Taste the Caribbean in Brooklyn

ALL IT TAKES is a stroll through the streets of the Crown Heights and Flatbush neighborhoods to catch the vibe. Spiced smoke from grills wafts in the air; sidewalk markets overflow with mango, soursop, wiri-wiri peppers, and djondjon (dried black mushrooms); and homes and cars display flags as bright and joyful as the accented voices of the people who proudly represent them.

- Nicole K. Grimes

Brooklyn is home to the largest population of Caribbean people outside of the islands themselves. To immerse yourself in the borough's diaspora, pay a visit to these cafés, restaurants, and bars.

ISLAND POPS

One day in 2014, Shelly Marshall was craving soursop ice cream, a favorite from her native Trinidad. Her husband, Khalid Hamid, tried out a home recipe: it wasn't perfect, but the couple realized they'd stumbled onto something. They started selling Island Pops at local markets, before opening their brick-and-mortar shop in Crown Heights in 2018. Now they serve a variety of treats, like sorrel-rum sorbet, guava-cheesecake ice cream, and passion-fruit popsicles.

AUNTS ET UNCLES