When my friends from Florida come to visit me in New Jersey, I always try to arrange a foodie girls’ day in Manhattan.  The idea is to cocktail at one place, appetizer at another, eat an entrée elsewhere and finish with dessert someplace new.  All done, if possible, in different neighborhoods.

Saturday, I instead opted to venture to Brooklyn to the place ‘everyone’ is talking about, at least in my foodie circle: Smorgasburg – a weekly market featuring hand-crafted foods on the Williamsburg waterfront.  Every Saturday between North 6th and North 7th St., the East River transforms into a festive gathering of food entrepreneurs and successful purveyors offering packaged and prepared foods, fresh produce and other food-related goods.  Smorgasburg typically features over 100 vendors and is open rain or shine during the non-Winter months.

As I entered the 44,000 square feet space, the aromas of the various food stands greeted me and prompted me to start sampling.  Since this was my first visit, I decided to walk around the food labyrinth to get a feel for what was being offered.  The tantalizing options are overwhelming.  Fried whole anchovies from Bon Chovie?  The Montreal-style smoked meat sandwich of famed Mile End?  A three-cheese grilled cheese from Milk Truck?  A perfect porkie sandwich from Porchetta?  I finally selected the sesame noodles with hot brown meat sauce (pork braised for four hours in hoisin) from Shorty Tang & Sons, the crispy pork belly on steam buns from Bite Size Kitchen, a miniature Canadian maple butter tart from Cutie Pies and a tiny maple and bacon cupcake from Kumquat Cupcakery.  I washed everything down with a fantastic slushy concoction from Kelvin Natural Slush Co.  I just couldn’t fit in the lobster roll from Red Hook Lobster Pound that I’d been eyeing since arriving – next time!

People appear to make a day out of going to Smorgasburg.  There were families picnicking in the grassy area near to river and folks enjoying a walk around the space with their dogs.  Veterans of the event are helpful to newbies and food vendors are clearly proud of showing off their craft.

The place has an energizing buzz about it that is contagious to both vendors and consumers and I urge you to get out there during the season to experience a super smorgasbord in Williamsburg.

Smorgasburg
27 N. 6th St.
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Cheers,

Veronique