Bensonhurst - Brooklyn, NY

The neighborhood is named after Arthur Benson, who was the former president of Brooklyn Gas Company. Prior to World War II, the area welcomed many immigrants from Italy and Russia and remains a diverse neighborhood to this day. With them came their rich cultural cuisine and style, still very much alive in Bensonhurst.

Plenty of museums dot the surrounding Bensonhurst neighborhoods. The Harbor Defense Museum at Fort Hamilton houses an extraordinary collection of army weapons and artillery, as well as cannons and an art gallery. The museum, which opens only during the week, provides free admission every day for children and adults. Crossing the Ocean Parkway gets you to the Judaica Fine Art Gallery, featuring beautiful pieces by Israeli artist Chava Roth. Admission to visit the gallery is free.

Local residents call Il Colosseo in the center of Bensonhurst the best place to get home-style Italian for affordable prices. Known for having a large menu selection under $30, the perfectly-prepared, authentic Italian fare has people coming from all over the city. Il Colosseo features brick-oven specialty pizzas and traditional dishes, such as shrimp scampi and chicken marsala. The restaurant provides an old-world Italian elegance for in-house diners. Be sure to take a look at the extensive desert menu, which features Italian classics such as tiramisu and gelati.

For those in the mood for a little Japanese, Tenzan on 18th Avenue in the heart of Bensonhurst provides the perfect option for lunch or dinner. Many of the local residents come to Tenzan for the beautiful hand-rolled sushi and sashimi plates. Traditional Japanese appetizers, such as gyozas, and dinner plates serving up Maki Maki chicken rank as crowd favorites. The restaurant gives off a relaxed, sophisticated vibe, which nicely offsets the busy world outside its doors.

Bensonhurst has many options for quick and affordable transportation. The D-train and N-train run straight through the center of the neighborhood, running north and south up through the Bronx. Other trains and subway stations can be found along the main D-train line at a ticket price of $2.50. Many residents find this method of transportation the quickest and most affordable to get in and around New York City and its five boroughs.

For folks coming into the city or traveling out of it, access to major highways, such as the Belt Parkway and the Shore Parkway, runs to the west and south of the neighborhood along the water, making driving easy. Access to routes 17 and 287 also comes easy, taking you out of New York and into New Jersey quickly. Ocean Parkway runs to the east of the neighborhood and provides quick access to Queens.

Uber and other private car services cater to Bensonhurst, and rides start at $20 if using Uber. Uber also has high-end travel options, such as an SUV service for $64. However, residents tend to choose taxis, as they are easy to hail and can be found everywhere. Rides by cab start at $2.50 and go up from there, depending on the destination. A trip to the nearest airport via taxi costs around $50.

Those who own cars and want to drive around the neighborhood can easily find public meters on the streets. To park for a few hours, be sure to have a couple dollars handy, because one hour of parking costs $1.

Because of its close proximity to the water, Bensonhurst is a popular spot for walking and biking. Not only do these methods of travel provide great exercise, but the trip provides a beautiful view of the bay. Many people choose to bike or walk, especially in the warmer months, so residents living in the Bensonhurst neighborhood remain on the look-out for bikers and pedestrians.

The main park in Bensonhurst, Seth Low Park and Playground, is located on the south end of the neighborhood. This is the primary recreation area for residents and features basketball and handball courts, a large playground, and a spray ground. The park is open from sunrise to sunset.

The cost of living in Bensonhurst hovers around nine percent above the average cost of living of New York State. The neighborhood consists mainly of one- and two-family homes, with a few homes scattered throughout to accommodate families of three or four. Older homes have since been torn down, and brick condos and apartment buildings have gone up in their place. The neighborhood attracts many new residents, because the rent tends to be the most affordable out of all the surrounding neighborhoods. A typical one-bedroom apartment in Bensonhurst averages $1,112 per month.

Gas prices in Bensonhurst seem quite high compared to surrounding areas, exceeding the New York State average by about 10 percent and the national average by a whopping 30 percent. Because of this, many locals choose alternative and less-expensive modes of transportation.

The D-train and N-train provide the most convenient method of transportation in and out of Bensonhurst, with a ticket cost of $2.50, which also makes this method the least expensive and a favorite among residents. Taxi services come in second because of the convenience and slightly higher price of $2.50 a ride to start.

Garage Clothing sells high-end men's fashion, and this boutique has to be the hippest shop in the area. Located on the edge of the Bensonhurst neighborhood, this boutique features the latest men's fashion and accessories. Local residents come here to shop for designer shoes and suits, as well as the trendiest button-downs and sweaters. The shop has a very hip and urban feel to it, and patrons should expect to pay boutique prices.

Flavour on 86th Street sells high-end, fashionable clothing and accessories for women. The shop carries the hottest clothing styles as well as unique accessories, such as brightly-colored jewelry and clutches to match the unique outfits.

As with many neighborhoods in Brooklyn, plenty of small delis and grocery stores sit up and down most of the streets. Mexican-American stores, Italian groceries, and places such as Pastosa Ravioli, which makes and sells homemade pastas, provide a wealth of specialty stores for residents. Moisha's Discount Supermarket on Avenue M provides kosher foods and products for its residents.