just try to resist the bourbon-maple-pecan pie made for Thanksgiving. In warm weather, take your goodies up the block to WNYC Transmitter Park for a picnic that will make everyone jealous.

Paulie Gee's

$$ | Greenpoint Fodor's choice

When it comes to pizza there’s stiff competition, but Paulie Gee’s serves outstanding gourmet pies with all kinds of creative toppings—the idea to put Mike's Hot Honey on pizza is just one of many strokes of genius. The extensive list of offerings includes the “Anise and Anephew” (Paulie Gee’s personal favorite) made with braised fennel, Berkshire guanciale, and fresh mozzarella, plus a full page of vegan pies. The handmade wood-fired oven is from Naples’s famed oven-maker Stefano Ferrara. The average wait time for a table on Friday or Saturday night is an hour.

Selamat Pagi

$$ | Greenpoint Fodor's choice

Warm and intimate Selamat Pagi brings a little Bali to Brooklyn. The exotic flavors of Kaffir lime leaf, coconut oil, lemongrass, and chili transform local organic produce and proteins into nasi goreng (vegetable fried rice), coconut curry, chili-glazed chicken wings, and other palate-tingling delights. Banana-leaf wallpaper and a DIY design set a rough-around-the-edges yet romantic tone that makes this a great casual date spot—as long as the object of your affection likes spicy food.

Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream

$ | Greenpoint Fodor's choice

Renowned for all-natural ice cream and exotic flavors like sorrel blackberry crumble and matcha green tea, Van Leeuwen has established a small ice-cream empire in New York City. Everything is made in-house from the highest-quality ingredients: special flavors like pumpkin are available seasonally, and vegan ice cream is especially popular. Greenpoint was the first brick-and-mortar shop, although its current location is down the street from the pint-size original. In warm weather, get a cone to go and stroll through nearby McCarren Park.

Adelina's Fraschetta Romana

$$ | Greenpoint

Neapolitan-style fried pizza—made with imported Italian flour, San Marzano tomato sauce, house-made mozzarella, and various toppings—is the highlight of the menu at this rustic Italian trattoria. Charmingly mismatched furniture conveys a low-key vibe. Start with the arancini (Sicilian rice balls stuffed with pesto, mushrooms, or sausage and fried) or an antipasto plate. Bonus: Oak barrels behind the bar hold "natural wines," made from sustainably grown organic grapes, on tap.

Café Grumpy

$ | Greenpoint

Made famous by the HBO television show Girls—the character Ray works here—this indie coffee shop roasts its beans in the roastery next door and sends them to its other cafés around the city. Café Grumpy serves all the usual drip coffee and espresso drinks plus pastries, with gluten-free options. This location, opened in 2005, was the first.

Di ăn Di

$$ | Greenpoint

Di ăn Di manages to differentiate itself from the hordes of Southeast Asian–fusion restaurants in the city with a light- and plant-filled dining room and great recipes made using quality ingredients. Diners rave about the beef pho ha noi, with its poached egg yolk and scattering of scallions, and do nurong—skewers of meat, fish, or tofu, served with fresh noodles or broken rice.

Five Leaves

$$ | Greenpoint

Tattooed servers wait tables at this prime spot on the corner opposite McCarren Park where chefs take fanciful (and successful) liberties with traditional bistro fare. Popular dishes include the Five Leaves burger with pickled beets and harissa mayo, truffle fries, and ricotta pancakes served at weekend brunch, which can be a mob scene but worth braving if you can’t get here early. The stylish place was inspired by actor Heath Ledger, a Greenpoint fixture who had plans to start a restaurant with the owners before his untimely death; funding from his estate went toward opening it. The sidewalk tables are excellent for people-watching.

Milk & Roses

$$ | Greenpoint

With hundreds of books lining the built-in wood shelves, candlelit marble tables, red leather booths, and a piano, it doesn’t get much cozier than this. The Italian food is good, but the relaxed atmosphere and old-world ambience make this a true haven. The back garden is magical in spring and summer.

Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop

$ | Greenpoint

This doughnut shop looks like a 1950s lunch counter because it was one, and the current owners preserved the original decor—the servers even wear 1950s-style uniforms. Old-fashioned doughnuts, bagels, and egg sandwiches are made fresh daily. You'll find all the classics, from glazed and cake doughnuts to coconut cream and red velvet. You can order your doughnuts to go, or grab a seat for counter service. Everything is inexpensive and delicious.

Polka Dot

$ | Greenpoint

Newcomers join the neighborhood's enduring Polish community at this cozy little eatery that's decorated like an old wooden house in the Polish countryside. Formerly a meat market, this reasonably priced counter-service restaurant has an array of home-style Polish cuisine, from pierogis to kielbasa, borscht to bigos, a hearty "hunter's stew" that also comes in a vegan option. Most dishes are already prepared and ready to serve from the former meat market's glass displays, so it's good for either a hearty sit-down meal, or a quick grab-n-go of potato pancakes or savory croissants.

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