Park Slope, Brooklyn

Quiet 67

Singles 63

Seniors 49

Parking 29

Income 23

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Not for the young (or young-at-heart)

If you’re young and new to the city, I would recommend strolling through Park Slope on a sunny Saturday afternoon, rather than moving there. Unless, of course, being around hordes of rich young parents of the granola variety is your cup of tea.

Park Slope is arguably one of the prettiest neighborhoods in Brooklyn — the charm of Burlington, VT mixed with New York City edge — great food and shopping (you can’t beat Beacon’s Closet (www.beaconscloset.com) for thrift and originality.) Prospect Park boasts a zoo, world-renowned landscaping, and an array of festivals and activities like horseback riding and boating, all within a relatively speedy train ride from midtown Manhattan (the express Q can get you there in about 20 minutes.) But the neighborhood’s distinctly suburban, small-town vibe may not be sufficiently electric for those young and adventurous enough to live in one of Manhattan’s or Brooklyn’s similarly priced ‘hoods that don’t stop til 6 in the morning.

Every time I’m in Park Slope I remark on how beautiful and quaint it is — that is, until I find myself in the midst of a 6 year old’s birthday party at Yogomonster and realize I would much rather be surrounded by Manhattan’s grit than a group of sticky-faced children.

kristin m.

Perfect compliment to the Manhattan workday

If you’re okay hopping on the train for the nights when you want a trendier vibe and can remind yourself to steer clear of kid-friendly spots right before nap time, Park Slope is a fantastic place to live and visit. Sure, (young) locals have their grievances, and they’re well-documented by the commenters below, but suffices to say that with yuppy stroller families come a lot of great coffeeshops, restaurants, pubs, and shopping.

And there’s nothing better than coming back to the neighborhood after a Manhattan workday, or waking up early (read: before noon) on a Saturday to stroll down Fifth Avenue before everyone starts stirring. Park Slope’s laid-back feel extends nicely to the nightlife: there’s bound to be a wood-paneled bar on the nearest corner offering regional microbrews on tap alongside other domestic and imported offerings, and most likely accompanied by an organic hotdog or locally-sourced slider.

In any case, if you feel stifled by this kid-centric prototype there’s always a slew of neighborhoods within walking distance with equally promising accolades: Boerum Hill,Fort Greene, and Prospect Heights have a lot of the same charm and relaxed vibe.

Eden

A little bit past family friendly

Park Slope’s a truly beautiful Brooklyn nabe. It’s def. a place for families over singles, and while I like visiting this area for its boutiques, restaurants, and cute little food shops, I don’t think I’d choose to raise kids here.

Is it possible this nabe is too family friendly? Many years’ experience babysitting have opened my eyes to the world of park slope parenting, and I feel it’s a bit too involved. This is a place where other parents are intently observing how you choose to handle your child on the street.

If you do something particularly scandalous (ex: give child non-organic fruit), you may end up in a blog post. There’s def. a big parental support system here, but I think there’s such a thing as too much support.

Katie P.

Park Slope

I grew up hearing about Park Slope. As a kid attending YMCA Summer Camp in upstate NY, the camp population was split into three cities within the Tri-State area: Montclair, NJ (my hometown), Newark, NJ, and Park Slope, BK. Therefore at least a third of my friends were Jewish kids who were born and raised in Park Slope.

My impression then of Park Slope was that it was an edgy, dangerous, exotic city, which produced street-wise kids who knew all about sex and fashion trends before me and all my loser-suburban-New Jersey-friends had kissed a boy or tried on Nikes. As an adult (though with only slightly more knowledge about sex and still no fashion sense) I can see Park Slope for what it really is: a family neighborhood.

Sure, some hipsters have moved in at the bottom of the slope, where they belong (kidding. sort of.), but mostly it’s a neighborhood of families. The street are lined with beautiful, classic, brownstones, in the summer there are block parties, and there are consistently strollers outside every restuarant.

It’s very liberal, with the small white signs for Therapists Offices peppered intermittently amid the Yoga studios and organic food stores, but also pretty Causcasian – at least from about 4th avenue and above. There are some great bars in Park Slope – but they are far away from one another, so do not plan to have your bar crawl here (though something tells me if you’re planning a bar crawl, you’ll be looking in Hoboken anyway).

Some examples of great bars are the Rock Shop and Mission Dolores, both of which have incredible outdoor space. Some other favorites are Sheep Station and Park Slope Ale House, which are lesser known but some of my personal favorites, and then there’s Union Hall which undoubtedly every twenty-something New Yorker who would ever actually go to Park Slope has been too and loved.

Restaurants in Park Slope are also amazing because this is New York and we are amazing at food. Everything is good so I have but one recommendation –APPLEWOOD. Go and thank me later – with your mind, since you don’t me.

Subways are good – Atlantic Terminal being close for all those who live near the bottom of the slope, and the 2,3 or F trains at the top. Nowadays of course with theMTA being horrible and all, weekends in Brooklyn are tougher commuting-wise than they once were (I hear, since I didn’t live in BK then and don’t know what I’m talking about).

All in all, Park Slope is an incredible neighborhood. Safe, beautiful, convenient, and affordable overall. Oh, also, there’s an enormous park if you didn’t catch that in the name.

There are free concerts held there all summer, and it’s where I’ve spent some of the best days and nights as a New Yorker, and as a human being.

Margaret E.

Park Slope's Taste for Pickles

Having worked at a specialty foods shop in this neighborhood for roughly a year, my job of serving cheeses and other European products has brought me fairly close to a number of colorful Park Slopers. Many of them are successful, in terms of education and income, and enjoy the pleasure of starting young families.

The gist of what brings Slopers together centers around these two things. Most of the people coming to the shop enjoy taking the time on weekends to learn about the goods they’re about to eat, which tends to roll far outside the allowance of most New Yorkers.

A popular trend revolves around the locavore movement of purchasing foods raised or produced nearby. This brings the price up in a big way, making it closer to a charity donation than a cause.

For example, paying for Brooklyn pickles in Park Slope runs 12 dollars, whereas a jar of government brand won’t top five. This comes out to paying more than twice what’s necessary for vegetables aged in vinegar.

It’s more than a potshot to try and describe Slopers by their appetite for locally brined pickles. But the lofty variety is there for those who can afford it, crusades included, and becoming a resident entails joining a community of parents serious about raising their children.

If you go, be sure to enjoy some of the best Italian cuisine in the city. Reserve a table for the evening at Scotadito on Union Street. Its traditional menu comes paired with drinks served up by a standout mixologist—the whiskey sours actually incorporate egg whites!

And to cool off during the summer, take a stroll past elegant brownstones and chapels to Prospect Park, designed after Central Park by Frederick Law Olmstead. Just come with enough savings to get the most from what this area has to offer.

Gray H.

Breath of Fresh $600 Strollers

I love visiting here, absolutely. The neighborhood is really beautiful, and both the old timers and the new arrivals are pretty relaxed. The drinking and dining on Seventh and Fifth Aves are varied and high quality.

The crowd veers towards the young professional in those places. It is a yuppy baby haven, though. It’s almost cliche to mention it, it’s so true.

So be prepared to yield before a toddler-bearing designer stroller, lest mommy dearest pushing it hit you upside the head with a canvas totebag full of organic field greens.

NYC L.

You will get run over by a stroller

I almost did and that’s what made me decide to move out the area. Don’t get me wrong — it’s definitely an AMAZING area filled with clothing shops galore, restaurants (not as great as everyone makes them out to be), and everything else you can ever need.

I would definitely recommend this area for families but as young people, go elsewhere. Go to Crown Heights or something. I lived here for about 5 years and I LOVED it when I got there but by the end, I was ready to run.

But of course if I ran, I would somehow run into a stroller or gasp (a double stroller). It’s definitely pricy. I was lucky to get an amazing deal but I wouldn’t consider this the place to go if you are looking to get the most bang for your buck.

What's awesome

All the options for the stores

What's not so awesome

the strollers

Pamela K.

Rapidly changing community

I’ve lived in Park Slope all my life, and let me tell you, this community has changed a lot. There’s a ridiculous amount of children here (when I was kid the playgrounds used to be half-empty), with plenty of parents to boot.

But watch out, when those kids get out on weekdays and weekends, do not expect t