Need a good brunch rec? Head to sun-soaked GERTIE for a fun colourful brunch with friends. You will find us here for their Egg + Cheese bagel!

Hidden behind a laundromat is a tiny, red-lit bar, smoky as the mezcals in which they specialise. La Milagrosa feels like a portal to Mexico City, where drinks are served properly (with a slice of orange and chilli salt – you dip the orange slice into the spicy-savoury grains and suck between sips to enhance the flavour). Want something stronger? The menu offers 25 varieties of tequila and mezcal to drink straight-up. On the weekends, the tiny area in the back becomes a listening bar and dance floor later in the night, where avid record collector DJ Mendez doesn't skip on tunes. 

Leo offers top-tier pizza in Williamsburg. It marries a spacious, casual atmosphere with exceptional sourdough crust that strikes the perfect balance between New York and Neapolitan styles.

With romantic, almost Parisian interiors (spot the lovely pressed metal ceilings overhead) and hand-scrawled descriptions, this wine shop has been around since 2013, quietly curating bottles from small producers. Pick up a bottle (consider something you can’t find back home, like New York producer Forthave’s delightful botanical spirits – their aperitivo simply titled “Red” makes an elevated swap for Campari) or stop in for a free tasting in their sweet backyard on Fridays from 6 to 8 pm.