Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn

Green space 43

Safety 42

Shopping 41

Seniors 37

Income 4

Top Reviews from Travel Rentals Neighborhoods

It's all Goodness…

Bedford Stuyvesant is one of the last genuine neighborhoods of New York. It is ethnically diverse and accepting of newcomers. People are extremely friendly and constantly greeting strangers and friends alike from their stoops.

I have been in a lot of “brownstone” Brooklyn and there is no stoop culture quite as active as in Bed-Ford. Call it the public living room it’s where families will hangout saying hi to neighbors, enjoying a coffee, reading the paper and strike up a conversation with many total strangers.

Passerby’s say good morning, good afternoon, good day and smile, while others sit for hours as if on watch and records the day’s passage. I have seen the neighborhood continue to change for the better even despite the recession, it’s really remarkable.

Artists continue to move here, it’s starting to become a creative haven along side Bushwich as the artists are priced out of Willamsburg. Boutiques and new restaurants continue to open, along with the arrival of students looking for affordable housing.

They will mix with families who have lived here for 2 or 3 generations and can tell you stories of yesteryear, who lived in your house, what they ate and the sent of their sweet perfume. The Historic factor is Bedford Stuyvesant is also remarkable, the neighborhood is stocked with block after block of Brownstone townhouses covered in tree lined streets.

Several new districts of Bedford are being considered for Landmark Preservation Districts because of their rich architectural heritage. One things for sure if you spend enough time in here you understand a great deal about life in real New York.

There is crime and you have to be careful as anywhere in NYC, there are limited restaurants of trend and organic markets. However you’ll be able to leave your pretentiousness at home, forget about needing your triple latte macchiato, learn to cook, learn to garden and learn how to be a good neighbor and that’s something you can’t get at Starbucks

E F

Steadily Improving

I have lived here for 4 years now and have seen steady improvement in this area. When I first moved in there were no dinning options and maybe 1 cafe. In the last 4 years over 100 new businesses (yes I have counted) have opened and you can find just about any type of food here: Thai, Japanese, Filipino, Italian, Indian, French, Soul Food, Southern, Creole, BBQ, Brunch, pizza, bakeries, specialty (dough)nuts, Caribbean, etc.

Yelp is a great tool to find new places in the neighborhood: http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=&find_loc=Bedford+Stuyvesant%2C+Brooklyn%2C+NY#bbox=-73.96459579467773,40.67198047947061,-73.93876075744629,40.68831821478072 The bar and lounge options have increase dramatically as well, as have the grocery options.

Still we are lacking a great organic market but the Greene Hill Food Coop will change that when it opens in Sept 2011 and there are a handful of smaller markets, plus the BED STUY farm share and delis are starting to carry organic foods as well. Food Town is a suburban style grocery that has a large organic section and there are fresh fruit and vegetable stands along Fulton Street between Classon Ave and Stuyvesant Ave.

However, I think the most important decision is what part of Bed Stuy to live in as some blocks and areas are still a little sketchy. As a general rule of thumb the safest areas are the Southwest part of the neighborhood.

If I was to do a broad base analysis I would say the most desirable and safest blocks are South of Gates Ave. and West of Malcom X Blvd. However you still have to look at each individual block as things can vary block to block.

These areas contain the most beautiful historic architecture and are well kept blocks generally occupied by homeowners. Crime is higher East of Malcom X Blvd. and North of Gates Avenue as these are the major concentrations of housing projects in the neighborhood and surrounding blocks have less organization and community fabric.

Also these southern blocks have excellent transit with the A and C subway lines that run along Fulton Street. For instance the Nostand A train stop is only 15 mins to Lower Manhattan.

Fulton Street is finally implementing the long awaited Business Improvement District (BID) this summer (2011) and $10 million dollar capital improvement will go along way to help improve the general appearance of the corridor and to attract new Businesses. See link: http://bedstuygateway.wordpress.com/2011/06/08/bed-stuy-gateway-streetscape-project/#comment-42 All in all, I agree that the community is a very tight knit and that people here are really friendly, more so that any other neighborhood I have experienced in NYC. It’s something about where this neighborhood has been, which has kept people caring and humble.

They are excited about the renaissance the area is going through and have great hopes towards the future. It’s kind of cool to be living here and watching all the changes around you.

It’s an experience you could never get anywhere in Suburban America.

What's awesome

Friendly neighbors, community, many new businesses, improving, historic architecture, tree lined streets, interesting funky people, artists, architects, designers, vintage store, authentic NYC, new business opportunities

Matt S.

Bed Stuy is becoming the next Willamsburg

I almost didn’t recognize this place! It’s been several years since I have attended Pratt Institute, and I am amazed at the transformation of Clinton Hill and Bed Stuy. Tons of new restaurants, cafes and shops have sprung up every where.

Every block I walk down especially in Bed Stuy I see a greater diversity of races, from Black to White, Asian, Hispanic, Indian and Hipster. (Well I guess Hipster is the new Brooklyn Race) Hasdic Jews are taking over Northwest Bed Stuy block by block, I guess they found out how friendly people are there.

And I see more and more hipsters on bicycles every where I turn in the neb. Boutique clothing stores in Bed Stuy? I never thought I’d see that, how cool!

Rents are still relatively cheap (by NY standards) and transit is great a long the A / C subway with G train serving the north part. As always there are some beautiful blocks in this neighborhood.

It’s really become a vibrant community with many new renovated brownstones and warehouses, covered with roof top gardens and artist coolness inside. WOW! I would love to buy something out here some day and convert it into an amazing loft.

In the mean time I will continue to visit friends out here! Hurray for the new Bed Stuy!

Jill A.

A Smooth Renaissance

I got off the G train at the Bedford-Nostrand stop and looked around. The first thing I saw was a fast-food chain restaurant, and I immediately had mixed-feelings about the location.

However, as soon as I turned the corner onto one of the residential streets and saw the huge, well-aged brownstones framing the quiet street lined with trees, I was in awe. I walked up this street and saw families sitting on their stoop talking.

Children were playing on the sidewalk, and all around me people said, “Hi,” as I walked by. I found myself at a tiny café that served the most amazing breakfast food for cheap. I could see myself spending hours there talking with friends or writing on my laptop with a cup of freshly brewed coffee.

I had heard that Bed-Stuy was the Harlem of Brooklyn, and I would agree. Although, even to this day I feel like it is experiencing a renaissance. Not only did great artists like Notorious BIG, Spike Lee, and Chris Rock come from here, but the neighborhood itself is like a rising star.

Everywhere farmer’s markets, community gardens, and healthier grocery stores are popping up. But with all of this change there is still a sense of “old brooklyn” here. Bed-stuy is a wonderful blending of cultures, with an open mind towards change.

Today, after living here for a couple months eating nothing but healthy food, I actually had a craving for some fast-food. I popped into the chain restaurant I saw when I first got there.

“Man, I love living here,” I thought.

Jade S.

beautifying Bedstuy might still mug you

Bedstuy’s filled with brownstones (and at all stages of upkeep!), some new lofts, a bit of grit, and a lot of character. While it’s in the midst of extreme gentrification (safety and residents have changed drastically in the past few years), Bed-Stuy still maintains a lingering sense of its depiction in Do the Right Thing back in the late 80s.

I’ve recently made the hop over the borderline from Clinton Hill to living in Bed-Stuy. The people on my block are incredibly friendly and neighborly (think block parties, communal leaf sweeping), and while there’s a local drunk, he’s really nice too and a lot more down to earth than the local crackhead stationed outside my last apartment.

While safety here has definitely improved, I think Bed-Stuy looks safer than it actually is. Some beautiful blocks can actually be quite dangerous still. When people are considering moving to this area, I usually advise them to keep close to the Clinton Hillborderline: the deeper you go into Bed-Stuy, the higher your risk factor.

What's awesome

beautiful brownstones, fewer yuppies/strollers/expensive organic things, cool restaurants/stores popping up, slightly cheaper rent, friendly folk

What's not so awesome

still quite dangerous in some parts and not a very safe place at night. aesthetics and safety levels often vary here from block to block here as well. It’s really important to visit an apartment before you make a decision here.

I’d also really recommend speaking to locals to see what safety’s like on your block.

Katie P.

Bed-Stuy remains true to its reputation

Be