New Yorkers and people worldwide love to visit Brighton Beach, where immigrants from former Soviet-bloc countries and Russia created an enclave known as Little Odessa. The beautiful area is known for its stores, nightclubs, and restaurants, which cater to the immigrants’ specific tastes. People come to enjoy some specialties, including the Georgian flatbread filled with cheese, honey-pepper vodka, and rice pilaf.
They also come to partake in some relaxing pastimes of people-watching and strolling along the boardwalk. Visitors to Little Odessa can also swim or sunbathe on the beach. Brighton Beach is a living example of a unique spot where crossing a city block takes people straight into a new and different world.
Here’s a guide to enjoying the most of a vacation spent on Brighton Beach.
Here’s How It Feels Like When Spending A Sunny Afternoon On Brighton Beach
People visiting Brighton Beach on a sunny summer afternoon will feel like they’re stepping into a European coastal town. They will hear residents speak in Russian and witness big tanned hairy men wearing neon speedos spreading their legs wide and sitting shirtless. The seaside in the neighborhood is so calm, where people can take a nap on the unique sandy beach. This is different from nearby Coney Island, filled with fruity Juul plumes and competing boomboxes.
However, Brighton Beach is not much of a tourist destination and is home to only a few shops that sell mugs and magnets and very few boardwalk hawkers. On the contrary, the neighborhood is shaped by its people, for its people. It is more of a space for immigrants.
Still, it is worth visiting this one-of-a-kind neighborhood in New York because it features an uncluttered stretch of seaside and a charming boardwalk, making it much more attractive than more famous beaches in Brooklyn.
People visiting Brighton Beach must not expect to be greeted warmly. For instance, those who speak English will be met with raised eyebrows. Those who don’t say anything at all will be de facto considered that they talk about the mother tongue, Russian. It is worth learning to say Spasibo or Thank You before heading to Brighton Beach.
What To Eat & Drink When Visiting Brighton Beach
When people first reach Brighton Beach, they must head to any gastronom in the neighborhood. Those can be found beneath elevated train tracks and consist of supermarkets where people can buy plenty of Russian goodies found exclusively in Brighton Beach. This is why people must bring with them empty tote bags for their shopping experience there.
Next, visitors should go to the Brighton Bazaar, located on Brighton Beach Avenue. This is where they will find an array of cheesecake bars made with sweetened condensed milk and dipped with chocolate, among many other Russian ice creams. The condensed milk used to make those sweets is known as sgushyonka, a Soviet childhood treat.
People also indulge in the unique taste of pickled watermelon and whole-fried small saltwater fish, known as smelt. They can also find more beach-ready snacks, such as the Piroshki. The latter consists of hand pies stuffed with gooey cherries or minced meat.
As for the drinks, it is a must to try the Baltika beers found in the refrigerated section. Walking down Brighton Beach Avenue, people can stop at a bakery called La Brioche. Here, they will find the most delicious multi-layered Soviet cake, Medovik. Visitors to the bakery can also taste the cheese-Danish-like vatrushka and the Rugelach.
How To Enjoy The Most Of A Day Spent On Brighton Beach
For the most authentic Russian experience, people visiting Brighton Beach head to Tatiana Restaurant and Nightclub. They can come either for lunch or dinner, where they will enjoy lovely ocean-view boardwalk seating. People are encouraged to reserve a later table downstairs where the nightclub is located.
- Recommended: When booking a table at the Tatiana Nightclub on Brighton Beach, people must know that they should dress sexy if they want to fit in. Moreover, they should know that they’re booking a wedding-reception-like evening of communal dancing and dining.
- What to eat: When partying at Tatiana Nightclub, people will enjoy delicious chicken Kiev and beef Stroganoff dishes served buffet-style throughout the night.
- Cost: Partying at Tatiana Nightclub costs from $55, and the price goes up to more than $100, depending on how deluxe party people want to go. The party goes on from 9:00 pm to 3:00 am in the windowless space.
People who love to attend concerts should consider heading to the Master Theater on Brighton Beach. Visitors will have the chance to dance in the aisles and sing along to performances. Moreover, the Master Theater can accommodate more than 1,300 spectators. Additionally, local Russian singers and musicians play in this concert venue, and famous Russian celebrities most probably visit the Master Theater whenever they come to New York.