Greenpoint Bars & Nightlife

Located on the rooftop of the William Vale Hotel in Brooklyn, Westlight is a go-to for after-work drinks (and after-after-work drinks) thanks to incredible views of New York's skyline and a great food and beverage program by Andrew Carmellini's Noho Hospitality Group. The menu has a few great small bites, like oysters, duck carnitas tacos, and tequila-cured salmon, but you really come here for the cocktail list: Our favorites are the Ruby Spritz for a hot afternoon, or the In Bloom, a vodka and cava drink that comes with fresh beet juice. Photos: Noah Fecks & Andrew Boyle

Local restaurateur Andrew Tarlow (who brought you other old-school-Brooklyn-inspired destinations Diner, Marlow & Sons, and the Wythe Hotel) opened this low-key neighborhood gastropub in an early-1900s bar facing the East River that was once frequented by the workers from nearby shipyard docks. The kitchen here is minor, but chef Lee Desrosiers designed a menu of light, gently cooked fare—think poached fish, beef tartare, or heirloom veggies in broth—sourcing ingredients, naturally, from its sister business, Williamsburg butcher shop and artisan grocer Marlow & Daughters.

The walls here are clad in distressed wood that contrasts nicely with the room's main feature: A long, sleek, white marble bar. In short, this is exactly what you'd imagine a great bar in Denmark might look like. To complete the concept, the chef is a Noma veteran, and bar snacks include the requisite rye breads and Nordic-style pickles and smoked fish. The food and the great selection of rare craft beers attracts a pretty hip, Greenpoint crowd. Meanwhile, in the 25-seat back room known as Luksus, it's a decidedly more formal affair, with an oft-changing tasting menu of Scandinavian-influenced fare.