Order at Di Fara and walk around the corner to sibling Italian comfort food restaurant MD Kitchen. Because what makes a 2 hour wait for bread, sauce, and cheese better? Shrimp parmigiana heroes.
Hit this place at 10:30 a.m. if you want to see the gathering of regulars. A morning trip also ensures that your favorite doughnut flavor won't have run out.
The "Something Different," a self-proclaimed sandwich of brisket served between 2 perfectly seasoned potato pancakes with jus, sour cream, and applesauce on the side, is spectacular.
Order a Gargiulo burger here. Credit goes to the Russo brothers of Coney Island's Gargiulo's, who first plunked a helping of roast beef onto their cheeseburgers before dipping them in jus.
Sprawled out over multiple buildings, Brooklyn's most famous Italian-American dining complex is part ice cream parlor, part pizzeria, with a broader Italian restaurant thrown in for good measure.
Long lines form during prime brunching hours, but the waitstaff will reward your patience with gratis orange slices, sips of coffee, & breakfast meats. Tom's remains a community restaurant at heart.
It's the kitchen's famed sauce, made with tomatoes stewed for hours, that keeps folks coming back for more. Ladled over steamed, fried, or raw seafood, the sauce's chile heat creeps to a low rumble.
Pizzaiolos prep and fire pies for as long as there's dough available, which for us occasionally means confronting a locked door. But generations of New Yorkers haven't minded, and neither should you.
You can spot newcomers here because they order their sandwiches large — a mistake unless you plan to feed a family or want something to take home.
This iconic stand serves as a benchmark, with hot dogs that break apart with an aurally pleasing snap thanks to natural casings, & you can have yours slathered in chili, cheese, or peppers and onions.
Don't miss the panelle, a fried chickpea pastry served with fresh ricotta, or the freshly made burrata, the perfect partner to smoky grilled eggplant. & save room if you can for a house-made cannoli.
You'll likely enjoy dishes like stuffed artichokes and the "Pork Chop Bamonte." But make sure to enjoy a postprandial espresso-and-sambuca — it's the original Brooklyn combo.
You will be admonished if you order your steak anything other than rare, so it's best to just let the kitchen take control. For sides, creamed spinach, onion rings, & German fried potatoes are a must.
