Nea Chryssi Akti is a long, sandy beach that attracts windsurfers from all over the world. This organized and crowded beach also offers beach clubs, water sports facilities and restaurants.
Locals love Locanda Vini e Olii, a low-key restaurant housed in a former pharmacy with vintage exterior signs. It serves up spritzes, pappardelle with beef ragu and more.
Miss Ada
With a name like Miss Ada, this Brooklyn restaurant seems to be speaking in the vernacular of millennial foodies. But don’t be fooled: It’s the real deal, a chef-owned gem led by Tomer Blechman (Bar Bolonat, Gramercy Tavern).
While other restaurants put modern twists on Middle Eastern fare, Miss Ada stays true to its roots and does so with panache. Its cozy dining room, backyard garden and patio, and a menu packed with dips and salads set it apart.
Whipped ricotta with brown butter and sage might sound like something you’d find at a trendy Italian place, but it’s perfect spooned over the tender lamb shawarma at Miss Ada. A bright and fresh market salad is another highlight, as are charred skewers of short rib and cabbage or kofta with pine nuts. Light, modern desserts round out the meal. Service is impeccable.
Lula Mae
When Brooklyn nightlife veteran Mark Roof first conceived Lula Mae with business partner David Balk, it was to be a sultry cocktail lounge serving elevated Southern bar food. But Covid put a halt to their plans, and when they were ready to restart the project, this space on Myrtle Avenue in Clinton Hill fell into their laps.
The name—a tribute to Roof’s grandmother—stayed, and the menu, from chef and co-owner Dan San (who previously cooked at The Tyger, Nami Nori, and Chinese Tuxedo), is filled with Southeast Asian-ish stunners.
The front room is a crescent of tables on two levels that look out on the street, with a smaller dining room tucked behind the kitchen. Part the curtains to discover the bar, which can be a good place to linger even when the restaurant is packed. You can also order takeout from the dining terrace. Its sandwiches and salads are a quick, convenient option. They include fried whiting with lettuce, tomatoes and garlic butter on a garlic butter toasted brioche bun, and sweet and spicy sauced jerk salmon or chicken.
Locanda Vini e Olii
The owners of Locanda Vini e Olii, Catherine and Francois Louy, came to Brooklyn with years of industry experience (she was the manager at Balthazar and he was the GM of Cipriani). Their goal was to create an authentic Italian restaurant in Clinton Hill that was non-fussy and rustic. They found the perfect space in a neighborhood pharmacy and spent months restoring it.
The food here is delicious and unpretentious. The menu is focused on traditional Tuscan dishes, which are simple but incredibly flavorful. They also bake their own bread in-house, making the restaurant unique and inviting.
Locanda has 4.7 stars on OpenTable, and the restaurant is definitely worth a visit. Whether you’re looking for a place to take someone on a date or just want to treat yourself, this is the place to go. They offer delivery as well, so you can enjoy their food at home. Just make sure to order ahead of time.
Theodora
Tomer Blechman, the chef behind Brooklyn’s Miss Ada and Nili, aims to make his patrons feel good at Theodora. Live-fire cooking, dry-aged fish and a studiously curated natural wine list are among his tactics. But, perhaps more than anything else, he wants the diners to leave feeling nourished and satisfied.
Some of Handel’s late London oratorios, like the indestructible Semele, work well as fully staged operas. Others, however, particularly those that swap mythology for the sacred, require dramatic help. Such is the case with Theodora, which director Katie Mitchell gives us a heartfelt modern-day update, though one that doesn’t quite deliver on the promise of the score’s great arias.
Chloe Lamford’s design focuses on four box sets, including the kitchen in which Theodora cooks and the ambassadorial brothel where she’s condemned to slave (with cartoonish ease). Neutral tones accentuated with plaster textures, stone, tile and custom wood millwork wrap the airy space. Large storefront windows and multiple skylights flood the 76-seat dining room with light.