There’s nothing better than spending a summer Saturday just strolling… hopping from place to place picking up cocktails and snacks along the way. It’s our hands-down favorite way to kill time. We usually pick a neighborhood and a meeting spot and then let the day unfold naturally through candid conversation and spontaneity. When you have four different people reviewing full inboxes of hip New York newsletters, you usually end up with way too many options and not enough time. Trying to do everything will make you crazy… we know.

This day the boys simplified the agenda by starting us off at a very low key first spot, Bierkraft in Park Slope. Primarily known as a beer ‘super-market’, this glorified convenience store boasts floor to ceiling shelves and full fridges of the stuff. The selection is impressive. Throw in some massive (and really reasonably priced) deli sandwiches and homemade ice cream sandwiches and men will have everything they could ever want for a Saturday afternoon. On this particular day, Bierkraft was hosting an oyster shucking event in their (teeny tiny) backyard beer garden. With K+M arriving early, they secured a spot at the communal picnic tables and ordered up some cask beers and a dozen slippery oysters. 2+2 spent the time catching up with each other, and meeting our rotating group of neighbors at the shoulder-to-shoulder packed venue. After an hour of chatting (including a convo with a 90 year old lady with a plate of oysters and a pint of beer!), we decided to head out in search of a little bit more breathing room…

While leisurely walking down 5th Avenue, we set eyes on Lobo from across the street. Complete with white stucco facade and hanging cow skull signage, the southwestern décor made us fiend for guac and margaritas, the perfect way to kick this Saturday into high gear. With four empty bar stools right in the front window, we knew it was destiny. We threw back several jalapeno margaritas and what seemed like a gallon of guacamole, and thought that we should probably call it a night… however, that would be all too rational! Instead, we called in our great friend J to assist us in the rest of the evening’s eating and drinking.

While waiting for J to arrive, we brainstormed some ideas for dinner. Park Slope has endless options for dining! After briefly reminiscing about a massive 48 ounce steak for sharing at an old favorite Convivium, we quickly called to see if they had a spot for five. Wonderfully accommodating (as always), we walked just a couple of blocks to claim our table. The tiny, dim, rustic, candlelit front room was so warm and inviting! With European influences including Portuguese, Spanish and Italian, Convivium boasts an array of rustic dishes prepared with a hint of fine-dining flair. Together the five of us polished off several bottles of deep red wine, the much anticipated juicy rib-eye, as well as a whole fish and our favorite, a stellar cheese plate. Convivium is consistently delicious and has not let us down!

Still in the mood to chat, we finished off with a night-cap at Wolf & Deer, just down the block. Small and modern, this intimate bar was the perfect low key way to wind down. Park Slope has so much to see, we (of course) barely scratched the surface! Plus we enjoyed so many great conversations with other local patrons and staff, we left yearning for more. NYC has so many inviting scenes, and Park Slope emits that of a real neighborhood… friendly, fun and like home. This Saturday excursion has lit a new fire… we will be back soon to continue our explorations!

Check out all of our pictures!

Drinks + Oysters (2+2)

Bierkraft

Ask yourself a couple of questions: Do you like beer? Do you love cheese? Do you crave simple but amazing sandwiches? Do you enjoy hanging out with friends outside while eating and drinking? How about some homemade brownie ice cream sandwiches? If you answered ‘yes’ to just one of these questions, you should make a trip to Bierkraft and check this place out for yourself .

The following is an example of what a visit here might be like (if you come with a group, these steps should be split up so that the drinking and eating can happen quicker and easier):

• Open door, walk through the narrow hall of fridges buzzing filled with every beer your mind can conjure up (Warning: the bottles are on the pricey side).
• Stop at the bar and grab yourself a couple of pints or just get a growler (best price for 4 pints of craft beer).
• Make a quick right and head to the deli counter to order some cheeses and some amazing 2-foot long, $10 sandwiches.
• Walk towards the outside picnic area and start hunting down a table or even just a couple of open spots. (Mini-beergarden feel, tables are communal… hovering works!)
• After a couple of trips to refill the growler and waiting on the long line for the one bathroom, head back to the front before leaving, reach in to the freezer and grab some homemade ice cream sandwiches.
• Go home and take a nap!
• Wake up and repeat again.

We came to Bierkraft for the Oyster Shuck & Cask Beer Fest. A and K have finally started to enjoy eating oysters and this was a perfect place to continue their new found love for that great taste. K+M arrived, walked straight past the long row of fridges filled with almost every beer made in the world today, made our way around the bar line, and passed the sandwich counter to the back outdoor picnic area (not too big or too small, but packed). The hunt for any open spot was on. They found two spots in the corner, grabbed two pints, squeezed by some people sitting down, sat down, started some conversations with the rest of the people at the table, hoping by the time A+L came that someone would be leaving to free up some space. When they finally arrived, the table had luckily cleared out just enough for them to fit. Time for more beer and some freshly shucked oysters. So fresh and so sweet. After a couple of more beers and even more oysters it was time to head out and open up some more space at the table for the next group.

What we ate…

Drinks

• Cask Beer (2+2)

Food

• Freshly shucked oysters (2+2)

A: I’m not a fan of beer in general, but the ‘backyard’ had such a fun neighborhood feel. Everyone shared tables, shared barrels of beer and buckets of oysters… such a great time for a summer afternoon.

K: I love the act of eating an oyster. It was so fun to watch our oysters being shucked and prepared especially for us! I loved the comradery in the air! Fun spot!

L: The event was fun and we weren’t the only people who thought so. The place was packed!

M: Great place to hang out and spend the day eating and drinking with friends and strangers, who by the end will become friends. Grab a seat and never let go.

Our Rating Scales…

• Scene- Mini beer distributor meets sandwich shop meets mini beer garden.
• Food/Drinks- 3: Pleasantly surprised- Oysters were so fresh.
• Tip Worthy- 3: Gratuity included… Don’t forget to tip your bartender!
• Coordinates- 4: Neighborhood- Centrally located
• Restaurant Return Rate- Green Light

Drinks and Snacks (2+2+1)

Lobo NYC

Margarita hour!!!! We are always down for a margarita and guacamole pitstop. A+K seem to have an absurd obsession with guacamole. But really, who doesn’t? K+M strolled for quite a few hours and worked up an appetite! We made our way from Smith St. in Cobble Hill over to 5th Avenue in Park Slope. We reunited with A+L and began our search for a pre-dinner spot. With so many alluring facades on Park Slope’s 5th Avenue, it’s hard to pick a locale! But the smell of fresh Mexican food and thought of spicy margaritas lured us right into Lobo (meaning ‘wolf’ in Spanish), a Tex-Mex resto & Tequila Bar. Olé!

We were joined shortly after by our dear friend J, and then the party began! We ordered up our guac, along with some other delicious snacks like Georgia’s Bean Dip and Loaded Nachos. Yum! So satisfying. We thoroughly enjoyed the array of margarita options with the house-infused tequilas. Choose from tequila infusions such as Jalapeño & Serrano, Ancho Chile, Cinnamon, Strawberry, and Ginger… plus, they have seasonal selections as well. These drinks are potent and absolutely delicious. You may find it hard to peel yourself away from the bar!

Lobo serves up some solid staples and authentically prepared margaritas (none of that sour mix nonsense!). It’s a great pre- or post- dinner spot, or even the main event! Every neighborhood needs some hearty Mexican fare and this is certainly the south-of-the-border star of Park Slope! Aye!

What we ate…

Drinks

• Lobo Margarita with Jalapeño & Serrano infused tequila (2+2)

Food

• Chips & Guac (2+2)
• Georgia’s Bean Dip (2+2)
• Loaded Nachos [Homemade chips, beans, cheese, onions, pico de gallo, guac, sour cream] (2+2)

A: I may have eaten about five avocados… it was one bottomless pit of delicious guacamole! The margaritas made it so hard to stop munching on chips and guac!

K: I love a good guacamole and margarita hour! A solid Mexican joint never disappoints with these two staples, so Lobo is definitely a quality spot.

L: Solid Jalapeño drinks here. Glad we left when we did. I would have kept drinking them.

M: Not sure I remember what I drank here, just know they were strong drinks.

Our Rating Scales…

• Scene- A rustic Tex-Mex joint that surrounds you with Longhorns and cocktails
• Food/Drinks- 3: Pleasantly Surprised!
• Tip Worthy- 3: Gratuity included
• Coordinates- 4: Neighborhood- Centrally Located
• Restaurant Return Rate- Green light

Dinner (2+2+1)

Convivium Osteria

What we ate…

Drinks

• Several bottles of Italian Chianti and Spanish Rioja (2+2)

Food

• Selezione di Olive [Imported olives marinated in garlic and oregano] (2+2)
• Tabla de Embutidos y Queso [Assortment of cured meats and cheese] (2+2)
• Gnocchi di Spinaci e Ricotta di Percora all’asiago [Spinach and ricotta gnocchi] (2+2)
• 48 oz Grilled Ribeye for two from Painted Hill Farms (2+2)
• Robalo ao Forno com Abobrinhas e Batatas novas [Roasted whole seabass with zucchini and new potatoes] (2+2)

A: Wow! This place was even more amazing the second time around! The massive steak was cooked a perfect medium-rare, the wine was rich and red and the charceuterie was spot on. It’s so hard to find a spot that continually delivers… consistency is key and Convivium has secured an amazing spot for the books (and bellies).

K: I was in love instantly! There is nothing I love more than Western Europe…and this restaurant blends all of my favorite countries’ best dishes and wines to boot. If I lived closer, I’d be a regular!

L: Came here three years ago and haven’t been back since. It was mind blowing good then and it was mind blowing good now. It helps that they have service to match.

M: Don’t know why it took me so long to come back to this place. I have been talking about it every since then and now I know I can never stop. Everything was fantastic. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

Our Rating Scales…

• The Scene- Exposed brick and chandeliers with a European chateau feel
• Food and Drinks- 3.5: Pleasantly Stellar! Really tasty… totally satisfying
• Tip Worthy- 4: Double the tax and then some.
• Coordinates- 4: Neighborhood- Centrally located, lots to do…. the heart of Brooklyn fun
• Restaurant Return Rate- Green light!