2011 Zagat New York City Food Lover's Guide picks top Brooklyn food shops

Aisha Asif AND Michael Preston New York Daily News 04/27/2011 18:57

Brooklyn foodies who want to entertain at home have a new guide to help them host their best parties ever. More than 150 specialty stores from across the borough - focusing on everything from wine to chocolate - claimed spots in the just-released 2011 Zagat New York City Food Lover's Guide.

"It's all about enjoying food from a different perspective than restaurants," said Nina Zagat, co-chair of the Zagat Survey. "We included everything from the simplest kind of places to places that offer the best ingredients of every kind."

Like the well-known restaurant guide, the Food Lover's edition allows customers to rave in short blurbs about their favorite butchers, bakeries and creameries.

Brooklyn Heights mainstay Sahadi's gained high marks for its "Middle Eastern provisions" and "unbeatable prices."

"It's quite an honor because Zagat is like a bible in the food industry," said co-owner Bob Sahadi.

At the North Carolina Country Store on Atlantic Ave. in Brownsville, customers can pick up all manner of Southern delicacies.

"We carry a lot of Southern products that are hard to find," said manager Shawna Redrick. "We try hard to please the people in the neighborhood and the people who come in."

Borough Park residents looking for "wonderful" cheeses and an "extensive" selection of "authentic Italian goods" should head to Coluccio & Sons grocery store.