Hey all, we just moved to an apartment near Coffey Park in Red Hook. I walked down Van Brunt looking for the Fairway because my cousin said it was the best. It’s not there? Or I walked to the wrong block? We have a car but no assigned parking and I already got one alternate side ticket. What do people who live here actually do for real groceries? Not just chips and sandwiches. I need lettuce and chicken and coffee creamer without crossing the whole city. Any help appreciated.

Oh I did the same thing when I first moved to Brooklyn! I think Fairway on Van Brunt has been gone for a while. I use Instacart from the Key Food in Cobble Hill but the delivery windows fill up on Sundays. Sometimes I walk to the Fruit Street Market on Van Brunt? It’s small but better than nothing. Also, is the bus to Trader Joe's actually realistic with bags? I’m always scared I’ll drop the eggs.

Fairway’s been dead for a minute. That big space turned into something else. If you’re over 30 and carrying groceries, don’t play yourself on the B61 with two Trader Joe’s bags unless you want warm ice cream. For Red Hook, your best quiet move is the Food Bazaar in Gowanus or the Key Food on Court St. Parking’s easier at Food Bazaar most weeknights. Bodega lettuce is for emergencies only.

Wait, there’s no full supermarket in Red Hook at all? I was thinking of moving there because the rent is normal. I assumed there was a C-Town or something. Do you guys just do one big car trip a week? Is the FreshDirect fee worth it? Also does the Coffey Park area feel safe walking to the bus at night with a bag?

A few points from someone who’s lived in and around Red Hook since before the Fairway closed:

• The old Fairway on Van Brunt has not been a supermarket for some time. If someone told you it’s there, they’re working from an old map or an old memory.
• The closest large supermarkets are the Key Food on Court St near Baltic, the Food Bazaar on 12th St in Gowanus, and the Trader Joe’s at Court St/Atlantic. None are a quick walk from Coffey Park, but all are bus or bike accessible.
• If you keep your car, the Food Bazaar lot is the least stressful for a weekly shop. I go after 7 p.m. on weekdays and it’s manageable.
• For small daily items, there are a couple of markets on Van Brunt that carry decent produce, milk, eggs, and shelf staples. They cost more than a big store, which is just Red Hook reality.
• Don’t sleep on the Red Hook Farmers Market if it’s back for the season, mostly weekend produce.

One caveat: If you rely on delivery only, check the actual store location. Some apps were still listing the Van Brunt Fairway as active a full year after it closed, and you’ll get weird substitutions.

Thank you! I was so confused because my cousin visited and kept saying 'just go to Fairway' and I thought I was losing my mind. We tried the Food Bazaar yesterday after work and the parking was actually okay, but the checkout line made me want to cry. Maybe I went at the wrong hour. Do you bring your own bags? I forgot and felt like a criminal. Also, rent_stab_ric, is the Red Hook Farmers Market near the ball fields? I’d love to skip the car on weekends.

I’m in Dyker but my sister just moved to Red Hook and I was supposed to help her set up a grocery routine. This thread is super useful. Is there a bodega near Coffey Park that actually has fresh fruit? My sister eats bananas like a monkey. Also, what’s the deal with the B61 on weekends? She said it just didn't show up for 40 minutes last Saturday.

DykerNewbie, tell your sister the deli on Van Brunt near the corner by Coffey Park has bananas and sometimes strawberries, but they go fast. I’ve started doing a small Saturday walk to the market on Van Brunt for fruit and then a bigger Instacart order every other week. Also, smalltown_steph, yes bring your own bags. The fee isn't huge but the looks are real. Does Food Bazaar charge for parking? I’ve only ever seen the lot from the bus.

Food Bazaar’s parking lot is free with purchase, but it can get tight right after work. I’ve never seen them validate, it’s just a standard shopping center lot. If you go on a Tuesday or Wednesday after 7:30, the line’s much shorter. The weekend before noon is the worst.

To answer the B61 question: it’s one of the more inconsistent routes in that part of Brooklyn, especially on weekends when construction or one detour ruins the headway. If you can walk to the Smith-9th St F/G station, sometimes that’s more predictable even with the transfer. For a shorter Red Hook trip, the bus is fine, just don’t schedule your whole day around a 15-minute wait.

Also, LittleTownLia, I wouldn’t say Red Hook is unsafe walking from the bus at night, but it’s quiet. I’d keep to the main streets, have your phone charged, and don’t walk through the park after dark if you’re carrying a lot.

Lol the 'didn't bring my own bags' shame is real. I keep three old white and red plastic bags wadded up in my backpack like a certified New Yorker. For quick produce in Red Hook, yeah, the little markets are pricey but they’re not touristy. If you’re already driving, the Food Bazaar is the move. If you bike, the Court St Key Food has a bike rack that’s usually not full of mopeds, but that might change by the weekend.

Thanks for the safety info. I think I’m still going to look at an apartment near Coffey Park next week. Is it a bad sign if the nearest grocery store is a 20-minute bus ride? I grew up where you drove ten minutes to a Kroger, so I’m trying to adjust my brain. Also, do the little markets on Van Brunt sell rotisserie chicken? That would solve half my week.

Update: We did the Food Bazaar Tuesday night at 7:45 and it was totally fine. We even got a rotisserie chicken from the little market on Van Brunt over the weekend, LittleTownLia, and it was actually good. Not Kroger prices but better than I expected. Thanks everyone for helping me not starve. Red Hook is weird but I think I'm going to like it.