What’s On Your List Of Essential Park Slope Restaurants?

Mary Bakija -
Lobster roll at Littleneck, nom nom nom.

If you had to list the restaurants that are the heart and soul of the neighborhood, the places that we just couldn’t do without, the places that help define what Park Slope is, what would they be?

The Village Voice recently put together their own list that covers the entire borough — 99 Essential Restaurants in Brooklyn rounds up places “that define the fabric of this singular locale.” In our area, they highlighted several spots, which are definitely among the best:

  • al di la, 248 5th Avenue: Oh, the pasta! The Voice says it “challenges diners to look beyond the standard notion of what constitutes Italian by focusing exclusively on the motherland’s northern regions.”
  • Ample Hills Creamery, 305 Nevins Street: We know, as they do, that people “flock to the shop for wacky flavors like Salted Crack Caramel,” but we’ll put up with the lines anytime.
  • Bark Hot Dogs, 474 Bergen Street: Did you know that “each link is basted in lard butter”? Nice! [Update: Bark Hot Dogs has since closed.]
  • Four & Twenty Blackbirds, 439 3rd Avenue: When did Gowanus become the best dessert destination in the city? When this pie shop opened, where “the sisters don’t strive to reinvent the wheel, preferring to concentrate on combining classic flavors that complement one another.”
  • Franny’s, 348 Flatbush Avenue: They’ve been doing what they do best — “turning out blistered pies painted with tangy marinara and topped with fresh mozzarella that easily competed with the best pizzas in the city” — for some time now, and it’s just as good as in the beginning.
  • Littleneck, 288 3rd Avenue: Maybe “you should inspect his list of daily offerings if you want to supplement your New English fare with more creative bites,” but we’re good with the clam roll.
  • Stone Park Cafe, 324 5th Avenue: If you so far have “fail[ed] to order his decadent bone-marrow and scallop tacos,” get in there, stat!

So we’re wondering — what would be on your list of essential Park Slope restaurants? What are the places we eat at that make this neighborhood what it is?