Berg'n

899 Bergen St, Brooklyn, NY 11238

Editor's Review

Berg'n, for the uninitiated, is a Crown Heights cafe, beer hall, and food court from the people who founded the Brooklyn Flea and Smorgasburg—basically, ground zero for the explosive Brooklyn-based foodie universe. The space takes up the entire ground floor of a converted warehouse, including a courtyard, a sprawling main space, and a smaller side room. There are plenty of long communal tables, a few pinball machines, a stack of board games, and usually, at almost any time of day, a ton of people, including folks on laptops, young parents with strollers, food tourists, artists, and possibly your own mother. The bar has a great beer selection and cocktails, and there are plenty of intriguing food options of all stripes from several excellent local craft food purveyors. And the cafe counter is similarly thoughtful. They brew Parlor coffee and will pull an excellent espresso, and feature treats from Choice Market, Dough Donuts, Ye Olde Brooklyn Bagels, Good Batch ice cream sandwiches and La Newyorkina scoops, plus a variety of other packaged delectables.

Berg'n is more than just a great cafe, but it is that as well, and the whole operation is well worth a trip. Because this spot is part of a larger food court, it's worth explaining their hours in a little more detail: from 8am-9am Tuesday-Thursday, and 8am-10am Friday, they are accessible only through a walk-up window in the courtyard. From 9am-6pm Tuesday-Thursday, and 10am-6pm Friday-Sunday, they are full service in the hall, but they stop making espresso every day at 5:30. Closed Mondays.

Review: Josh Madell