Photo credit: williamsburgnyblog.com

Kent Avenue keeps it gritty, grimy and just inconvenient enough to trek to, that your typical G and L train traffic will probably give up mid-journey and bail for The Whiskey. If you’re looking for a DIY dance party, mosh pit under a parachute, or the occasional gathering of like-minded Brooklynites who’ve decided to paint feline features on their faces, all roads point to Kent. The usual suspects of nightlife-friendly food are well-represented on Kent and given a gourmet edge, from hearty chorizo burritos to grass-fed burgers and fries. Take in the waterfront and maybe even explore an abandoned warehouse or two; who knows when the old Domino’s Sugar Factory is going to finally be developed into the “Williamsburg’s version of the Highline”?  These are the spots to get your grub on before braving that steamy-walled pile of bodies that is the Woods.

Continuing our round-up of…

Monk Bar and Pizzeria
Mercado on Kent’s replacement, this Neapolitan pizza parlor leaves behind the prior tenant’s Basque cuisine for, in their words, “simple Italian food.” The kamut pizza, with every square inch of surface space covered in prosciutto and bufala mozzarella, is a good place to start. Pizza is of course a well-known hangover helper and greasy friend on the path back to sobriety; the name Alligator Lounge ring a bell? But this more upscale establishment maintains an underground vibe thanks to low-hanging lights and expansive metal bar meeting hardwood surfaces. Consider it the perfect pit stop before lowering your classiness and stashing your coat in the bowels of Glasslands.

Monk Bar and Pizzeria
291 Kent Ave
(718) 782-8810

Mole NYC
The first location to open literally across the bridge, Mole NYC’s contribution to Kent Avenue is pretty crucial. Mexican staples from a large tableside bowl of guac to queso fundido are available in spades, and tacos stuffed with every meat and veggie, as well as the acclaimed cochinita pibil of shredded pork and salsa verde. Making it to Mole’s 4 pm to 7 pm happy hour is pretty much an impossible feat, unless you work locally or arrive for the early show at 285 Kent. But if you are able to partake, keep it in check, or you may find yourself sinking into the couch in 285′s lobby a few hours later (I don’t recommend this; the removal process for such people looks more than a little unpleasant).

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Kent Ale House (via Gothamist)

Co-owner Patrick Burke (who also runs the Brickyard Gastropub in Manhattan) says that roughly half of the beers will be locally sourced from New York State. Click through for the current menu.
There’s space for 55 in the outdoor seating area that wraps around the exterior of the Ale House, and a room in the back has a working fireplace that Burke plans to use in the winter. In addition to beer, they serve mixed drinks and wine, plus a solid bar menu that ranges from spicy popcorn to grilled cheese sandwiches to sweet potato fires to arugula salad. There are also a variety of “build your own” burgers, with “grass fed natural beef, bison, and veggie” options, and over a dozen possible toppings.

More information and a full beer list at http://www.kentalehouse.com. See Kent Ale House in our listings.