Want to know the best restaurants in Clinton Hill, New York?
Clinton Hill is a youthful, laid-back neighborhood in north-central Brooklyn, New York City. It has so much charm and beauty, with the perfect mix of young people, families, restaurants, local shops, and parks.
Clinton Hill restaurants and bars are among the best in the city of New York.
Whether you are a local or just visiting, Clinton Hill is a true foodie destination, and this guide will provide you with all the best restaurants in Clinton Hill.
Lets explore the top places to eat in Clinton Hill, New York.
Best Restaurants in Clinton Hill, NY
1. Speedy Romeo
Speedy Romeo is one of the best restaurants in Clinton Hill, NY. It is actually the best pizzeria in Clinton Hill based on customers’ high ratings. Speedy Romeo makes wood-fired pizzas in a traditional pizza oven setup.
Speedy Romeo is a Michelin-star restaurant with accolades with respect to its high-quality pizza in New York. They have been included on the Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand list for consecutive years since 2013. The restaurant’s name is that of the co-owner champion racehorse, Speedy Romeo.
There are numerous pizza flavors and grade options for customers to choose from depending on their taste and price. The Margherita pizza, white album pizza, pork sausage mushroom pizza, the truffle shuffle pizza, the Dangerfield pizza, St Lourie pizza, and the list goes on.
You will have to visit their website to see the full pizza and non-pizza items menu and then make reservations before coming here. We can argue that there isn’t even one bad quality produced at this fine restaurant, especially in the pizza department. We would recommend you eat their St Lourie-style pizza because it’s extremely yummy.
Some of the non-pizza treats served at Speedy Romeo include Caesar salad, Kale Apple salad, smoked (wood-fired) wings, chicken wings, butternut squash soup, and more. Speedy Romeo offers indoor and outdoor dining seats for customers. Speedy Romeo Restaurant is truly a perfect restaurant in all ramifications. Operating hours are 10 am-10 pm.
Address: 376 Classon Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238-1336. Phone: +1 718-230-0061
2. Aita
If you’re looking for a good Italian restaurant in Clinton Hill, try Aita. Aita is one of the top Clinton Hill restaurants, hands down. It is a quaint neighborhood Italian trattoria offering the best Italian fare to the Clinton Hill community.
The restaurant serves locally sourced dishes in a cozy, relaxed, and intimate environment. It is ideal for romantic dinner dates, small private parties, and family or solo dining. Aita has been in operation since 2012 thus they’ve mastered Italian cuisine and satisfactory wine service.
The popular food on the Aita restaurant menu is oxtail ravioli. It is seriously delicious and has the best flavor, texture, and garnishing looks. Spaghetti carbonara, brussels sprouts, Aita home fries, avocado toast, squash soup, et cetera are all part of the menu.
You should try and order their pasta and gnocchi. Eat them and thank us later. The restaurant’s bar and wine cellular is not also lacking competence. They are tons of fine Italian, American and international wines you can pick from. Operating hours are only in the evenings from 5 pm-10 pm.
Address: 132 Greene Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238-1138. Phone: +1 718-576-3584
3. Emily
Emily is another highly-rated pizza restaurant in Clinton Hill. Though distant from Speedy Romeo, its reputation for high quality is not far apart. Emily Restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor dining, and they accept reservations.
This cozy, gourmet pizza restaurant serves an amazing variety of pizza with optional red sauce. There are Ezzo pepperoni bacon sausage chorizo meatball bouquerones for your enjoyment. But the perfect pizza for a newbie is their Emmy pizza which is seriously delicious.
Aside from pizza, Emily Restaurant makes Emmy burgers and fries, hotdogs, chicken wings, and desserts. This restaurant has every good thing ticked good and so move it to the top 3 of your hit list. You can make a reservation, bring friends, and order one pizza. There’s a reason why it’s on our list of Clinton Hill restaurants in Brooklyn!
Address: 919 Fulton St, Brooklyn, NY 11238-1735. Phone: +1 347-884-9588
4. Locanda Vini & Olii
Locanda Vini & Olii is one of the best restaurants in Clinton Hill, NY. This place was built as a drugstore a century ago and is now converted into Locanda Vini and Olii restaurant. They serve Northern Italian cuisine to the Clinton Hill community.
Grilled duck breasts, chicken lives & taleggio risotto sartu, and Tartufo are interesting foods on Locanda Vini and Olii menu. Eating lasagna in this Italian restaurant is a different culinary experience. We recommend you order that and try their black truffle pasta too.
This restaurant operates in the evening between the hours of 5 pm to 9.45 pm. Locanda Vini & Olii is a Clinton Hill restaurant you are going to love and want to keep visiting repeatedly.
Address: 129 Gates Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238-1920. Phone: +1 718-622-9202
5. Il Porto Ristorante & Wood Fired Pizza
This is a bright restaurant offering pizza and other Italian classics. Il Porte is an Italian restaurant dedicated to making wood-fired pizza from scratch with authentic flavors and the freshest ingredients. Takeout and delivery are common options for getting your pizza if you don’t want to sit there.
Looking at the menu, scallops, panini, focaccia, fig tart, fresh pasta, affogato, Mediterranean salads, chestnut risotto, and many pizza flavors are available for your enjoyment. You may choose to eat one of the above with coffee or your fine Italian wine.
Pizza from Il Porto is reportedly delicious, thus, prompting many positive reviews. Aside from pizza, they serve other Italian dishes such as risotto, mortadella, spaghetti, and more.
Il Porto Ristorante & Wood Fired Pizza restaurant opens by 11 am and closes by 10 pm on weekdays and 11 pm on weekends.
Address: 37 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, NY . Phone: +1 718-628-0954
6. SOCO
SOCO is the best soul food restaurant in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, NY. It serves Southern food with a modern twist paired with cocktails and live DJ music jams. SOCO serves Mac & Cheese, lobster shrimp & grits, jambalaya, and SOCO baby back ribs. And there is more!
You can start your day here with cornbread, deviled eggs, and a cup of coffee. Your midday meal could be white cheddar grits or molasses braised short ribs with a glass of beer or a fruit drink if you don’t like alcohol.
Nola’s steamed mussels are reportedly delicious, as the comments on online review sites show. It is obvious that SOCO is a great place to eat in Brooklyn.
The restaurant’s staff operates from noon till 9.30 pm on a daily basis.
Address: 509 Myrtle Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205-2621. Phone: +1 718-783-1936
7. Putnam’s Pub & Cooker
Putnam’s is a lively gastropub with an extensive selection of upscale pub grub, craft beers, and entrees. It is located at a prime spot between Clinton Hill and the neighboring Fort Green. It was established in July 2011.
You can’t be wrong for wanting to hang out at Putnam’s. There is room for social gatherings while eating and drinking at this fine Brooklyn restaurant. Putnam’s Pub is a major contributor to the greater New York craft beer industry.
There are award-winning beverages for everyone to enjoy at Putnam’s, whether it’s whisky, bourbon, beer, or brandy. The casual setting and the great food make this Brooklyn restaurant one of the best in New York.
While you’re in this food establishment in downtown Brooklyn, you can have seafood like oysters and fried shrimp if you want. Truffle Mac and Cheese is a wonderful breakfast choice at this gastropub.
Buffalo chicken wings are a good choice for brunch, lunch, or dinner, eaten with a bottle of local craft beer.
Address: 419 Myrtle Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205-2437. Phone: +1 347-799-2382
8. Belli Osteria
Do you want to take your romantic partner or spouse to an intimate candlelit eatery in Brooklyn? Then you must consider Belli Osteria as one of your go-to destinations. It is one of the best restaurants in Clinton Hill for such a thing.
They offer a lot of hearty vegan dishes, plus happy hour cocktails are readily available. Belli Osteria’s motto says “homemade is the only way we do it, the way it has always been”.
This statement and the food quality indicate to us that Belli Osteria makes authentic pasta and other Italian foods. Over the years since their inception, they’ve mastered the Italian culinary arts.
Some of the menu items include a Manchego cheeseburger, seafood risotto, lasagna, gnocchi, and spaghetti. Smooth and sweet cocktails available include mimosa, citrus flower martini, and red sangria.
We love the spaghetti al granchio (black spaghetti) but we haven’t tasted the one made by this restaurant. So we can only recommend it, believing that Belli Osteria will not disappoint.
Belli Osteria is an evening-only Italian restaurant also known as a diner. It operates between the hours of 5-10 pm daily.
Address: 860 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY. Phone: (347) 799-1230
Also, check out our guide on Things to Do in Cortland , and Things to Do in Ellicottville for a memorable exploration experience.
9. Castro’s Restaurant
Castro’s restaurant is one of the top Brooklyn restaurants serving high-quality Mexican fare. They are good at what it does thus making it one of the best restaurants in Clinton Hill. Castro’s Restaurant serves nachos, tamales, fajitas, tacos, guacamole, and so on.
Additionally, this Mexican eatery in Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn, has a full bar, dining section, and entertainment options indoors and in the backyard patio. They open shop by 9 am and close by 10.30 pm every day of the week.
A special that is made on order is ribeye beef served with rice, bean soup, and guacamole. Ground beef hard shell taco is uniquely made here at Castro’s. They are not only delicious but crunchy and sublime. After any meal you order, don’t forget to order one of their margaritas to add to your gastronomical merry.
There is plenty of vegan and gluten-free options for all customers. The takeaway, pickup, and delivery are all available choices for the customers’ convenience.
Address: 511 Myrtle Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Phone: (718) 398-1459
10. Mike’s Coffee Shop
According to the positive comments on online review forums, Mike’s French toast is reportedly delicious. Mike’s Coffee Shop is the place to be when you want to eat a delicious breakfast in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.
We can’t recommend their blueberry waffles enough, as it is seriously delicious. The same goes for their pancakes and sausage. They are sumptuous breakfast treats you have to try out at Mike’s Coffee Shop.
Menu items include pesto scramble, marvelous muffin, black bean quinoa (veggie type), biscuits & gravy, and more. Chi and mint mocha are homemade beverages you can enjoy at Mike’s Coffee Shop.
Golden milk, decaf mocha, and coffee latte are also great beverages to drink for breakfast.
Address: 328 DeKalb Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Phone: (718) 857-1462
11. Hill Café
Hill Café is a cozy and hospitable restaurant with iconic views of the Empire State Building and downtown Brooklyn from its patio. It is obviously a neighborhood hangout for the Clinton Hill and Fort Green communities in Brooklyn. Hill Cafe is a good restaurant for brunch with business partners or work colleagues.
They serve some of the best beef bourguignon with mashed potatoes, lobster risotto, and roasted chicken. The salmon served at Hill Café is also a generous amount, and it’s tasty.
This restaurant is not the fanciest restaurant on Putnam Avenue, Brooklyn but the great food and prime location still make it one of the best.
Hill Café offers both indoor and outdoor dining and they accept reservations as well. Being a French American restaurant, it serves French-style breakfast foods in abundance.
Fresh croissants, baguettes, and chocolate cakes are just a few of the breakfast treat you can order at Hill Café.
Address: 17 Pitnam Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Phone: (718) 230-3471
12. Sisters
Sisters nailed it on the exterior and interior design. The restaurant’s incredible natural light, plants, and good-looking bar make this restaurant one of the most aesthetically pleasing Clinton Hill restaurants. As you may know, Sisters is not just all about the looks; it’s also about the food quality.
The menu contains food like kale salad, fried chicken sandwiches, veggie burgers, risotto, fried pickles, and more. The full menu is available online for you to view if you’re curious about visiting The Sisters.
Huevos ranchero is a vegetarian dish that you would likely enjoy if you choose to try it at Sisters. It consists of fried eggs served on partially fried corn tortillas with cooked salsa smothered on top. It is a classic Mexican breakfast that is prepared very exquisitely at Sisters.
Another standout menu item recommended at this restaurant is their fried chicken sandwich. It’s delicious. The restaurant’s bar serves American beer & cocktails, and some Mexican cocktails as well.
They open by 11 am and close by midnight every day; however, they may stay till 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Address: 900 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY. Phone: (347) 763-2537
13. Mekelburg’s Fine Foods Craft Beer
So, you want to eat gourmet food along with fine local craft beer in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn? Then you should take yourself to Mekelburg’s Fine Foods. This classical American restaurant serves fine food for residents of some Brooklyn towns, including Clinton Hill.
Mekelburg’s is an important eatery in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. It offers whitefish tartine, charcuterie, bread pudding, veggie sandwiches, brunch burgers, spicy tofu Banh, mekchicken, and so on. Mekelburg’s specialty shop
You can’t go wrong with eating at Mekebburg’s Fine Foods. For instance, their wagyu roast beef sandwich will make you ordering for more to eat there and take out.
It’s seriously sumptuous with the right ingredients and form. Their mek muffin, kale salad, and avocado toast are standout menu items to also try.
Address: 293 Grand Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11238. Phone: (718) 399-2337
14. ICHIRAN Brooklyn
Ichiran is a ramen restaurant chain with branches nationwide offering the best ramen meals plus other Japanese food offerings. The Brooklyn branch of Ichiran restaurant prepares the best-tasting bowls of ramen in Brooklyn, if not the whole of New York.
Ichiran is the place to be if you’re craving classic tonkatsu ramen. The chefs here have mastered the art of making this one dish that you will enjoy every bite you take. You can also order other meals aside from ramen at Ichiran. There are soft-boiled eggs to eat for a light brunch, along with Japanese hot tea (or Japanese soda, depending on personal preferences).
You can eat rice with chicken for solo or group dining. You can go for menu highlights such as kikurage mushrooms, soba, premium yakibuta, matcha pudding, or matcha green tea pudding and more.
The combo observed by some customers is the matcha pudding with matcha beer or matcha green tea. We don’t know how that goes, but it’s an empirical observation.
The restaurant is open by noon on weekends and 2 pm on regular weekdays. They close by 9.30 pm every day and conduct deliveries only at 2-9 pm.
Address: 374 Johnson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Phone: (718) 381-0491
15. Choice Market
This is a renowned café and bakery on Lafayette Avenue. We all love the sweet-smelling aroma of a bakery when we pass it by. The Choice Market is one such bakery in Brooklyn, New York. It is the best place in Clinton Hill to get bread, cakes, coffee, and other baked products.
The Choice Market opens early in the morning by 8 am and closes by 8 pm. the staff is friendly and fast service is assured whenever you order at Choice Market.
Some of the goodies you can expect to purchase from this bakery include cinnamon rolls, meatloaf, Biscuits & Gravy, lamb, chocolate croissants, cream puffs pie, and others.
Soups and salads are also served here, which goes to show that this food establishment isn’t only about bread and baked stuff. Fried shrimps, turkey burgers, and muffins are the popular menu items often ordered by customers.
Address: 318 Lafayette Avenue, Brooklyn, NY. Phone: (718) 230-5234
Map of the Best Restaurants in Clinton Hill, NY
To get around during your trip to Clinton Hill, here is a map of the best restaurants in Clinton Hill with markers of the top places to eat in Clinton Hill, NY.
Planning a trip to Ney York? Check out our guide on the Restaurants in Pulaski , Restaurants in Ossining, and Restaurants in Hertel Avenue for a memorable time.
Plan a Trip to Clinton Hill
Sisters, Speedy Romeo, and Aita are the top 3 favorite Clinton Hill restaurants we love.
Note that there are many more amazing restaurants in Clinton Hill, so start planning your trip here to get the best of a food experience.
Have fun!