Bushwick Bar Crawl: Four Great Spots Just Steps Away From the Subway
On certain days, factoring your bar hopping into your exercise regime is appropriate. But when it’s freezing, ice-slicked, or you’re just feeling lazy, the pilgrimage from subway station to watering hole is best cut short. So in this new, regular feature, we’re rounding up bars that are so close to the train, they’re practically stops in and of themselves. And this week, we’re featuring drinking destinations abutting subway lines in Bushwick, from the Jefferson Street and Dekalb Avenue L, to the M at Knickerbocker Avenue.
Heavy Woods
Paying homage to Brooklyn’s Dutch heritage (Bushwick translates to Heavy Woods), this coffee shop/cocktail bar dishes out delicious Cajun food. And with its huge layout and wide array of comfortable seating (plentiful chairs, picnic tables, bar stools and a newly expanded backyard), there’s plenty of room to rest your tired bones after a short sprint. Feast on pork belly cracklins and crawfish mac ‘n’ cheese, then wash it all down with a seasonal cocktail, (spiked) cup of coffee, or crisp glass of beer.50 Wyckoff Avenue, Bushwick
The Sampler
Back when I used to (totally legally) vend craft liquor at the Bushwick Farmer’s Market, I would always go here for a drink afterwards. It’s obvious why; there’s a huge selection of small batch tipples, minus both pretense and prohibitively high prices. Seriously, you will not get whiskey this good and this affordable at just any old place, not to mention a great roster of rotating brews on tap. Enjoy fixed price flights of both hard liquor and beer without breaking the bank or your back (it’s under a minutes walk from three central subway lines)! 234 Starr Street, Bushwick
Montana’s Trail House
Although this is more of a restaurant than a pub, Montana’s Trail House features a Switchel bar, which is not only creative, but seriously delicious. The traditional mountain beverage is made in-house, by bourbon barrel-aging a combination of apple cider vinegar, ginger, and maple. And there are a number of different ways to get your Switchel fix—try it straight, mixed with Old Overholt Rye, or in a steamy Hot Toddy. Also noteworthy are Montana Trail House’s fairly expansive wine list, rustic cocktails like the Gin & Jam and the 30-Day Barrel-Aged Curse Thrower, and unusual eats, such as octopus terrine and wild boar meatballs. 455 Troutman Street, Bushwick
The Bodega Wine Bar
This cozy and casual wine bar has a great selection of tapas style small plates, beer on tap, and of course, an excellent selection of vino. And for the next few weeks, The Bodega will host a “Drink & Draw” each Sunday, where from 8:00 PM-10:00 PM, guests can sip on a glass of wine while sketching a nude model. While the bar is only minutes from the L train, we’ve got to admit, we’d travel far and wide for that. 24 St. Nicholas Avenue, Bushwick
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