A Food Photographer's Brooklyn Shopping List
Big Night in Brooklyn. Photo by Anna Petrow.
Fathom contributing editor Anna Petrow makes her art and her living photographing foods and interiors. A trip to Brooklyn was a feast for her eyes.
Artisanal life is alive and thrives in Brooklyn. On a recent visit, I came across many homemade wares, handcrafted pastries, inspired tablescapes, and beautiful restaurant meals. So many curations and collections outside of museum walls. I stopped to photograph them all.
Art of the Home Base: Ace Hotel Brooklyn
Ace Hotel Brooklyn feels a bit like a living room and a bit like a gallery, with artists on feature throughout the lobby and no shortage of live entertainment. The pared-back rooms have huge windows and midcentury modern trimmings. The restaurant, As You Are, serves up natural wines and funky flavors in bright, artsy surroundings. You never know what you’ll come back to at the end of the night, but chances are it’ll be live jazz or a disco dance party. It’s also a real treat to stay somewhere other than Williamsburg (the borough’s well-known hospitality bubble). Its location on the border of Downtown Brooklyn and Boerum Hill makes for easy walking to Cobble Hill, Fort Greene, and the most scenic strolls in Brooklyn Heights.
Dreamy Tablescape: Porta
With a gorgeous selection of imported European tableware, handmade ceramics, and beautiful serving utensils, the Atlantic Avenue boutique Porta understands the art of hospitality at home.
Art of Entertaining: Big Night
Bold, bright colors greet you at Big Night's Greenpoint storefront, aptly named after the famous Stanley Tucci film feast. It's fully stocked with everything you need to host a lively dinner party of your own.
A Well of Inspiration: Consignment Brooklyn
Dig through the racks of Consignment Brooklyn's well-stocked, nicely merchandised thrift shop for designer digs worthy of a new closet.
Picture Perfect Moment: Brownstone Botanical
Brownstone Botanical's flat bed of a bright turquoise truck parked near Fort Greene Park is stocked with buckets of colorful floral stems that are whipped into bouquets for people passing by — a delightful scene to watch even if you’re not shopping for flowers.
Curated Home: The Primary Essentials
The Primary Essentials is a slender, sunlit, and very chill space showcasing organizational bliss through hostess gifts, beautiful objects, and beauty products.
Treasure Trove: Horseman Antiques
The old-school establishment Horseman Antiques offers a rambling collection of midcentury and Danish furniture in 65,000 square feet of retail space along Atlantic Avenue.
Artful Menu: Bar Bête
Bar Bête's perfectly tiny menu is in a perfectly snug Brooklyn hideaway. It’s the kind of spot where you want to order one of everything. Do not, under any circumstances, skip the yellow cake with decadent chocolate frosting for dessert.
Portrait of a Wine Bar: Anaïs
Sidewalk tables among the brownstones are ideal for people watching, though it’s also cozy inside at the intimate little bistro bar Anaïs. The impressive bottle list features small batch producers and organic growers.
A Beautiful Burger: Red Hook Tavern
Impossible to set your sights on without drooling, the Red Hook Tavern burger practically orders itself each time a server walks out of the kitchen. Paired with local brews and the easygoing energy of a classic neighborhood pub, it’s a great place to sit and hang after a long day of walking around.
Pastry Showcase: Otway
I’m not one to wait in line for pastries, but the bakery at Otway has the right kind of line — locals waiting patiently for their weekend loaf of bread, eager for a morning treat and espresso. It moves quickly, and once you’re inside the pocket-size space, one sniff will tell you what all the fuss is about.
Dinner Installation: Little Grenjai
Little Grenjai is no ordinary diner. Husband and wife team Trevor Lombaer and Sutathip Aiemsaard serve Bangkok-inspired street food with the occasional American twist (like a Chicago-style Thai sausage with all the classic “dragged through the garden” trimmings) in a vibrant space with an open kitchen.
Framing a Cozy Corner: Ingas
Pull up a seat at neighborhood bar Ingas — the corner window spot, if you’re lucky — and enjoy the people-watching that comes with the territory. Order a big salad or a juicy roasted chicken and enjoy the feeling of being among regulars.
Crafted Cocktails: Henry Public
Flickering candles, tiny tables, antique photographs, wood paneling and classic cocktails. At Henry Public, a few sips will transport you back in time.