This week, we’re featuring **Bensonhurst** and **Bath Beach!**
We’re going by this unofficial [Google Map overlay](https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1VYN-6Vkk01byUCF7P13rT6ORT5g) as a GENERAL outline as to what the neighborhoods are. It’s not a strict requirement but try not to go too far outside of the boundaries.
Some optional prompts:
* What are some of your favorite food spots or “hidden gems”?
* Any “must have” or go to dishes from those particular spots?
* Are there any points of interest or events that is worth going out of the way to visit?
[Link to previous weeks](https://www.reddit.com/r/FoodNYC/comments/14rflbt/comment/jqrv7um/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3)
by crazeman
13 Comments
Reasoning for the merge:
I felt like most of the Chinese food spots is very highly concentrated along 86th street which is literally right on the border of Bensonhurst and Bath Beach according to most maps I’ve seen. I didn’t want the same recommendations to pop up if they were to be in separate threads.
I could be wrong but I also feel like there’s really not that many highlights in Bath Beach (I grew up in Bensonhurst) so I think combining them makes sense even though both neighborhoods is huge area wise.
Yunnan Ten Second Rice Noodle on 86th is so fantastic. The food is absolutely excellent, and it’s a favorite of mine when it’s cold. Not only is the food good, but the portions are gigantic, and you can very easily feed two people (two noodle soups and an appetizer/side) for $30. I almost always finish my food whenever I eat out, and I’ve never truly finished my food here.
I grew up on Bensonhurst but haven’t really lived or eaten in the area for a while so I only know the “old” places and not any of the new ones.
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The “original” [John’s Deli](https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-original-johns-deli-brooklyn) has one of the best roast beef sandwiches. They smother it with fresh mozzarella, caramelized onions, and this delicious thick black sauce to keep the roast beef moist. Honestly they have the best roast beef out of any other places that I’ve tried. They have a few locations in Brooklyn
If you walk a few blocks away, there’s also [L&B Spumoni Gardens](https://www.yelp.com/biz/l-and-b-spumoni-gardens-brooklyn) which is famous for their square slices and spumoni. People give them shit for falling off or being not as good but it still hits the spot for me whenever I get them.
Pro tip, L&B is one of the few places that has the same prices on UberEats vs in-person ($32 for a Sicilian square pie). You pair that with a 40% UberEats off coupon that they give out every other week and you can pretty much get them delivered for the same price without making the trip out. The 40% coupons pretty much covers the delivery fee/tip/whatever bullshit UberEats tack on.
IMO if it’s your first time trying L&B I’d recommend going in person as it taste MUCH better fresh but if you’re a old head who got a craving for L&B, UberEats is a pretty good alternative without having to make the trip.
[Liu’s Shanghai](https://www.yelp.com/biz/lius-shanghai-brooklyn-2) in Bath Beach has pretty good Shanghai food. My favorite thing on the menu is the Fish Head soup/casserole. It comes in a big family-style portion (3 qt) so you can only really order it if you have a group.
[Lily Bloom](https://www.yelp.com/biz/lily-bloom-bakery-brooklyn-6) is known for their Portuguese egg tart. They’re a sister bakery to Xin Fa in 8th ave, which is also very well known for their egg tart.
[Lioni Heroes](https://www.yelp.com/biz/lioni-italian-heroes-brooklyn-2) has really good Italian sandwiches. Their menu is a fucking hot mess though, they have like 100 sandwiches named after various NY celebrities and most of them are like one ingredients off from each other. Definitely check out their menu ahead of time so you don’t get overwhelmed and spend 20 minutes trying to figure out what you want. They also have a location in Sunset Park by the 36th st station.
[Pastosa Ravioli](https://www.yelp.com/biz/pastosa-ravioli-brooklyn) sells raviolis and other freshly made Italian goods.
[Sake Sushi](https://www.yelp.com/biz/sake-sushi-brooklyn-5) deserves a honorable mention. They’re a dirt cheap AYCE sushi spot with a time limit of an hour. It’s going to be cheap fish and sushi but for $20-30, depending on if you go for lunch or dinner, you really can’t complain. If you go for dinner, they add let you order from a expanded menu (compared to lunch) with a few more “premium” items available.
Hk tea and sushi for their baked dishes. Huge portions and super inexpensive. Get the baked chicken steak and spaghetti.
Eddie’s fancy food/Cafe Lily for Uzbek cuisine. Like a mix of Korean/Russian food. Really unique. Get lamb plov and Manti dumplings.
Ipoh Kitchen for great Malaysian food. Get their mixed skewers and char kway teow noodles.
Cannoli plus for delicious cannolis you can buy in bulk too.
La chacra some of the best peruvian food. Get the seafood paella and roast chicken.
Panino rustico for delicious paninis. Get the smoked salmon panini.
Good day seafood for the best roast pork and dim sum imo. Get the roast pork and any dim sum dish.
Krispy pizza best pizza. Always consistent and lots of different pies. Get the vodka, fresh mozzarella or chicken parm pizza.
Em for Vietnamese on 86th and 17th!
Some great recommendations here, wanted to throw in a couple more.
Over on 18th avenue you have Tacos Lupita, a truck with some of the best carnitas tacos you’ll find anywhere. I’ll get like 20 of these at a time they’re so good.
Mama’s Noodle House is always great. The minced pork noodles and fried dumplings are my go to.
Villabate Alba’s reputation speaks for itself. Incredible Italian pastries and other goodies. Some of my favorite cannoli.
Little House for terrific Malaysian food.
Mr. Bun is good for soup dumplings, but when it comes to Shanghainese food, yeah, Liu’s Shanghai cannot be beat.
Rob’s of Brooklyn for top-tier pizza.
You’ll also find these papas fritas street vendors scattered throughout the neighborhood. Get them, and put all the sauces on. You’ll thank me later.
Bath Beach is home to the largest Guatemalan community in the city, with some really great places to eat:
Jireh is phenomenal. Just delicious, comforting Guatemalan specialties: pepían, pollo guisado, dobladas, arroz con leche…all that good stuff. Breakfast on a Sunday morning with the after-church crowd is an event in of itself.
Antojitos Deli Food Corp. has some of the best pepían I’ve ever had in my life.
Panaderia Guatemalteca La Bendicion has so many different types of Guatemalan breads.
There’s so much more, but that’s good for now.
Make sure you get the peanut sauce/spicy wontons from Liu’e Shanghai. They are one of my top 5 dishes in the city from any place.
The thing to get at L&B is the Italian ice which is phenomenal. The pizza to me is way too heavy with the parm
Colosseo for *proper* Italian fare.
Ortobello/Villa Fiorita for classic Italian-American, red sauce fare.
Da Vinci/J&V Pizzeria for sicilian and NY slices.
Here’s a new one for me
Legend Cafe House kinda hard to find but if you want that OG Hong Kong food come here.
Il Fornaretto for bread
Rimini Pastry
A lot of classic spots have been mentioned but Europa Pizzeria is missing!
Great spot for brick oven/wood-fired pizza.
Little House Malaysian Kitchen or Koo Koo Chicken are solid. There’s also a lot of dessert and tea shop chains that have popped up, they are great trying to stick to the independent stores. Growing up in Bensonhurst, so much has changed especially on 86th and 18th while Bay Parkway is relatively consistent. At least we still got solid local pizzeras.