Despite its location, New York isn’t famous for waterfront dining. But activity on the eastern fringe of Brooklyn Bridge Park signals a change, with Dumbo becoming a new hotbed of food with a view. While the adaptive reuse of Empire Stores has clustered several places to eat inside the Civil War–era structure, the nearby Celestine, slated to open Thursday, inhabits the ground floor of a brand-new luxury condo. It’s a collaboration from most of the team behind Boerum Hill’s Grand Army bar, plus wine maven Joe Campanale and chef Garett McMahan, a veteran of Perilla. McMahan looks to the Mediterranean rim for inspiration: There’s haloumi in his green salad, kataif in his grilled squash, and grains of paradise in his baba ghannouj. He bakes his hummus to winterize it and carves braised-rabbit kugel, a take on the Jewish noodle pudding, into long rectangular slices that he pan-sears before serving. “I’m from the rural Midwest,” he says. “I’m super-familiar with pasta casserole.” Here’s a look at some of the food and the space.
1 John St., nr. Adams St., Dumbo; 718-522-5356
