Stunning views, trendy eats, and live music: a weekend in Williamsburg, Brooklyn

The WeekEnder Staycation series is back, and this time around we are taking you across the East River to Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Like many New Yorkers who have lived in the city for a certain length of time, I discovered this once-gritty neighborhood long before all its warehouses had been converted into slick restaurants and chic boutiques. I’m dating myself, but I used to make my way here from Manhattan back in the 90s to dine at a hole-in-the-wall spot called Planet (a.k.a. “PlanEat”) Thailand and go to the occasional rave in an old factory.

I loved Williamsburg’s urban mix of low-slung buildings, wide open skyline views, and pretty parks so much that I thought about buying a place here in 1999 — but choked because I wasn’t sure if the neighborhood’s value would go up. (Talk about a #RealEstateFail.) But I was hooked and in 2012 with a baby on the way, my husband and I finally took the plunge and moved here full-time. What’s it like to live in one of the coolest places on the planet?

The first thing to know about Williamsburg is that there’s so much more than the hipster zone around Bedford Avenue. The neighborhood borders the East River and stretches from Flushing Avenue in the south all the way north to McCarren Park, encompassing thriving Hasidic, Latin, and Italian areas. The eastern boundary is a bit less defined. Many people think Williamsburg stops at the overpass for the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, but it keeps going, segueing into a more residential zone before Bushwick eventually takes over.

Williamsburg is also more kid-friendly than you’d think. While it has a well-deserved reputation as a nightlife Mecca, it’s just as welcoming to the stroller crowd. In fact, one of its best live music clubs, the Knitting Factory, hosts rocking daytime kiddie singalongs.

So hop on the L train or the East River Ferry and let me introduce you to the best of my neighborhood.

-Laura Begley Bloom, New York's Senior WeekEnder Writer

In Williamsburg, every hotel is an Instagrammer’s dream. So count on filling up your feed at my four top spots.

A friend of mine got engaged here, and it’s no wonder: The views of Manhattan are jaw-droppingly romantic. My husband and I love having date nights at Westlight, the 22nd floor rooftop bar with inventive cocktails and an equally exciting menu from chef Andrew Carmellini.

With its comfy couches and quiet corners, the Hoxton’s open and airy lobby feels like the most stylish coworking space you’ve ever seen. Its restaurant is a cool canteen for when you need a break and a bite. Upstairs, the rooms are small but well-designed for travelers on the go.

Built in 1901, this former sugar barrel factory is now a sweet spot for modern-day foodies, thanks to the ground floor brasserie, Le Crocodile, and Bar Blondeau, a French wine bar with great Manhattan views.

Some people might claim that this hotel is actually in neighboring Bushwick. No matter. With its murals by local artists and loft-like rooms, it’s close enough to Williamsburg in style and spirit — and its low prices can’t be beat.

Williamsburg’s buzzing food scene has made it a destination of choice for many New Yorkers who come here to dine at iconic restaurants like Peter Luger Steak House (a classic that dates to 1887) and Lilia (modern Italian from chef Missy Robbins). You’ll see these restaurants on every best-of list for the neighborhood, so I don’t need to tell you that they’re great. What follows is my personal list of go-to spots.

Lella Alimentari - Right around the corner from where I live is this quirky Italian cafe decorated with flea market finds. The breakfast panini sandwiches and strong coffee will transport you to Rome.

Egg Shop - Get ready to wait for a table at this local favorite that specializes in creative egg-centric dishes in an airy, industrial space.

Mother’s - When I’m craving a burger and a beer, this is my place. I’m obsessed with the spicy brussels sprouts, which are lightly fried and topped with parmesan and lemon.

Fette Sau - Calling all meat lovers. Grab a picnic table at this former auto body shop and order platters of smoked BBQ and craft beer by the gallon. Fette Sau (which means “fat pig” in German) is also open for dinner, but my secret tip is to come at lunchtime, when the lines are much shorter.

The Butcher’s Daughter - I’m not a vegetarian by any stretch of the imagination, but I love having a healthy lunch at this plant-based restaurant and juice bar that’s part of a chain with several locations around the city. I am partial to this sunny location with its only-in-Williamsburg vibe.

Llama Inn - Tucked under the BQE, this plant-filled Peruvian restaurant from Erik Ramirez (who cut his teeth as sous chef at Eleven Madison Park) is the next best thing to a trip to Lima.

Kings Co. Imperial - The soy sauce is homemade and there are Sichuan Spritz cocktails on tap at this cutting-edge Chinese restaurant. I can’t resist the Hot & Sour soup and the Dry Fry Long Bean with pickled vegetables and ground pork.

Win Son - Excellent Taiwanese home cooking. The Fly’s Head dish sounds bizarre, but this mix of stir-fried minced pork, fermented, black beans, and garlic chives is not to be missed.

Birria Landia - There’s always a line at this food truck that serves up Tijuana-style dishes made with birria, a traditional meat-based stew.

DeStefano’s - Everyone knows about Peter Luger; I would argue that the steaks at the family-owned DeStefano’s are even better. The staff knows exactly what my family is going to order every time: the dry-aged porterhouse, sweet and spicy bacon, an iceberg wedge, and the signature home fries.

Salt + Charcoal - You can’t miss the wagyu sushi and the porterhouse with a selection of outrageous sauces (wasabi cream, soy lemon onion, herb lemon butter) at this Japanese-inspired steak house.

St. Anselm - The prices are easy on the wallet at this low-key steak house. But good luck getting a table: It’s always packed.

Diner - Set in a vintage dining car, Diner was a trailblazer when it opened in 1999, and its ever-changing seasonally inspired menus still deliver after all these years.

The Four Horsemen - If you want to eat at this Michelin-starred restaurant with an impressive natural wine list and a celebrity co-owner (James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem), you'll need to make reservations well in advance or show up the minute it opens.

Bamonte’s - This old-school red-sauce Italian restaurant has been around since 1900 and it's still a flashback to another era. Fun fact: We bought our house (complete with a fig tree) from a guy who works here, so it holds a special place in my heart.

Maison Premiere - When I need an oyster fix, I head to this sultry New Orleans-inspired cocktail den, which won a James Beard award for its bar program and serves more than 30 varieties of oysters on the half shell.

Talea Beer Co. - The first women-owned brewery in NYC specializes in fruit-forward brews using ingredients like Meyer lemon, chamomile, and bergamot peel.

Radegast Hall & Biergarten - A lively German-style beer hall that is just as much fun with your kids on a Sunday afternoon as it is with your friends on a Saturday night.

Brooklyn Bowl - Live music, cocktails, and bowling — the ultimate combo for grownups. Plus, shows for tots.

From shopping to galleries, there’s so much to do in Williamsburg, but I’m keeping it simple with my five favorite things to do in the hood.

Domino Park - The former Domino Sugar Refinery, with its iconic script sign, has been transformed into a five-acre waterfront park with a playground, elevated walkway, open-air taco restaurant, and killer Manhattan views.

East River Ferry - Get out on the water on the East River Ferry, which makes two stops in Williamsburg and will also whisk you off to other locations around the city, from Long Island City to DUMBO.

Brooklyn Art Library - This non-profit, community-funded art project houses the world’s largest collection of sketchbooks. How it works: You can buy an empty sketchbook, fill it up with art or writing, and have it preserved for prosperity.

Brooklyn Flea - There’s nothing I love more than a good flea market, and Williamsburg delivers with this open-air market devoted to local artisans and secondhand finds. It’s held every Saturday through October 30. After that, I get my flea market shopping fix at the year-round Artists & Fleas.

Smorgasburg - This artisanal food market — a spin-off from the Brooklyn Flea — launched 10 years ago and has become a global phenomenon, with pop-ups everywhere from Jersey City to Japan. It’s held on Saturdays through the end of October.

Knitting Factory - When my daughter was a baby, I used to take her to this concert venue to rock out at the daytime kiddie singalongs.

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