A Brighton Beach Evening

I realized the other day that I hadn't been out to Brighton Beach in over two years.  I love exploring the city but somehow this section is just far enough off the grid that I completely forget about it; which is a shame because it's a fascinating spot.  This area also known as Little Odessa, a nod to the Ukrainian city where many of the residents come from, feels light years away from NYC.  Restaurants boast over the top Old World decor (the more gold the better), vodka is the local drink of choice and everything is in Russian.  EVERYTHING.  Just walking into the various stores and restaurants you are greeted with привет instead of hello and many people don't seem to know English at all, or at least they pretend not to.


I began my little journey at the Wise Espresso Bar on Coney Island Avenue.  This cozy, owl themed coffee bar was absolutely hopping with a mix of couples and friends enjoying house specialties like the creamy Caffe Viennese, Blueberry Frappes and a surprisingly large selection of wine and cocktails.
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After my caffeine fix I wandered across Brighton Beach Avenue and stopped into the St. Petersburg Bookstore to stare at the Faberge style eggs and decorative board games, then over to Vintage Food Corporation to load up on cashews, sunflower seeds and spices at ridiculously low prices.


Then finally to the rustic little restaurant Skovorodka for a delicious bowl of plump Peimeini Siberian Dumplings stuffed with beef and served with a side of sour cream.  The service wasn't exactly the best but I do believe my waiter tried to fit as much wine into my glass as humanly possible which was quite amusing to watch.


After that I stumbled to the train with a full happy stomach and quite a nice wine buzz going on. Until next time Brighton Beach!

615 Brighton Beach Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11235

3120 Coney Island Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11235

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