Brooklyn Eats: Smorgasburg

Brooklyn has so much to offer, and lately everybody’s noticing. The borough is now hipster capital USA – and along with their beards these folks have brought great restaurants, shops, and events in their wake to settle amongst the gems that Brooklyn has owned for decades. A weekend food festival that has really caught some attention is Smorgasburg, on Saturdays in Willamsburg [90 Kent Ave at N. 7^th St] and Sunday in Brooklyn Bridge Park [Pier 5]. On a sunny Sunday afternoon after walking across the Brooklyn Bridge we made our way into the spectacular park. The view of the city from across the river is striking, and there are fantastic sights all around.

Fly a kite, lounge on the grass, check out the vibrant glass house, or go on a carousel ride – this is a happening space.

After taking it all in I made my way towards Pier 5 and entered the event, a foodies paradise.

The environment was certainly bustling, but lines never took more than a few moments. There are so many options, it was hard to choose! We surveyed the vendors offerings and settled on a few different items to split. Our first nosh was a phatty beet slider which was inhaled way too quickly!

This morsel had it all: juicy beets, fresh greens, creamy avocado, and crunchy cheddar with pickled red onions, jalapenos, and a chipotle aioli on a soft bun.

I only wish it was a bit bigger for $8, but hey, you’re eating in the city. The next vendor of interest was Parantha Alley. For $7 you get two paranthas, or flatbreads, made with your choice of filling and great accoutrements.

We got potato and cauliflower and loaded on the toppings in delight.

Luckily we scored a table for this portion, which is a hard commodity to come by. For dessert we enjoyed some fresh fruit pops, and went home with some spicy beet ketchup. Smorgasburg is a great success!