What to see, eat and buy in one day in 'Little Odessa' on Brighton Beach

A popular New York publication gives advice on how to spend a day in 'Little Odessa' on Brighton Beach, a predominantly Russian neighborhood in Brooklyn.

Фото: Depositphotos

Brighton Beach in Brooklyn is much more than sand and surf, writes AMNY. Venture deeper into the region and you'll find yourself in "Little Odessa," a Russian enclave named after the Ukrainian city on the Black Sea.

The area that borders Sheepshead Bay to the north, Coney Island to the west and Manhattan Beach to the east, has long been considered a corner of New York filled with immigrants. The main population here was European Jews, which lasted for decades until the middle of the 1970s, when changes in Soviet immigration policy brought a new wave of immigrants from Russia and Ukraine to Brighton Beach.

It's no surprise that the area is still called "Little Odessa" - more than half of Brighton Beach's population are immigrants, and about 45% of residents speak one of the Indo-European languages ​​at home (a group that includes the languages ​​of the post-Soviet space - editor's note).

Many store and restaurant signs are written in Cyrillic, and locals often assume you speak Russian until you say something in English. The publication recommends that English-speaking New Yorkers brush up on their Russian and learn the words “da”, “nyet” and “spasiba”.

This is a truly unique place in New York, where everything is filled with Eastern European flavor - food, music, languages. AMNY offers its own program that will help you have a great day on Brighton Beach from dawn to dusk, and includes not only Russian establishments.

Photo: video frame YouTube / Here Be Barr

Drink tea with baklava at Brighton Güllüoglu Baklava Cafe

Getting off train B or Q at Brighton Beach Avenue station, start your morning at the Turkish cafe at: 239 Brighton Beach Ave. The owner of the institution began its activities in Turkey in 1871 year. Now the family owns three institutions (two in New York and one in New Jersey). All the baking ingredients that you find in the cafe are imported from Istanbul. We recommend Turkish tea, omelet with Turkish sausage and a small baklava.

Go to the beach

Brighton Beach, east of Coney Island, which can be reached via Brighton First Road, second and fourth streets, is more spacious than the nearby popular beach, and the sand is cleaner here. Take a towel and an umbrella to spend a foggy, lazy morning by the ocean. If you have forgotten something, many shops on Brighton Beach Avenue will offer everything you need.

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Photo: video frame YouTube / ActionKid

Take a walk along the promenade

The boardwalk is the same Riegelman boardwalk you see at Coney Island, however some of the wooden boards have become unstable so proceed with caution. It's worth taking a walk along the sidewalk to watch grandmothers in headscarves basking in the sun and listening to street musicians, or just to breathe in the salty air.

Have lunch on the beach at Tatyana Grill or Cafe Volna

After the beach you will have worked up an appetite. Fortunately, you don't have to go far - there are several restaurants on the embankment. Long-established Tatyana Grill and Cafe Volna are obvious choices on Brighton Fourth Street. Again, in most establishments you will be greeted in Russian. You'll have a choice of Russian dishes as well as American foods such as burgers, salads and seafood. Lunch here can be a little pricey, so if you're looking to save money, head east as there are several small eateries with budget-friendly food.

Фото: Depositphotos

Take a look at the cafe “At Mother-in-Law”

Mother-in-Law Cafe, 3071 Brighton Fourth St., serves Korean-Uzbek food, or more accurately, Korean made in Uzbek style. The no-frills café specializes in home-style cooking that will make you feel like you're visiting grandma. Try the eggplant hai (salad), lagman, beef/lamb noodle soup and honey chak chak for dessert.

Buy small items in St. Petersburg

This large supplier of Russian goods is what you need for such a walk. St. Petersburg store at 230 Brighton Beach Ave. sells gifts, books, clothing and has been operating in Brighton Beach since 1994. The book assortment includes more than 10 titles; it sells a variety of clothes and accessories (shawls, scarves, hats, suits), gifts and souvenirs (Faberge eggs, jewelry, lacquer boxes, paintings and nesting dolls) and household goods made in Russia. It's a fun look at another culture and a way to appreciate its craftsmanship.

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Go to the "bazaar"

Brighton Bazaar Supermarket (1007 Brighton Beach Ave.) is another fun way to immerse yourself in the diversity of cultures found on Brighton Beach. At the entrance there is a buffet with takeaway items such as lula kebabs, sausage, baked apples, pancakes and eggplant salad, but if you don't speak Russian you may need some help. On the shelves you will find sweets and packaged Russian dishes.

Photo: video frame YouTube / Hour Philippines TV

Feast on desserts in the cafe La Brioche

Further east, at 1073 Brighton Beach Ave., La Brioche serves up wonderful baked goods in a glass-free display case. Here you can take what you like: donuts, cakes, small buns, rum baba, meringues, cookies, bread - and pay at the counter. We left with a container of five treats for $5.

Enjoy the performance in the Master Theater

Nearby you'll find the Master Theater at 1029 Brighton Beach Ave. — performances with the participation of Russian musicians are constantly held here, and Ray Charles, Engelbert Humperdinck, ballet and drama troupes once played here. In 1934 the site was known as the Oceana Theatre. An ornate checkout counter and foyer greet you as you enter the Gourmanoff grocery store, which is located on the ground floor across from the theater doors. If you really want to get a taste of the culture, watch one of the shows.

Photo: facebook.com/TheMasterTheater

Dine at Cafe Kashkar

A favorite among locals and regulars, Cafe Kashkar at 1141 Brighton Beach Ave. serves Uyghur food. The Uyghurs are an ethnic group from Central Asia that is concentrated in the Xinjiang region of China. Their food consists of the best dishes from Chinese, Turkish, Russian, Uzbek and Kazakh cuisine. You can't go wrong with fried pilaf rice, lamb and vegetable stew, lagman, manti or one of the succulent kebabs.

If you want to try Russian or Georgian cuisine, try Georgian House (129 Brighton First St.), Hot Potato House (109 Oriental Blvd.), Ocean View Cafe (290 Brighton Beach Ave.) or Wise Espresso Bar (3120 Coney Island Ave. .) - each of them has traditional dishes, from dumplings to borscht.

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