Foodies as the New Gentrifiers
The Brooklyn Paper has an article this morning about the gentrifying effect of upscale food establishments. The artists might get to a new neighborhood first, say the article, but in recent years, a new cafe or thin crust pizza restaurant is the sure sign that a neighborhood has hit its tipping point. “Food is the…
The Brooklyn Paper has an article this morning about the gentrifying effect of upscale food establishments. The artists might get to a new neighborhood first, say the article, but in recent years, a new cafe or thin crust pizza restaurant is the sure sign that a neighborhood has hit its tipping point. “Food is the new art in the urban cultural experience,” said Sharon Zukin, author of Naked City: The Death and Life of Authentic Urban Culture. “You used to have artists moving in and opening galleries, now there are foodies moving in and opening up cafes.” The examples are legion: K-Dog in Prospect Lefferts Garden, The Farm on Adderly in Ditmas Park, Northeast Kingdom followed by Roberta’s in Bushwick, Saraghina in Bed Stuy. Even Kensington made it only the foodie map recently with the opening of Brancaccio’s Food Shop. Of course, not all pioneering restaurateurs are met with success: Abigail’s proved too pricey for Crown Heights and Bread Stuy’s recents problems have been well publicized. Another other good examples you can think of? Surely the L Cafe in North Williamsburg and Diner in South Williamsburg deserved mention. Others?
Foodies Now Leading the Gentrification of Brooklyn [Brooklyn Paper]
Mopar, Locanda seemed to get by through word of mouth initially and some good reviews. people would go out of their way to go there, and a few years later clinton hill had morphed into the kind of place where a place like that didn’t seem out of place. at least not as out of place as it was when it opened.
I think many people here don’t cook much (or if they do their meals/ingredients are of the most basic variety)
the reality I have found is that when you really add up the costs of food (including spoilage) unless you are cooking for a large family (I am assuming cooking for 1-4) a moderate priced restaurant (like many cited here) is very often cheaper than cooking at home…economies of scale at work
“Where do all those Italian waiters & waitresses come from??? Im never really sure what % of the customers come from a lot further away than walking distance.”
Me too. I want to interview every diner. But I’ve refrained. 🙂
Jimmy Legs, how did Locanda Vini e Olii survive?
I’ve never been there, possibly because I can’t pronounce the name.
Oh, wait, let me rephrase that. The Coop is not a force *against* gentrification but it’s brought a lot of very high quality food to Brooklyn in a way that’s very inclusive and not elitist because it’s cheap as all get out.
One thing that’s been a great provider of both high-quality food AND a force against gentrification in the best way is the Park Slope Food Coop.
More of these are badly needed in other neighborhoods. Well, we do have the CSAs, but they are definitely not as efficient or cost effective.
Legion, LOL.
Dave, the Internet is pretty crucial to helping organize music shows, loft parties and art festivals in Bushwick.
I can remember when 5th avenue was virtually restaurant-less – the opening of Aunt Suzie’s seemed to be a real leap of faith, as was 200 Fifth, and Cucina’s (long gone) and then Al di la – as I recall, there wasn’t much going on before they opened. For those of us who were in the neighborhood before it was “hotâ€, these were welcome outposts (and not terribly pricy). It seemed that as they were reviewed, and people came for an “out of borough†experience, the neighborhood seemed more desirable – they may not have “caused†gentrification, but they sure accelerated it – and those owners were taking risks.