Fort Greene's Dekalb Avenue has always maintained a dual personality: a bustling commercial strip on one hand; far enough off the beaten path (aka a subway line) to feel remote, on the other. In recent years, the street's restaurants-pioneered by Madiba and Chez Oscar and followed up by New Brooklyn classics like Ici, the General Greene, Roman's and Walters-have made it a destination with a reach far beyond the neighboring blocks. Even as Brooklyn has developed at a sometimes terrifying pace, Fort Greene has held onto its identity, remaining today perhaps the borough's most diverse enclave. The racial and ethnic medley adds to its charm in no small measure, and comes to it most vibrant pitch on a summer night on Dekalb Avenue.
Starting at Vanderbilt and working your way toward Fort Greene Park, head over to Strolby for a taste of what you'll find on a stroll down Dekalb Avenue...