Mara Hoffman’s Favorite Williamsburg, Brooklyn Spots
Written by Katie Hintz-Zambrano
Photography by Photo Courtesy of Mara Hoffman
Heading to Williamsburg, Brooklyn anytime soon? If you’re bringing the kids along, too, let designer Mara Hoffman be your guide. The mother of 3-year-old Joaquin gives us the lowdown on her favorite spots (both kid- and adult-friendly), right here!
What are your favorite places in Williamsburg to…
Eat with the kids?
“Some great new restaurants opened up down the street from our house. An Italian restaurant called Max and a Southern chicken and biscuits place called BeeHive Oven are all in the neighborhood, so we love to stay by home to eat. For great fish tacos we go to Rosarito Fish Shack in Williamsburg.”
Eat with adults?
“Walter Foods is fun for oysters and mojitos.”
Shop for kids?
“I like Sweet William in Williamsburg. ABC in the city has a great kids department, too. For basics I can always find things on Zara online.”
Shop for yourself?
“I shop a lot online. But in Brooklyn I love Narnia Vintage in Williamsburg; It’s a great vintage shop. I also love Beautiful Dreamers in Williamsburg.”
Play with your child?
“The park and our backyard! We also love Jane’s Carousel in Dumbo—it’s a favorite spot for us and you can take the ferry boat there from Williamsburg, which adds to the adventure. For running around, the East River Park is nice and on the water.”
Play with your adult friends?
“I like to go to the movies when I can. Nighthawk Cinema is a lot of fun because it serves dinner during the movie! Perfect for parents who don’t have a ton of time for their ‘night out.'”
Get out in nature?
“My family and I usually go to Upstate New York, around Woodstock.”
Any good flea markets/thrift shops?
“The Williamsburg Flea that happens on Sundays is great. Even when we don’t need anything, it’s a great place to spend an hour or so checking out cool things. Again, Narnia is awesome and in the hood.”
Any good museums?
“The MET is always a good choice! My son is into the Children’s Museum and also the Transit Museum (he loves subways!).”
Where do you take out-of-town visitors?
“Usually I keep them around the hood in Williamsburg. We’ll go to the little stores and restaurants here. Definitely the flea market on Sunday and the Smorgasburg, which happens the same day as the flea.”
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