Browsing the thousands of stories we published on COOL HUNTING this year, in search of personal favorites, would present many problems if the very process of writing didn’t lend itself to favoritism. When asked what we’d recommend reading, we on staff already knew the many answers. That’s because the selections below represent experiences we had with people, places and brands that left a longstanding impact. …
There’s a palpable warmth that permeates every inch of Casa Ora, a new Venezuelan restaurant in Williamsburg. That feeling extends from the decor choices to the food that’s served, and it all comes courtesy of mother-son duo Ivo (a Nomad alum) and Isbelis Diaz—Venezuelan immigrants and the duo in charge of their all-Venezuelan kitchen staff. The menu—which consists of well-known favorites (arepas) and lesser-known treats …
197 Adelphi Street (in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighborhood) is no stranger to sustainable businesses. Originally housing the carbon-neutral Oberon Group restaurant Mettā until July 2019, the address has a new tenant: Rhodora, a waste-free wine bar under the same ownership. But if you ask Henry Rich (owner) and Halley Chambers (deputy director), this reopening represents far more than the reuse of once-defunct space. “This is …
