Northern Liberties

At Laser Wolf, gigantic trays come crowded with Levantine salads and sauces, from grilled carrots and spicy cucumbers to sour cherry matbucha and p’kaila. Which could easily stand on their own, for the record. But in this case, they complement grilled skewers of meat roasted over a charcoal grill. (Or eggplant and spiced cauliflower, if you prefer; lots of veg options here). The spritzy cocktails are perfection—there’s one with za’atar-turmeric vodka, and another with lemon, saffron, and bourbon—as is the brown sugar soft-serve. There’s a second location in NYC on top of the Williamsburg Hoxton hotel.

Considered to be sort of ahead-of-its-time, this gastropub opened New Years’ Eve of 1999 and has been a local favorite ever since. (It's not exactly a secret, though, so there are plenty of out-of-towners at any given time.) Standard is known for a constantly updated and varied beer selection that only includes locally produced draft beers; but the vibe is unpretentious, and the split-level building is comfortably both large and cozy. As a bonus, the pub’s food is pretty great, if you’re in the mood for indulgent classics like chicken pie and pulled pork sandwiches—and the kitchen is open until 1 a.m.