Now in its seventh season, the Vanderbilt Open Street turns one of Brooklyn's best restaurant strips into a car-free promenade lined with sidewalk and street tables. It is Prospect Heights at its most social, with families in the afternoon and dinner crowds after dark. If you want a low-key Saturday that ends with a meal in the middle of the avenue, point yourself here.
What to expect
Expect café tables and bar seating across the roadway, kids on scooters and a steady stream of walkers heading toward Grand Army Plaza. Each restaurant runs its own seating, so waits vary as the evening goes on. It is a relaxed scene rather than a festival, best for dinner and people-watching.
Good to know
- Runs weekly through the end of the season
- Walk-ins are common, but popular spots fill at dinnertime
- Seven Avenue, Bergen Street and Atlantic Avenue stations are nearby
- Pairs easily with Prospect Park or the Brooklyn Museum
- Bring a light layer for later in the evening
Going? Keep it.
The whole weekend, in one email.
Friday at 5pm, one email. Unsubscribe anytime.
Common questions
Which blocks are car-free?
Vanderbilt Avenue between Atlantic Avenue and Park Place.
Is the open street every day?
No. Organizers say it runs every Saturday from May through September.
