c/o DumbonYC

As the best season for Farmer’s Markets approaches, exciting news was announced by Community Markets this morning. Two additional farmers markets will open off the L line in Brooklyn on June 3rd and will run every Sunday from 11am-4pm until November 18th. The new farmer’s markets will be located at McGolrick Park in Greenpoint & Cooper Park in East Williamsburg.

It’s almost summer which means we can begin to regularly use our favorite mode of transport: The East River Ferry! They’ve just announced that starting this week, they’ll be offering a variety of Brooklyn-sourced food & drinks including cupcakes from Butter Lane Cupcakes, retro-style u-bet egg creams in chocolate and vanilla, and hot and iced coffees from the Brooklyn Roasting Company.

DNA Info has the full scoop:

While coffee was offered on some routes last summer, the effort marks the first time food will be served onboard the pilot ferry service, which launched last June, and travels between Wall Street’s Pier 11 and East 34th Street, with stops in DUMBO’s Fulton Ferry Landing, north and south Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and Long Island City, Queens.

“We’re very excited about it,” Paul Goodman, CEO of Billybey Ferry Company, which operates the routes on behalf of the city, told DNAinfo New York ahead of the launch.

Goodman, who teamed with restaurateur Marc Murphy, of Tribeca and the Time Warner Center’s Landmarc bistros and Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Ditch Plains, said that, after the success of last summer’s coffee service, he wanted to expand the selection for riders, with a focus on local fare.

In addition to the cupcakes and coffee, the menu includes potato chips from McClure’s, the famous pickle purveyors, and pastries from Murphy’s Benchmarc Events.

“Now East River Ferry goers can enjoy the scenic ride, and take in the amazing skyline views while snacking on local Brooklyn eats,” Murphy said in a statement.

Jim Munson, president of the Brooklyn Roasting Company, said he plans to offer ferry-riders a variety of single-origin hot coffees and cold-brewed ice coffees throughout summer, with service kicking off at dawn.

“We think it’s a great alliance. We want to promote alternative means of transportation, so we’re working with the ferries,” he said.

The menu, which will be available seven days a week, on all routes, beginning at 7 a.m, is also easy on the wallet, with prices ranging from $2 for chips and pastries, to $3 for coffees, cupcakes and egg creams.

The team is also considering the possibility of adding beer and wine to the menu at some point in the future, Goodman said

A sunset ferry ride with beer or wine without paying tourist prices? We’ll take it!

The first ever food book fair is coming to Williamsburg on May 4th-6th, taking place at the Wythe Hotel which officially opens May 1st. The weekend-long conversation and celebration of food reading and writing will consist of daily panel discussions with keynote speakers Dr. Marion Nestle, Harold McGee and Carolyn Steel, over 20 book signings, and a Pop-Up Bookshop run by mobile bookseller Mobile Libris fittingly located in the Library of the Wythe Hotel, with titles hand-selected by the Food Book Fair.

The event will highlight cookbooks, memoirs, magazines, and books about science, food systems, agriculture, urban design and food art and culture, and serve as a meeting place for food enthusiasts from all food disciplines.

At night, the Food Book Fair will curate unique, intimate events that reflect the fair’s spirit of moving forward the conversation and culture of food. Below is a rundown complete with details:

Saturday Night: Foodieodicals, a “Festival within the Fair”, will be a marketplace and gathering celebrating over 10 small, independently published zines, quarterlies and periodical such as: Lucky Peach, Diner Journal, Edible Brooklyn, Gastronomica, Laphams Quarterly: The Food Issue, Meatpaper, Put A Egg on It, Remedy Quarterly, Swallow Magazine, The Art of Eating, The Runcible Spoon, White Zinfandel, Wilder Quarterly.

Directly following Foodieodicals will be Pecha Kucha Night, an event originating in Japan. Seven presenters show 20 slides for 20 seconds each, which will highlight creative food projects.

Sunday Night: George Weld and Evan Hanczor of Egg will host a literary-themed dinner inspired by Earnest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises at their newest venture, Parish Hall.

Entrance to book signings are open to the public, individual panels are $15, and a 3-day pass is $215. To reserve tickets and for additional information on panels and book signings, visit nycfoodbookfair.eventbrite.com

It’s been a long not-so-cold winter, but with Spring officially here we’re excited to announce that Smorgasburg is coming back to us weekly beginning this Saturday, April 7th in rain or shine.

Changes this year include a new layout, and opening and closing an hour later (11am-6pm). New vendors this year include: Handsome Hank’s Fish Hut- Fried fish sandwiches from Danny Lyu of Cemitas. Vietnamese, Korean, and the classic “Nashville” styles, Mozz Shop - From Danny Lyu and Matt Lief of Landhaus BLTs. Fresh mozzarella, olive oil, and tomatoes as well as fried mozzarella balls and “Italian Corn Dogs” made with mozzarella and italian sausage, deep fried in a polenta batter, Best Summer – Vietnamese Summer Rolls from Dennis Ngo, the owner of Lonestar BBQ, La Casa De Camba – Bolivian food, King Leche Creams – Goat milk based ice creams with flavors such as buckwheat honey/Bourbon, spicy chocolate, sweet potato/pickled raisin, and cajeta habanero, Parantha Alley – A whole wheat roti stuffed with spicy fillings, Soy Hound – Home made soymilks with flavors such as orange chocolate, matcha green tea, cinnamon, and vanilla and many more.

Lastly, our favorite piece of news reported by Gothamist:

There is a very strong chance that soon enough you’ll be able to tipple while you table-hop! Smorgasburg’s Eric Demby tells us that, after having a vote on a liquor license for the food market tabled in February, the Brooklyn Flea offshoot is returning to the Brooklyn Community Board 1 SLA committee tonight and hope they can have a license up and running by May or June. “We’ve gathered about 10 pages of signatures in support of the application since our February appearance,” he tells us and they are “confident we’ll win approval both tonight and at the full board in a couple weeks.“

Spring has sprung in NYC and there are a slew of new places to celebrate the amazing weather. Full round-up is below.

Bellweather

Bellweather: Brought to you by the owners of Anella, Calyer, and Saint Vitus is this new American Nouveau eatery that features a menu of “raw-bar platters and dishes like baby artichokes with picholine olives and bottarga, tripe mole poblano with cracklings, and a BBQ black bass with cherry-tomato jam”. After the dishes are cleared off the table, and DJ takes over spinning into the night.
594 Union Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11211 347.529.4906

c/o The Village Voice

Cafe Mogador: Time Out New York says “The popular East Village Moroccan eatery opens a 75-seat outpost, outfitted with colorful tiles and reclaimed wood, in Williamsburg. A back herb garden growing rosemary, thyme and mint supplies the kitchen, which puts out signature dishes like a lamb tagine with dried apricots and prunes, a Greek salad crowned with za’atar croutons, and Middle Eastern eggs (tabouli, hummus, pita and chopped salad with eggs any style).”
133 Wythe Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11211 718.486.9222

Frej

Frej: Scandinavian-inspired tasting menus three nights a week in a pop-up restaurant in the back of Williamsburg café-bar Kinfolk Studios.
90 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn NY, 11211 347.286.6241

Tender Trap

Tender Trap: Our favorite new place Tender Trap is owned by Ryan Virag and BMX rider Darryl Nau who opened a space that features six beers and simple cocktails, in addition to revolving DJ’s who starts spinning at 10PM nightly, playing a wide-variety of music.
245 S 1st St. Brooklyn, NY 11211 347. 763.1825

Tradesman

Tradesman: Time Out New York says: “Antique tools decorate this Bushwick tavern, which also features rustic wood walls and a crosshatch-patterned floor in green, gray and white. Twelve taps dispense Northeast brews (Greenport Harbor, Kelso) at the 17-foot-long white oak bar, but drinkers can also sip on local hooch (Comb Honey Gin, Core Applejack) and classic cocktails.”
222 Bushwick Avenue 718.599.4440

One of our favorite times of year is fast approaching: Dine In Brooklyn which runs from March 19th until the 29th. This year there’s a multitude of great places participating in the $20.12 lunch and $25.00 dinner special pricing for the event. Participating eateries in Williamsburg include: 1 or 8, Aurora, Baci & Abbracci, Bamonte’s, Barberry, Bistro Fada, Tabare (our favorite), and many others.

Check out the full list of included restaurants here: http://visitbrooklyn.org/pdf/DIB_2012.pdf

Bistro Petit

Here’s your regular food & drink openings round-up. This round-up brings a new coffee shop, great new French food, and various Mexican joints.

Bistro Petit: Time Out New York says: “Jean Georges alum Seung Park combines his French training with his Korean background at this diminutive Willimasburg takeout spot. Expect East-meets-West crossover dishes, like kimchi bouillabaisse, made with local, seasonal ingredients.”
774 Driggs Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11211, 718.782.2582

c/o Gothamist

Mercado on Kent: Gothamist says “Wood-fired cooking, as seen at hot spots Tertulia and Mas (la grillade), is having a big moment: This Spanish market-style restaurant brings three more tinder-fueled ovens to Williamsburg, less than a block from Isa’s own flaming hearth. Chef Peru Almandoz, a native of San Sebastian, Spain, works two wood-fired ovens in the open kitchen, while Johnny Peralta (Balthazar) uses one to roast his loaves in the downstairs bakery. Diners can perch at zinc-topped bars and choose from pintxos—Basque tapas, like croquettas and Padrón peppers—or settle into a communal wood table for large-format Northern Spanish fare, including suckling pig and a two-pound grilled rib eye called chuleton. To drink, choose from biodynamic and organic Spanish wines, hard apple cider and creative cocktails, like the Urumea (rum, Averna Amaro, clove syrup, lime juice) and the Duke (cognac, Carpano Antica, dry vermouth, served over an Earl Grey ice sphere). In a few weeks, a market, inspired by the retail-restaurant hybrids of Spain, will open in the back of the 80-seat space to sell charcuterie, cheeses, oils, homemade breads and churros with hot cocoa made with grated chocolate, milk and cream.”
291 Kent Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211, 718.782.8810

Santos Anne

Santos Anne: At first we were a bit skeptical about the French/Mexican fusion, but after our meal at Santos Anne we can safely say that it’s one of our favorite new places. We had veggie tacos and steak, both were amazing and the prices are hard to beat ($15 for a full steak meal)! The ambiance of Santos Anne is cozy with turquoise walls and lit candles scattered across the room. There’s live music on the weekends, and if you’re lucky a free tarot card reading.
366 Union Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211, 718.486.6979

St. Austere

St. Austere: Thrillist says “An “honest, unpretentious, and laid-back drinking and dining experience” that somehow isn’t Red Dog and leftover pizza on your couch, Saint’s narrow, industrial, al fresco-able space is outfitted with a slim metallic bar up front and communal wooden tables in back, where international small plates of Wahoo tartare, and porchetta- & sweet-pickle-filled Cubans can be paired with vino by the glass/half/bottle, and Euro-suds including St Feuillien Triple and Pinkus Mueller Pilsner.”
613 Grand St., Brooklyn, NY 11211, 718.388.0012

WhirlyBird

Whirlybird: Gothamist says “The legions of Brooklynites who travel to Austin for South by Southwest every year have come across a distinctly Texan (and distinctly delicious) specialty: the breakfast taco. Breakfast tacos (which involve some combination of scrambled eggs, chorizo, cheese, and peppers) have sadly been in short supply in Yankee territory, until now: meet Whirlybird.

Opening up shop in—where else?—Williamsburg, Whirlybird is the brainchild of musician Jeff Bailey, who’s played in indie mainstays Phosphorescent and Virgin Forest. Having toured through Austin many a time, he decided that Williamsburg, rife as it is with musicians and hungover people, would benefit immensely from the addition of organic breakfast tacos and locally-brewed coffee. If the above photo is any indication, he’s probably right.

Whirlybird will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends, with tacos going for $3-4 and coffee for $2-4. Stop by their grand opening tomorrow (Saturday) from 4-7 p.m. for a taco and solo sets from members of Deer Tick, Phosphorescent, and Virgin Forest. Early reviewers have praised the cafe for having “Zero bullshit, great taste, and a tiny framed portrait of Andy Kaufmann by the milk station to boot.” What more do you need, Williamsburg?
254 S 2nd St., Brooklyn, NY 11211, 718.208.8555

BlackBrick

BlackBrick: Beautiful new coffee shop serving Stumptown coffee, Jacques Torres hot chocolate, and coming soon-fresh baked goods.
300 S. Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11211

c/o L Magazine

We’ve been wondering what was to come of the abandoned airstream trailer that was once occupied by Goods Food. Eater has the latest news on the trailer’s newest reincarnation which will be led by Mesa Coyocan.

The owners of Williamsburg Mexican spot Mesa Coyoacan plan on opening the spot at Zona Rosa, serving tacos, margaritas, and other Mexican specialties. They hope to open the venture in April and keep it open from 8 AM until 4 or 5 AM. Unlike in its previous iteration, this time around the cafe will have running water and bathrooms.

We’re excited for this news, and hope the new venture will be more successful than the previous owners. Will the Margaritas be to go?

Brooklyn Wok Shop

It’s time for your regular food & drink openings round-up which includes healthy Chinese food, a dumpling shop, an alien cafe, Latin American small plates and a few new places to drink (!).

Brooklyn Wok Shop: Chef and owner Edric Har and his wife Melissa wanted to open a healthy take-out Chinese food in North Williamsburg that had “a menu of standards incorporating hormone- and antibiotic-free meats, as well as stocks and sauces made from real bones and scratch, not powders and bases”. Brooklyn Wok Shop is currently only open for dinner, but will open next month for lunch, delivery, and a dim sum brunch.
182 N 10th St. Brooklyn, NY 11211, 347.889.7992

c/o Flickr user Maggie Hoffman

Vanessa’s Dumplings: East Village favorite Vanessa’s Dumplings has arrived in Williamsburg with an expanded menu including veggie items like “noodles sautéed with vegetables or a four-mushroom roll in tofu skin.”
310 Bedford Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11211, 718.218.8809

Alien Cafe

Alien Cafe: We are not a huge fan of the name, which is a bizarre choice, but Alien Cafe actually offers a pretty good selection of American Traditional dishes such as eggs, sandwiches, and a variety of meat, fish, and vegetarian options for dinner. Alien Cafe is owned by Robert Sandoval who also owned the former Grand Street Grill space. He decided he wanted to re-invent the place, and brought on L’Artiste menu creator-chef Luis Santos. The result is a varied menu with prices that aren’t hard on your wallet. Blue Bottle coffee is also served at brunch, which is always a plus.
812 Grand St. Brooklyn, NY 11206, 347.294.4288

Cayler

Cayler: “The owners of Anella in Greenpoint put one of their chefs, Gabriel Moya, in charge here. He adds touches of his native Puerto Rico in small plates like salt cod with a Scotch egg and plantain chips. Wines are from Spain and Portugal.” We’re also looking forward to their new brunch menu which launches this weekend “which features such creative hangover-busting fare as a Southwestern Benedict riff made with masa cakes and shaved veal tongue, a duck confit tostada, or a steaming bowl of caldo gallego, with pork belly and root veggies in bacon broth.”
92 Calyer St. Brooklyn, NY 11222, 347.899.6323

c/o Zagat

Basik: Opened in the former Phoebe’s Cafe space (RIP) by alums from Gallery Bar & The Breslin, Basik serves 40-oz cocktails as well as “individual-sized tipples—like the Poppa’s Pride (bourbon, ginger, mint, lemon, soda, Angostura bitters) or the Mea Culpa (tequila, Punt e Mes, Velvet Falernum, lime). There are also a variety of dishes made with seasonal ingredients, including a roasted beet salad with Greek yogurt and a Wisconsin dog with house-made mustard and aged cheddar, which form the menu of elevated comfort food.”
323 Graham Ave. Brooklyn, NY 11211 347.899.7599

The Shanty

The Shanty: Cheers to Brooklyn’s first cocktail bar–distillery hybrid: the Shanty. “The 40-seat saloon looks onto the manufacturing floor of the newly operational New York Distilling Company through a large bay, and brings some hard-to-find spirits to the American market, like the once defunct Rock and Rye, a young rye whiskey flavored with rock candy. The laid-back joint is decorated with a 19th-century moonshining still and hanging wood-and-metal lights carved to resemble old whiskey bottles.”
79 Richardson St. Brooklyn, NY 11211 718.412.0874

It’s no secret here at FreeWilliamsburg that  Nitehawk Cinema is one of our favorite new places to open in the ‘hood in a long time. We loved them even without booze in the theaters, but the addition of a beer or cocktail while watching a movie makes the experience that much better.

We were lucky enough to attend the Brooklyn Brewery: Directors Cut event which was awesome (full menu after the jump), but while we were there we spotted several other cool screenings and events that are worth mentioning.

This weekend they’ll be screening INNI, the Sigur Ros concert documentary and live that has had a pretty limited release this Friday & Saturday at 12:30am.

Check out their “Spirit of Xmas” series if you love Holidays and want a chance to watch bad holiday movies starring Billy Bob Thornton (Bad Santa) as well as a few classics like Rare Exports and A Christmas Story. To see the full line-up click here: http://www.nitehawkcinema.com/weekend.php?wsID=6.

Read about the Brooklyn Brewery: Directors Cut event after the jump.

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