Brighton Beach - Brooklyn, NY Area Guide

The Brighton Beach area remained an agricultural space until the late 1860s, when it was developed into a resort with the Brighton Beach Hotel as the centerpiece of the area. In 1894, the City of Brooklyn annexed Brighton Beach. In 1905 amusement rides opened in an area called Brighton Park, and the neighborhood became a summer tourist attraction. As the population grew, mass transit in the form of the elevated subway made getting to the beach easier for New York residents.

A large number of restaurants are located along Brighton 11th Street, close to the beach. Nargis Cafe serves up some of the best Uzbek food, according to the locals. If you're new to central Asian cuisine, try the lagman (diced meat, vegetables, and homemade noodles) for authentic flavors that convert any newbie into a fan. Local residents also enjoy the manti, homemade steamed meat dumplings.

Skovorodka on Brighton Beach Avenue has an extremely affordable lunch special for $12 where diners can mix and match menu items. Choose from Ukrainian borscht to begin your meal, and then move on to pelmeni (meat dumplings) or a chicken shish kebab as the main course.

For great seafood, head to Gambrinus on Ocean Parkway. The locals rave about the garlic shrimp appetizer and the soft-shell crabs in a garlic white sauce. On Thursdays, diners can hear terrific live jazz, both mainstream and vanguard, from national and international musicians.

A multifunctional entertainment hall, National Restaurant features performances alongside a family-style Russian meal of salads, roast meats, blintzes, and smoked fish. Diners pay for dinner, dancing, and a show, providing a memorable night out.

Walking the streets of Brighton Beach can be the easiest way to get around the neighborhood, but residents do have public transit options when they want to travel elsewhere in New York City. Two elevated subway stations service the area at Brighton Beach Station and Ocean Parkway, and over half of the residents in the neighborhood ride the subway to work. Four bus routes also service the neighborhood. Current fares for both the subway and bus service cost $2.50 per ride, payable with a MetroCard.

Bike lanes range from standard paths to protected paths next to curbside parked cars depending upon the street, and public parking can be found at Brighton Beach Municipal Parking Field Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. until midnight. A taxi ride from Brighton Beach to Prospect Park in Brooklyn costs approximately $17, but for residents who don’t wish to wait for taxi service, Uber provides another option with its ride-share service.

Just east of Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, residents can take their pets to Manhattan Beach Park Dog Run. Dogs of any size can play inside the fenced-in area.

Brighton Playground has handicapped-accessible playground equipment, basketball courts and game tables for residents and visitors to enjoy. Residents can buy lunch from local vendors and enjoy a day outside at the numerous picnic benches throughout the park. On the southeast side, a commemorative garden showcases beautiful flowering Japanese cherry trees, roses and daisies, making it a relaxing place for residents.

The highlight of the neighborhood, residents enjoy a day on Brighton Beach as it is clean, quiet and beautiful. Whether going to the beach to swim, work on your tan or just to people watch, Brighton Beach allows residents and visitors to unwind from busy city life.

The average cost for a one-bedroom apartment in Brighton Beach is approximately $1,050 per month, or approximately 50 percent lower than some other New York City neighborhoods. The majority of the real estate in Brighton Beach is composed of large apartment complexes.

As a neighborhood known for its vodka, a tumbler of good Russian vodka costs about $4. Meanwhile, buying a gallon of gasoline in Brighton Beach costs approximately 8 percent more than the national average.

Many shops and restaurants can be found on 11th Street in Brighton Beach. Saint-Petersburg Global Trade House has everything Russian. If you’re looking for Russian literature, movies or music, you can find it here.

Kalinka Gifts provides gifts from Russia and around the world. The inventory changes frequently, and shoppers can find glass art, jewelry and souvenirs for any budget.

Vintage Food Corp. on Brighton Beach Avenue houses dried fruits, nuts and other delectable Mediterranean goodies for shoppers to enjoy. It also stocks specialty Russian candies, gourmet foods and an extensive coffee selection. For savory foods, walk a bit further down Brighton Beach Avenue to Gold Label International Food, where you can find fresh sausages and affordable seafood. With a variety of cheeses, cookies and sweets, shoppers can find something wonderful for a snack or gourmet meal.

Grocery shopping in Brighton Beach often means shopping at Brighton Bazaar on Brighton Beach Avenue. It has a terrific prepared foods section, but it also has a nice variety of produce and fresh meats. Residents don’t have far to go when looking for a farmers market, as Bensonhurst hosts one on Sundays, and downtown Brooklyn has several markets full of fresh produce and baked goods.