New York is undoubtedly the most iconic city in America and the most visited by both domestic and international tourists.
The number of attractions is staggering, and you could easily spend two weeks in the Big Apple without having to visit the same place twice.
Times Square will overload your senses with its bright lights, street performances, and crowds. The Statue of Liberty will dazzle you with a sense of history, hospitality, and patriotism.
A visit to the top of the Empire State building will give you epic views of the city, barring vertigo you might feel when glancing straight down!
Perhaps one of the most iconic attractions in New York City is the Brooklyn Bridge, a colossal suspension bridge that crosses the East River, connecting Brooklyn to Manhattan.
The Brooklyn Bridge is a favorite tourist attraction for sunset picture backdrops and for the gorgeous parks and famous neighborhoods on either side.
Whether you’re on the Brooklyn or Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge, there are a wealth of wonderful dining options to enjoy after a sunset picture.
I have compiled a list of the best restaurants near the Brooklyn Bridge for you to explore below. Whether you want pizza, ice cream, or a steak, you’ll find something to love at the restaurants near the Brooklyn Bridge on my list.
The River Café
1 Water St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718-522-5200
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Established in 1977, The River Café is NYC’s premier fine dining steakhouse right on the East River with incredible views of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline.
The creative New American menu has won a Michelin star and the atmosphere is elegant and upscale with a jazz lounge featuring live performances.
You won’t find a more decadent menu in all of New York than at the River Café, with a wide selection of the freshest seafood and finest steaks garnished and presented as culinary works of art.
I loved the scallop ceviche as a starter, and I followed with the crispy Crescent Farms duck breast with wild huckleberry reduction, risotto cake, foie gras emulsion, brussel sprout leaves, and duck jus.
Juliana’s
19 Old Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718-596-6700
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From famed pizzeria restauranteur Patsy Grimaldi, Juliana’s is an homage to his mother, Juliana who began the pizzeria business back in the 30s.
Located in Brooklyn Heights, Juliana is a friendly neighborhood pizzeria, serving classic New York-style pizza using Grimaldi’s famous family recipe. Juliana’s uses a 50-year-old coal-fired oven to produce the perfect crisp for their thin-crust pizzas.
The menu at Juliana’s features a wealth of gourmet starters like Patsy’s pasta Fagioli soup, meatballs, and salads.
My favorite pie at Juliana’s is the No. 1 with mozzarella, scamorza affumicata, pancetta, scallions, and white truffle with an olive oil base.
Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory
14 Old Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718-522-5211
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Located in Dumbo overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge Park at Fulton Ferry Landing on Pier 1, Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory is a quaint creamery serving homemade ice cream with a view.
The ice cream shop building is itself a historical landmark, having once been the fireboat house for the Pier in the 1920s.
They offer a small yet delicious menu of fresh ice cream flavors that you can get in a cup, waffle cone, or as a milkshake.
They also offer a few toppings. If you’re a chocoholic, try the chocolate chocolate chunk ice cream. I had a fresh waffle cone with a scoop of pecan caramel and a scoop of vanilla chocolate chunk.
Cecconi’s
55 Water St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718-650-3900
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Cecconi’s is an upscale Italian bistro in a gorgeous industrial chic dining space with exposed brick walls, old-school leather bar seats, and vintage light fixtures in DUMBO’s famous Brooklyn Bridge Park. Cecconi’s originated in London and quickly became an international sensation.
Their hand-made pasta, bread, and entrees use the highest quality imported ingredients from Italy offering an authentic Italian eating experience.
Cecconi’s serves lunch and dinner along with weekend brunch. I had an incredible brunch at Cecconi’s, starting with a decadent appetizer of whipped ricotta, truffle honey, and crostini. I followed it with a delicious plate of Spaghetti with Maine lobster and chili.
GRAN ELÉCTRICA
5 Front St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718-852-2700
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Gran Eléctrica is a Michelin Bib Gourmand-winning Mexican restaurant in DUMBO between the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge, so you get views of two iconic NYC bridges.
Owners Tamer, Hamawi, Elise Rosenberg, and Emelie Kihlstrom use their extensive travels through Mexico to create an authentic menu that has earned accolades from Eater, Time Out, Zagat, and the Food Network.
Their tequila and mezcal cocktails are incredible and pair perfectly with a made-to-order bowl of guacamole and freshly fried tortilla chips.
I couldn’t get enough of their street tacos, although they also have incredible quesadillas and main plates like chiles Rellenos and garlic bathed trout. My favorite tacos were the classic carnitas with Berkshire pork, onion, cilantro, and salsa cruda.
Grimaldi’s Pizzeria
1 Front St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718-858-4300
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Although Grimaldi’s opened in DUMBO in 1990, the Grimaldi pizza empire has been a New York treasure for over 100 years, serving age-old recipes for the perfect pie that features hand-made dough, cheese, and pizza sauce.
Whether you’re a New Yorker or a tourist, Grimaldi’s Pizzeria is a must-visit for a true taste of New York-style pizza history.
All Grimaldi’s pizzas are thin-crust rounds, baked to perfection in a coal-fired brick oven. In honor of the Brooklyn Bridge, I recommend their Brooklyn Bridge specialty pie with oven-roasted red peppers, creamy ricotta, and hand-pinched Italian sausage over a traditional red pizza.
Time Out Market New York
55 Water St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 917-810-4855
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Time Out is a publication dedicated to culture in various cities, giving reviews for restaurants and urban attractions around the U.S.
Consequently, you can bet that the Time Out Market in New York has all the best New York eateries under one roof in the heart of DUMBO overlooking Jane’s Carousel and the Brooklyn Bridge.
The eateries inside the market include Jacob’s Pickles, Fornino, Sugar Hill Creamery, Clinton Street baking Company, and many other food stalls in the massive two-story food market.
I recommend trying the Chote Miya, Indian Street food stall for mango lassi, and Delhi Butter Chicken Paratha.
Westville Dumbo
81 Washington St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718-618-5699
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Westville is a farm-to-table American eatery with affordable pricing and friendly service in the Dumbo neighborhood.
They offer a vast and colorful menu of vegetable-heavy dishes from salads to sandwiches to hearty main plates. They are a great option for vegans and vegetarians as well as health-conscious eaters on a budget.
They offer brunch, lunch, and dinner with a full espresso bar to boot. I ate there for lunch, and had a wonderful vegan burger made with crispy quinoa and artichoke and garnished with chopped kale, avocado, and homemade coconut sriracha ranch on a vegan bun with arugula and a marinated red onion salad.
MarkJoseph
261 Water St, New York, NY 10038
Phone: 212-277-0020
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Located in lower Manhattan, a few blocks north of the South Street Seaport MarkJoseph is a classic American steakhouse with over 20 years serving the finest steaks dry-aged in-house.
The elegant atmosphere, perfectly cooked meat, and world-class service have earned MarkJoseph a wide following for locals and tourists looking for a high-class dining experience.
MarkJoseph uses a super-hot infrared oven to broil meat at over 1000-degrees. Their signature steak is the massive Porterhouse that can feed up to four people.
I recommend the Surf and Turf, a perfectly marbled filet mignon topped with a lobster tail with a family-sized side of steak fries and creamed spinach.
Noodle Pudding
38 Henry St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718-625-3737
Noodle Pudding is a quaint Italian eatery in Brooklyn Heights overlooking the William Jay Gaynor Memorial.
The rustic chic dining space features classic Italian American décor replete with red and white checkered tablecloths adorned with candles and exposed brick walls covered in vintage art and photos of the owner’s family.
They serve heaping portions of classic Italian pasta dishes and other Italian comfort foods for affordable prices.
I recommend starting with the stewed octopus with tomatoes, served with garlic bread. My favorite pasta dish is the Rigatoni Alla Siciliana with farmers market roasted eggplant, tomatoes, and fresh ricotta.
Almondine Bakery
85 Water St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Phone: 718-797-5026
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Located in DUMBO, a block from Pebble Beach at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Almondine Bakery is a classic French bakery and European-style café.
Its vintage-chic interior with exposed brick walls, marble tabletops, and vintage café chairs is the perfect place to enjoy a morning breakfast or mid-morning coffee break.
They offer full loaves of bread, classic French pastries, sandwiches, soup, and salad. I loved their prosciutto sandwich with slices of prosciutto, balsamic cream, roasted pepper, and garlic cream cheese.
Grab a decadent almond croissant or peach Danish to go while you’re at it. They also offer a full menu of specialty cakes, tarts, macaroons, and meringue.
While you stroll through Brooklyn Bridge Park, or along the East River in Manhattan, you’re not far away from incredible dining spots.
Whether you want a fine dining steakhouse, iconic pizza, or a vast market with stalls featuring the best New York restaurants, you’ll find it all on my list of the best restaurants near the Brooklyn Bridge.
If you’re looking for more wonderful restaurants in the Big Apple, I have countless lists for you to peruse here.