Get to know Carroll Gardens

While you may have guessed the second half of the Carroll Gardens’ name comes from its plethora of gardens, the first comes from another landscaped source. Carroll Park — itself named after the Declaration of Independence signatory Charles Carroll — is Brooklyn’s third-oldest green space and remains a shady refuge and neighborhood centerpiece cherished by all. But the appeal of this neighborhood doesn’t end with its embrace of nature. Underscoring the general greatness of Brooklyn’s culinary fare, even a smaller area like Carroll Gardens squeezes in its share of unmissable spots. Carroll Gardens contains three busy commercial strips, with Smith Street forming one of the borough’s premier restaurant rows. Court Street, a major thoroughfare connecting through Cobble Hill and into Brooklyn Heights, includes recent trendy arrivals alongside old-school establishments open for decades. Union Street mixes residential and commercial, with many Carroll Gardens favorites found directly on or just off of it.