Broadway, Williamsburg

Broadway changes a lot as it traverses Brooklyn but it starts off (at the river) with quite a culinary bang. A large majority of all of the Willyburg restaurants that are talked about are on this street. Diner and Marlow and Sons are owned by the same people and it's a pretty even split in regards to which one people think is better. I, personally, prefer Diner. My sister prefers Marlow. What ya gonna do. They are about two blocks away from each other on Broadway and they both use local, sustainable farm products. The menu at Diner changes daily and I think that restaurant is pretty tops.
Dressler is just up the street and it is pretty fantastic too although not quite as good as Diner. Way up Broadway, there is a restaurant called Moto that is probably one of Willyburg's best kept secrets. Most people outside of Brooklyn don't know about this place and even a lot of people in Brooklyn have never been. It's in a weird spot -- it's kind of in the ghetto. But, the restaurant is dark and beautiful and has great food and music. It's one of my favorite spots in the city.
There's a really cute wine shop and a really cute cafe / wine shop on Broadway at Kent. But, there aren't a lot of stores in the area just yet. I think because of all of these great restaurants, there will soon be a lot more commerce around the Broadway area. But, right now, it's pretty slim pickings. And, the further east you go, the more scary it gets. Broadway around the third stop is an area I tend to avoid. And, because it's not exactly close to transportation, Broadway is still not a particularly desirable place to live -- although it's pretty cheap still. Basically, you go to Broadway to eat, and that's about it. . . . for now.

The Broadway that lines the border of Williamsburg, Bushwick and Bed-Stuy is not comparable to the Broadway that most people are familiar with in Manhattan. Though I admit there are some cool spots on the street - Big Apple Coffee & Donut Shop springs to mind - there are a lot of shops that sell sneakers or cheap clothing (Rainbow is one) and there is a lot of fast food, especially where Broadway meets Flushing.

The JMZ line runs right about the street, making Broadway a less-than-desirable place to live. Although I live nearby and everyone that I know who lives on this street say that they don't even notice the train anymore. Go figure.

Broadway in Brooklyn isn’t much like its Manhattan counterparts (you never really think about there being more than one Broadway, but it just happens that there are many). This street extends from Williamsburg all the way to Flushing, so it is not easily described. Notable on the street, though, is The Diner at 85 Broadway – it’s a restaurant that is actually a restored 1927 dining car.