The Castello Plan, The Farm On Adderley, Lea And Sycamore In Ditmas Park

Greenpoint is so six minutes ago.

Our newest far-flung fling: Ditmas Park's Cortelyou Road between Argyle and Stratford. This end of the Q train hasn't always been an obvious destination for curious diners but it is now, especially with the December opening of cozy newcomer Lea.

Start your evening at one of The Castello Plan's high-top tables with a drink and a snack. The gorgeous Le Vie Vert ($9) is a bracing combination of gin and Chartreuse served straight-up with a sprig of rosemary. Try it with the crostini topped with yam whipped with truffle ($7).

Now on to neighborhood stalwart The Farm On Adderley for more appetizers. Open since 2006, the place still delivers, especially on unfussy, farm-fresh bites. Sample an array of colorful winter carrots ($10) on a bed of ricotta with a drizzle of olive oil. (Don't skip the bread; the restaurant recently opened a bakery, Nine Chains, a few blocks away.)

The main event: Lea justifies a trip to the strip. The menu is Italian with Middle Eastern accents: good, chewy thin-crust pizzas ($14 to $16), blistered sweet potatoes topped with grated jameed, a hard, salty yogurt ($10). The corner space has a certain elegance—crystal chandeliers, reclaimed wood on the walls and a wood-burning oven–but not so much you'd feel overly fancy ordering a carafe of surprisingly good Nero d'Avola from a keg ($14 for a half, $24 for a full).

A nightcap at Sycamore means whiskey. Lots of it. The bar has 80 to 100 selections at any given time. And whether you're on a date or want to surprise someone at home, order a beer that comes with a brown paper-wrapped bouquet ($10) from the flower shop up front.