376 replies to this topic

[Rail Paul]

Every weekend from now through October, hungry New Yorkers in-the-know follow Latinos from the Metropolitan area to a corner of Red Hook for some of the best Hispanic food in the city.

"It's like you're home," said Juan Gomez, a truckdriver from El Salvador who travels from New Jersey on weekends to Red Hook Park for fried pupusas.

At first glance, the food stands look more like a shanty town than an open-air feast, which opened last weekend.

But behind the weather-beaten tarps and scratched-up vans, families from Mexico, El Salvador and other Latin American countries serve up tamales, tacos and other specialties - which rival the soccer games as the park's biggest draw.


Corner of Clinton St and Bay St

[Tamar G]

is there any way to get there without a car?

[Steve R.]

is there any way to get there without a car?

There are lots of train/bus combos that work, but I think the simplest is the F train to Smith/9th St then walk 4-5 blocks or so. The ballfields are only 2 blocks into Red Hook. By the way, the above train station is the "end" (or beginning) of the same Smith St with wall to wall restaurants and bars written up everywhere. On the way back, just continue to walk Smith toward Atlantic Ave. The F train has 2 more stops on Smith and you can hop on at either or continue walking into Downtown Bklyn for other trains. Longish walk but very doable.

[Tamar G]

thanks!

[fantasty]

It can be a trip in the summer b/c the ballfields are right across the street from one of the city's Olympic sized pools.

[Wilfrid1]

Great, that's one for the summer list.

[Rail Paul]

WCBS has a follow-up article on the Greenpoint and Red Hook area. The arrival of Fairway, the planned cruise ship terminal, and other elements of gentrification scare some neighborhood residents. A wall of 40 story luxury towers on the waterfront isn't seen as an unalloyed benefit by many.


Red Hook, Greenpoint, Orange warning?

[Abbylovi]

Can someone help with driving directions?

[Steve R.]

I'm assuming you mean the Red Hook ballfields with the great Latin American food vendors and not Greenpoint. If so, the easiest way is to take the Bklyn Bridge, get off the first exit on the right (Cadman Plaza) then stay to the left and turn left at the 1st light. You'll be on Cadman, which turns into Court St. Take Court St all the way thru Bklyn Heights, Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens, resisting the urge to stop along the way. You'll get to the end of Court St where the BQE looms overhead. You need to cross over to the other side of the highway and continue a couple of blocks into Red Hook. I get shaky giving directions here because I cant remember which are the one way streets that get you thru. However, once on the other side of the BQE, Bay St is only 1-2 blocks away and the stands/ballfields are concentrated on Bay St around Clinton. Total time after crossing the bridge is 10 minutes max. There are shorter routes than the one I'm giving, but I'm assuming that you dont know the area and will get lost with directions requiring many turns and side roads.

If you want to visit the part of Red Hook that has several good restaurants, ask where Van Brundt Street is. It's less than 5 minutes from the food stands and there's a great liquor store (LeNell's) on Van B. and a couple of restaurants (Hope and Anchor; 360 Van Brundt) as well. At the end of Van Brundt is a long renovated warehouse with a great stained glass studio (including kilns) and the Bklyn Waterfront Artists' Coalition show now going on. It's also the best view of the Statue of Liberty and the waterfront. Two blocks away, Lillie's bar is a hot spot.

Feel free to PM me for more if needed.

[Wilfrid1]

Thanks, Steve. It looks like the F train would work for me - Carroll or Smith Street, right?

[Abbylovi]

Steve yes I did mean the Red Hook ballfields and thanks!

Moderator: can this thread be re-titled Red Hook Ballfields, as it is commonly known on chowhoud? It isn't a Hispanic Festival.

[Abbylovi]

Ha. Several years ago I went to Lillies and came upon a Chanukah party thrown by bikers. Only in New York...

[Wilfrid1]

Steve yes I did mean the Red Hook ballfields and thanks!

Moderator: can this thread be re-titled Red Hook Ballfields, as it is commonly known on chowhoud? It isn't a Hispanic Festival.

Why do you say that? That seems to be how the Daily News characterizes it. I would prefer Latin to Hispanic, but did you mean something more than that?

[Abbylovi]

Steve yes I did mean the Red Hook ballfields and thanks!

Moderator: can this thread be re-titled Red Hook Ballfields, as it is commonly known on chowhoud? It isn't a Hispanic Festival.

Why do you say that? That seems to be how the Daily News characterizes it. I would prefer Latin to Hispanic, but did you mean something more than that?

No my request to have the thread retitled has nothing to do with the terms Latin or Hispanic. The whole event is commonly known on Chowhound as the "Red Hook Ballfields." In the interest of searching, I just think it would be easier for the thread to be titled as such.

[Steve R.]

Thanks, Steve. It looks like the F train would work for me - Carroll or Smith Street, right?

Easiest stop for walking to the ballfields is Smith & 9th St. on the F.

By the way, the LeNell's liquor store recommendation is based on one of the best bourbon selections for a small place that I've ever seen. She has an entire cabinet of good stuff & has brought in Van Winkle family reps. to give regular tastings of 12 and 20 year old bourbons. And Lillie's is one of the places to go late to hear local bands and accoustic eclectic jam sessions. Caught some great bluegrass a couple of months ago.