What to Do in Dumbo If You’re Here for Business (2025)

New York City has ever been a spot that radical flock to—to live, to work, to visit, oregon to play. It’s large and exciting, and there’s astir ever thing happening: a caller play, a caller exhibit, oregon a caller edifice opening.

According to a 2024 study by task superior steadfast SignalFire, NYC experienced a tech roar successful 2023, becoming the apical destination for radical relocating with tech jobs, with astir 15 percent of them choosing the Big Apple arsenic their destination.

This isn’t the archetypal clip the metropolis has seen an influx of exertion workers; the 1990s tech roar saw Manhattan's Flatiron District instrumentality disconnected arsenic a hub for high-tech companies, adjacent going truthful acold arsenic to being nicknamed “Silicon Alley.”

That country has since spread, moving its mode downtown to Soho, westbound to Hudson Yards, and much precocious implicit the bridge(s) and into Brooklyn—specifically Dumbo, the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and Downtown Brooklyn, forming the Brooklyn Tech Triangle.

Dumbo, which stands for “Down nether the Manhattan Bridge overpass,” is situated betwixt the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges connected the East River waterfront. The fashionable vicinity has large views of Manhattan and the bridges, and an ever-expanding nutrient and portion country to support you fed portion moving and making clip to play.

Where to Stay

60 Furman St., (347) 696-2500

If you’re going to enactment successful Dumbo, you’re going to privation views of the Manhattan skyline, the East River, and the iconic bridges that widen betwixt the two, and 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge offers that and more. Yes, determination is simply a gym and spa, but there’s besides a rooftop pool, which comes successful rather useful connected those stupidly blistery summertime days. James Beard Award–winning restaurateur Jonathan Waxman precocious brought his iconic West Village restaurant, Barbuto, to the hotel. On the 10th Floor, find Harriet’s Lounge for sushi, bao buns, and wagyu toasts. From 10 p.m. connected Friday, Saturday, and Sundays, perceive to unrecorded DJs spinning sets portion you bask trade cocktails and the view.

Don’t hide to extremity the time with a sustainable portion (or two) astatine Harriet’s Rooftop, conscionable 1 level up from the lounge, for much iconic sunset views. The edifice is pet-friendly, and there’s a café serving espresso, fresh-pressed juices, and artisanal and locally sourced snacks. There’s besides a workplace basal successful the lobby regular from 7 americium to 4 pm; drawback seasonal fruits that, portion they whitethorn look “ugly,” are cleanable successful taste, and each portion of the hotel’s sustainability mission.

85 Flatbush Ave Ext., (718) 329-9537

About a 10-minute locomotion to the bridges and Brooklyn waterfront, The Tillary is simply a somewhat much affordable enactment for the area, but inactive boasts a lobby cafe and rooftop plot bar. Featuring pet-friendly rooms and a fully-equipped gym, this edifice is simply a large enactment for inactive being adjacent to the action, but redeeming a spot much money. The lobby café offers an affordable scope of options (think $4 for an English muffin with ovum and food and up to $14 for a vegetarian wrap), portion the rooftop has a assortment of sandwiches, salads, and beverages (both n/a and boozy) to support you from needing to stray excessively far.

252 Schermerhorn St., (718) 313-3636

Technically successful Boerum Hill, bordering Downtown Brooklyn, the Ace Hotel is simply a boutique edifice with trendy furnishings and lukewarm vibes, positive a fittingness center. They diagnostic a rotating creator successful residence and DJ’s spinning successful the lobby astir play nights. For food, there’s Lele’s Roman, featuring a rotating enactment of Roman Aperitivo bites regular from 5 to 7 pm, oregon deed them up for meal (lots of ovum options!), luncheon (panini, pizza, salad!), and meal (pasta! pizza! classical contorni!). Don’t consciousness similar Italian? Try Koju for an omakase acquisition acceptable to a cautiously curated vinyl euphony program.

Where to Work

68 Jay St., (718) 210-3650

Whether you’re looking for afloat enclosed bureau spaces monthly oregon long-term, a coworking space, oregon a league room, Greendesk has got you covered for a precise tenable price. The abstraction is afloat furnished with 24/7 access, high-speed internet, kitchens, and a cleaning service.

Multiple locations

From the SOHO House team, SOHO Works is simply a web of bureau spaces; rent a gathering country oregon usage the shared lounge space, positive get entree to SOHO subordinate events and amenities. Work astatine either location—10 Jay Street oregon 55 Water Street—by the hr oregon rent by the day.

295 Front St., (347) 414-8782

Located successful Vinegar Hill, the Bond Collective has galore options for you to work, whether you request a dedicated desk, backstage office, squad suite, league rooms, coworking, oregon simply a time pass. You’ll person 24/7 access, Wi-Fi, fruits, snacks, and breakfast, positive unlimited printing.

Where to Get Your Coffee

66 Water St., (718) 875-1269

Located connected Water Street and unfastened regular from 10 americium to 7 pm, this flagship determination of the celebrated chocolatier is wherever it each began 25 years ago. Here, you’ll find handmade confections, blistery chocolate, and crystal pick sandwiches. Sample it all, past drawback a fewer things to instrumentality with you to stock with friends (or not—sharing is overrated).

85 Water St., (718) 797-5026

Almondine has been successful Dumbo for implicit 20 years. Opened by French baker Herve Poussot, this unpretentious bakery thrives connected tradition, innovation, and evolution. You’ll consciousness arsenic though you’ve been transported close to Paris with the caller bread, croissants, and cakes. They adjacent person a regular luncheon peculiar from 12 to 3 pm; take from a fractional sandwich, past brace it with a soup, salad, cookie, and half-priced portion for lone $18.

45 Washington St., (212) 924-7400

Grab a java present earlier strolling down Washington Street (it’s virtually located astatine 1 of the astir iconic spots that radical drawback photos of the bridge, truthful beware of influencers posing successful the mediate of the street) to the waterfront for a bully interruption and immoderate caller air.

Where to Eat

72 Hudson Ave., (718) 522-1018

This is the spot you spell erstwhile you privation a relaxed situation with unthinkable nutrient successful cute surroundings. Dining successful the outdoor plot is cozy and comforting, portion the wrong is vintage-inspired and laid back. The menu, portion besides elemental and comforting, is accordant and hits each time.

68 Jay St. #119

Open Tuesday to Friday from 10 americium to 2-ish, this unassuming French-style bakery from Ayako Kurokawa is tucked distant successful the lobby of 68 Jay Street. The pastries, though French successful style, are inspired by Kurokawa’s Japanese upbringing. Scones, cookies, cakes, and slices of pastry are each served connected metallic platters, with handwritten labels connected bluish paper. The gateau basque is simply a fashionable item; spell early, arsenic they merchantability retired daily.

1 John St., (718) 522-5356

Opened successful 2017, Celestine is the benignant of spot that feels chill capable to beryllium your vicinity go-to, portion besides peculiar capable to spell for a celebration. The paper includes thoughtful vegetable-heavy starters and sides, arsenic good arsenic full branzino and a 14-ounce ribeye. With floor-to-ceiling windows, there’s not a atrocious spot successful the location to bask your repast with a presumption of the East River and each its happenings.

147 Front St.

This intimate, 10-seat chef’s antagonistic offers a tasting paper and à la carte menu, featuring oysters, crudo, and earthy wines by the glass. Try the caviar Frito pie: an unfastened container of Fritos topped with wholly excessively overmuch caviar and creme fraiche.

1 Front St., (718) 858-4300

Originally opened successful 1990 by Patsy Grimaldi and his wife, Carol, Grimaldi sold the concern successful 1998 to Frank Ciolli. Grimaldi is of the Patsy’s of Harlem lineage (Patsy is his uncle, from whom helium learned to marque pizza astatine property 12). In 2000, Grimaldi’s moved locations adjacent doorway to their archetypal spot wherever they proceed to merchantability full pies successful a coal-fired oven.

19 Old Fulton St., (718) 596-6700

If you similar a broadside of gossip with your slice, past Juliana’s is the spot to go. Patsy and Carol Grimaldi opened Juliana’s successful the archetypal Grimaldi’s determination astatine 19 Old Fulton Street successful 2012, which caused a disturbance successful the pizza community, since it’s located adjacent doorway to Grimaldi’s, their erstwhile business. They adjacent got their archetypal coal-fired oven back. Named aft Patsy’s mother, Juliana’s serves coal-fired pizza, meatballs, and salads. They besides merchantability 4 flavors of par-cooked pies to “take & bake” astatine home. Try an ovum cream—a New York City classical of milk, cocoa oregon vanilla syrup, and seltzer made frothy by whisking the 3 ingredients vigorously until foamy. Grub Street called it the champion successful the metropolis successful 2017.