Time Out Love New York Awards 2014: Gowanus & Red Hook

The serious take on tippling offered at Fort Defiance is rare in isolated Red Hook, but the cocktails rank among the best in the borough. The Journalist, made with gin and vermouth, is as clean and crisp as a classic Manhattan. A Prescription Julep is an extra-potent mint julep featuring cognac and rye, poured over hand-crushed ice. If you live in the ’hood, this could be your new local spot (it opens at 7am on weekdays, serving coffee and breakfast). The frontier pricing—most drinks are under $10—helps justify the trek for the rest of us.

At this snug bakery and café in Red Hook, kids can load up on homestyle American sweets like fruit pies, brownies, cupcakes and red velvet cake. The traditional apple pie is the best we've ever had (sorry, Mom).

Parsons grad Kristy Hadeka and graphic designer Sean Tice started selling their countertop slate creations at the Brooklyn Flea (brooklynflea.com) in 2009, and the brand has since been sold in more than 1,000 stores across the U.S. This 850-square-foot showroom and shop is Brooklyn Slate Company’s first permanent location, and features reclaimed-glass shelving and custom-built furniture. The namesake metamorphic rock is sourced from Hadeka’s third-generation family quarry in upstate New York and then ground, sanded and shaped by her brother and father. You’ll find the entire collection, including coasters (four for $22), place mats (two for $39, four for $70) and signature cheese boards ($26–$44) that come with a soapstone pencil so you can distinguish your Brie from your blue. Also nab grub, such as jars of Sqirl jam ($14) and Castleton crackers ($7). Add a wooden knife ($12) carved from maple in Vermont and a jar of Bee Raw honey ($9) to complete your spread.

This unassuming wharfside tavern has been passed down in the Balzano family since 1890. On weekends, the bar buzzes with middle-aged and new-generation bohemians (the latter distinguished by their PBR cans), and the odd salty dog (canines, not sailors). Despite the nautical feel, you’re more likely to hear bossa nova or bluegrass than sea chanties warbling from the speakers.

For night owls who equate clubs on desolate streets with hipness, the Bell House has your number. But this Gowanus bar and music venue is worth the bleak trek. The sprawling spot’s two bars—one nestled in an ornate front room, the other in the rear performance space—provide plenty of drinking options. Skip toxic cocktails in favor of one of 12 beers on tap—from Anchor Steam to Smuttynose—or a taste of more than 20 bourbons. A can’t-miss drinking destination the Bell House is not. But if a band draws you in, stick to a Booker’s and you’ll do fine.