Like the proverbial phoenix out of the ashes, the little Brooklyn Ditmas Park nabe, known as Cortelyou Road, has risen from its dicey 1970s and 1980s past, blossoming into one of the borough’s most delightful areas. Using “trendy” in only the most positive way, Cortelyou comprises a mini urban wonderland of exciting cafes, restaurants, and shops.
The immaculately tended tree-lined streets pass by post-war apartment buildings, renovated brownstones, and (for total anachronistic contrast) an array of gorgeous old Victorian-era private homes—all within a stone’s throw of each other.
The prestigious schools and multiple playgrounds and parks make it an ideal environment to raise children, but the burgeoning nightlife similarly beckons the influx of young professionals who have, of late, chosen to make the still-affordable residences here their home. Indeed, Cortelyou has become the bastion for refugees from Park Slope and lower Manhattan where Trump-ed up rents have made comfortable living impossible.
A mere 25 minutes from the city, Cortelyou Road boasts highly touted upscale restaurants such as the locally inspired The Farm on Adderley alongside two health food and wellness stores, Natural Frontier Market and Flatbush Food Coop. The populace itself represents multi-ethnicity at its best—not merely black, white, Hispanic and Asian, but denizens from an array of African nations, virtually every South American country, Israel and Eastern Europe and China, Japan and Korea. A born and bred New Yorker, I have never had more of an experience of “community” than since my wife and I moved to adjoining Argyle Road nearly three years ago.
A haven for artists, Cortelyou offers a vast canvas of events, notably street fairs lined with locals hawking magnificent cuisine, outrageous fashion, painting, sculpture, and photography—all to the beat of invigorating live music.
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Weekend farmers’ markets (including the Cortelyou Greenmarket, Sundays, year-round), displayed against beautiful wall-sized-sponsored murals on buildings, provide a center of daytime activity. Or head to brunch at local favorite Cafe Madeline for creative fare including lavender lattes and elaborate egg sandwiches and “brekkie bowls”.
Sidewalks contain benches where Cortelyans can wait for the Brooklyn buses, or simply sit, talk, and otherwise congregate in a stress-free, clean, safe, and a fun universe that magnificently defines the oft-thought extinct concept of neighborhood and camaraderie.
How to get there: Cortelyou Road station can be easily accessed via the “Q” subway train from any of a number of key Manhattan or Brooklyn stops. The station is one of New York’s oldest—recently restored—and is a treat to behold.
The Farm on Adderley | 1108 Cortelyou Rd. | 718.287.3101 | thefarmonadderley.com
Natural Frontier Market | 1104 Cortelyou Rd. | 718.284.3593 | naturalfrontiermarket.net
Flatbush Food Coop | 1318 Cortelyou Rd. (soon moving across the street to 1415 Cortelyou Rd.) | 718.284.9717 | flatbushfoodcoop.com
Cortelyou Greenmarket | Cortelyou Rd. at Rugby Rd. (inside schoolyard) | 212.788.7476 | grownyc.org
Cafe Madeline | 1603 Cortelyou Rd. | 718.941.4020 | https://squareup.com/store/cafemadeline
Header photo by jen dubin
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram