Frenzie Is Getting Closer & a Brooklyn Heights Home Sets a Record
Plus Afghan-inspired pizza, Restaurant Week, and Red Hook's newest bakery
Here’s what’s happening this week:
✨ Local Happenings and New Openings ✨
Frenzie Coming Soon! After previously sharing that the team behind Confidant had taken over the neighboring space for their new concept, Frenzie, a funky, vintage-inspired wine bar, new signage has now gone up, signaling that opening day is just around the corner. We'll be sure to share updates as soon as an official opening date is announced.
Red Hook Focacceria Now Open! They’re serving small-batch focaccia and breads made with Italian flour, long fermentation, and clean ingredients. The bakery will be open at 421 Van Brunt St on Saturday and Sunday, with limited daily quantities, so be sure to arrive early!
The former Macy’s building is getting a major makeover. Plans have been announced to transform the former department store into BKX, a 440,000-square-foot destination combining retail, restaurants, entertainment, wellness, and cultural spaces. Developers say it will offer the largest contiguous retail space currently available in New York City, leasing is already in the works.
Starting this week, Diljān Bakery is debuting a new lineup of Afghan-inspired pizzas featuring naturally fermented dough, stone-milled flour, and unique toppings like Wild Mountain Afghan cumin and kebab house flavors. Pre-orders are now open.
Brooklyn's most expensive home sale of the year just happened in Brooklyn Heights. A historic townhouse at 192 Columbia Heights sold for $24.5 million in an off-market deal, making it the borough's priciest residential sale of 2026 and the third-highest sale in Brooklyn history.
Brooklyn Public Library has received a $1 million grant from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation to grow programs supporting immigrants and teens. The funding will help expand English classes, legal and career services, citizenship support, and college readiness programs across the library system.
If you've been thinking about applying for this year's Atlantic Antic Festival, there's still time. Vendor applications remain open through August 31 for Brooklyn's annual street fair returning September 27.
Neighborhood Steal: 🦞 Restaurant Week at Red Hook Lobster Pound
From July 20 through August 16, enjoy a two-course lunch for $30 or a three-course dinner for $45 at Red Hook Lobster Pound. The special menu includes favorites like lobster bisque, fish & chips, blackened fish tacos, and mussels, with discounted beer and wine available too.
There are so many fun food updates this week! I'm curious, which one is at the top of your list? The new focaccia bakery in Red Hook, Afghan-inspired pizza from Diljān, or the upcoming wine bar? I have a feeling all three are going to be popular.
See you around the neighborhood!
Shannon
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Our Top Picks
Events with an asterisk* tend to sell out- reserve tickets early!
Today, July 16:
Illustrate recipies & eat pizza with Bianca Bosso @ Ziggy’s Roman Cafe*: Join artist and culinary creator Bianca Bosso for a creative evening of pizza, specialty drinks, and cookbook illustrations. Guests will learn how to transform a favorite recipe into a hand-drawn cookbook page using acrylic markers, with all materials provided and a take-home booklet. Tickets HERE.
Hops Hill 12-year Anniversary @ Hops Hill on 886 Fulton (12:00pm-close): Marking its 12th anniversary, the celebration will feature beer giveaways, exclusive merch, pizza from Impasto, and Junior's cheesecake. Stop by anytime from noon until close.
Multi-Day Events:
Daiqs & Dogs @ Grand Army (July 12th-19th): Grand Army is celebrating National Hot Dog Day and National Daiquiri Day with a weeklong fundraiser benefiting A Humane World for Animals. Stop by for specialty hot dogs and daiquiris, with proceeds helping support animal welfare while you enjoy a summer treat.
FAD Market @ St. Paul (July 18-19 from 11:00am-6:00pm): Shop more than 60 independent makers selling everything from handcrafted jewelry and home goods to specialty foods, apparel, and beauty products. The market is free to attend and pet-friendly.
Saturday, July 18:
Love Island-Themed Workout @ /impact/ Group Fitness (10:00am)*: Love Island fans, this one is for you! Expect a high-energy workout, island-inspired vibes, the show's soundtrack. Save your spot here.
Sunday, July 19:
Bastille Day Celebrations: Check out L’Appartement 4F’s festive block party with French wine and charcuterie or Le French Tart Deli’s afternoon of pastries and live music in celebration of Bastille Day right here in our neighborhood. Brooklyn French Bakers will also be celebrating with fresh pastries, sandwiches, and other French favorites.
Finals Watch Party with Brooklyn Heights Association @ Montague St (12:00pm-6:00pm): Catch the World Cup Final during Montague Open Streets. They’re hosting a free watch party featuring multiple outdoor screens, youth soccer clinics, open play, sticker trading, and a Bastille Day celebration.
Tuesday, July 21:
F&F Pizza Sessions @ F&F Pizzeria (starting at 5:00pm)*: The next installment of F&F Pizzeria's Pizza Sessions brings Wylie Dufresne (Stretch Pizza) and Bret Lunsford (Sally's Apizza) for an evening of exclusive pies, unlimited food and drinks, and one-night-only creations. Tickets are almost gone.
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Neighborhood Job Board 📌
This week's openings include a bookseller position at Books Are Magic, an events role at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and retail opportunities at Powerhouse Arts, plus dozens of other local jobs across nearby neighborhoods.
✨ Cobble Hill Insider ✨
This week’s Insider section includes:
A new cocktail bar promising late-night drinks is opening soon • A new restaurant inspired by a grandmother's kitchen is opening soon