Red Hook is getting another neighborhood hangout, and this one sounds like it could become the place where you accidentally spend six hours.
Val’s, a new community-focused bar and diner coming to Red Hook, Brooklyn, is taking over the former Pitt’s space and bringing a decidedly old-school approach to the neighborhood. The concept is expected to feature classic diner fare, burgers, blue-plate specials and weekly pizza nights, along with a flexible space designed for co-working and neighborhood gatherings.
In other words, this isn’t just another cocktail bar where you’re handed a tiny snack and a $19 drink. Val’s is positioning itself as the kind of Red Hook bar and diner where you can actually hang out, eat something substantial and potentially become a regular without having to explain your résumé first.
The community angle is particularly fitting for Red Hook, a waterfront neighborhood that has developed a reputation for independent restaurants, bars and businesses that feel more like local institutions than cookie-cutter NYC concepts.
And Val’s won’t be entering a quiet food-and-drink scene. The neighborhood has recently welcomed new spots such as Tavern Next Door, a cocktail-forward sister spot to Red Hook Tavern, while other new projects are continuing to expand Red Hook’s dining scene.
There’s also Hōp, the forthcoming Cambodian restaurant and cocktail bar at 358 Van Brunt Street, which is expected to open this fall.
As for Val’s, the appeal may ultimately be its simplicity: burgers, diner classics, pizza, drinks and a place to actually linger.
Because sometimes New York doesn’t need another $200 tasting menu.
Sometimes you just want a burger, a beer and a booth where nobody cares how long you stay.
Red Hook, your new neighborhood diner may be coming soon.
