Despite its rise to global prominence over the past decade, Brooklyn still exists on a smaller scale than Manhattan. This extends to its restaurants (with the exception of prime Williamsburg locations), which often inhabit the ground floor of century-old brownstones. At their best, the gardens of these buildings whisk visitors away from the city altogether. The five listed below excel in this arena like no others…
Colonia Verde in Fort Greene. Photo by Sarah StodolaColonia Verde (Fort Greene)
My favorite of all the back gardens in Brooklyn, with its pebble floor, its stucco accents, and its transporting general ambiance. The cocktails on offer look mighty fine in this setting, and taste even better, while the South American food is always deliciously interesting. COLONIA VERDE | 219 Dekalb Ave | Fort Greene, Brooklyn | website
The garden at Milk & Roses. Image courtesy Milk & RosesMilk & Roses (Greenpoint)
It’s not easy to make a Brooklyn-sized backyard feel as though it’s chock full of nooks, crannies and cozy surprises, but Milk & Roses pulls it off somehow–a by turns romantic and hip backdrop for the southern Italian influences on the menu. MILK & ROSES | 1110 Manhattan Avenue | Greenpoint, Brooklyn | website
The garden of Maison Premiere. Photo courtesy Maison Premiere.Maison Premiere (Williamsburg)
This oyster joint in South Williamsburg is almost too perfectly conceived, saved from twee-ness by its perfection, which does and doesn’t make sense, I know. The magic of the interior extends to the back garden, dripping with green and oozing with atmosphere. MAISON PREMIERE | 298 Bedford Ave | Williamsburg, Brooklyn | website
The back garden at Faun. Photo courtesy Faun.Faun (Prospect Heights)
This garden has a grownup formality that contrasts with some of the other spaces on this list–nothing hodgepodge about it. The menu is grownup, too, by which I mean it’s pricey, but tasty, and great for sharing. FAUN | 606 Vanderbilt Avenue | Prospect Heights, Brooklyn | website
Miss Ada’s back garden. Photo courtesy Miss Ada.Miss Ada (Fort Greene)
The ode-to-imbibing mural on the wall in this garden distinguishes it from all the others, and on this stretch of Dekalb Avenue so rife with great back gardens, that’s no small feat. I love what they’ve done with the old Martha space–and the Mediterranean-influenced menu is great, to boot. MISS ADA | 184 Dekalb Ave | Fort Greene, Brooklyn | website
