This month, the sixth annual Taste of Bushwick was held at the Brooklyn Cider House on Flushing Avenue to highlight the best restaurants in Bushwick. The cidery was transformed into a mini Bushwick, with vendors from the neighborhood’s local restaurants and businesses representing their fare. At one point, I was juggling a few food trays and had to pull over into a nook to both keep said trays upright and to savor every flavor.
Coupled with a live band and cozy lighting, the atmosphere was vibrant and paired nicely with a glass of bubbly Kinda Dry cider or BKE Kombucha. With everything from curry noodles to specialty chowder to apple cider donuts, the evening fully celebrated Bushwick’s diverse culinary scene. A sample of everything brought its uniqueness home; and though I left physically full, I remained hungry for more trips to the neighborhood.
1. Sea Wolf
Summer in New York is a blessed affair because of our access to renowned seafood. Enter Sea Wolf with their chilled corn soup with lobster, a light and luscious salute to the carefree summer days ahead. I’ve never had the pleasure of eating purposely cold soup before, and was deliciously transported to the beach without leaving the table. The restaurateurs focus on fresh, high-quality ingredients, and rotate their menu seasonally. You can try anything from classic fish and chips and prawns to lobster tacos and lobster corn dogs. Are you seeing a pattern?
Watch this video to get a glimpse:
2. Fine and Raw
Served with a side of savory, Fine and Raw’s chocolate hazelnut butter kicked the beloved flavor combination up a notch. Their treats are plant-based and sweetened with coconut sugar for a wholesome treat. Take a pretzel to the smooth, rich river of spread and add this to your repertoire of the beloved chocolate hazelnut combo. They also sell massive bars, truffle collections, and bites, all that reinvent the taste of chocolate and the notion that it can’t be decent for you. My happiness levels spiked on impact, and isn’t that what makes all the difference? Visit them at their factory and cafe for extra goodies, like chocolate brownie ice cream sandwiches.
Watch this video to get a glimpse:
3. VSpot Restaurant
If avocado fries sound like heaven, you’re correct: and when plated with kale quinoa and a dollop of creamy chipotle sauce, you’ve stepped beyond the pearly gates. VSpot Restaurant is an incredible Latin, vegan and kosher dining experience playing with flavors that create taste-splosions in your mouth. Opt for the aforementioned sides to start, then work your way into a quesadilla supreme with chipotle refried beans and sweet plantains.
Watch this video to get a glimpse:
4. Dock Asian Eatery
The chefs of Dock Asian Eatery have combined their talents in Japanese and Thai cuisine and ramen in this singular, exquisite restaurant. I will return again and again for the rich curry broth of the Chiang Mai Noodle I sampled. Their menu is extensive, giving you the chance to eat sushi, pad thai, and miso ramen all in one sitting.
Watch this video to get a glimpse:
5. Seitan’s Helper
An ideal place for anyone hankering for a seitan BLT is at Seitan’s Helper, a vegan deli pop-up that sells its vegan cheese in various shops around the city. I am not vegan and I also could not taste much of a difference in the quality of the ingredients; there was even a smoky flavor to the seitan that balanced nicely with the sandwich. Check their website for updates on where this restaurant is popping up in Bushwick next!
Watch this review to learn more:
6. Tony’s Pizzeria & Restaurant
When life hands you more pizza, you take the buffalo chicken kind from Tony’s Pizzeria & Restaurant. Along with delicious pizza pies, you’ll find favorite desserts like zeppoles (airy and stuffed with cannoli cream) and Italian rainbow cookies (chewy and subtly sweet). Classic is sometimes just the thing you need, and Tony’s is the place to go for tasty staples.
7. Syndicated
Among the tea lights and quiet oasis in one of the brewery’s back rooms, I passed a table of pulled pork sliders. I was instantly transported back to a trip to Memphis, remembering sweet and tender bites from one of its birthplaces. Yet here at Syndicated in Brooklyn, every bite came with a crunch of cucumber, the brightness of arugula, and it was sandwiched into a Hawaiian roll. I was ready to kiss my fingers and shout, “Beautiful!” Food on its own is an experience; and food when paired with another experience ups the ante. The restaurant, serving American fare, triples as a movie theater and bar, an ideal place to escape the heat with a frosé and bar bites.
Photos by Francisco Bravo
Lindsay is a new New Yorker, having grown up in Boston and lived in Dublin for a bit. Her soul is half mountain, half skyscraper, and she is moved by the breathless wonder of cultures and landscapes that make up the mosaic of our planet. Writing has been her passion since she was a little girl, and she still has dreams of becoming a ballerina someday. She loves cycling, donuts, art museums, and toting her camera everywhere. Find her blogging at ontherogueagain.com.
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