There is a morning routine in Bay Ridge that the rest of Brooklyn does not know about. It goes like this: walk to Pier 69 Market at 10 Bay Ridge Ave. Order a cortado -- or a flat white, or a cold brew if it is summer. Then walk two blocks west to Owl's Head Park, climb the hill, and sit on the bench at the top.
From that bench, on a clear morning, you can see the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, the Staten Island Ferry, and the lower Manhattan skyline. The harbor is alive with tugboats and container ships. The light comes off the water at an angle that makes everything look like it was painted.
This is not an exaggeration. This is a Tuesday morning in Bay Ridge.
The Park
Owl's Head Park covers twenty-seven acres on a bluff above the harbor. It was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted's firm -- the same people who designed Central Park and Prospect Park. The terrain rolls and dips, with mature oak trees lining gravel paths and a hilltop clearing that serves as the park's centerpiece.
The hilltop is the destination. It sits roughly eighty feet above sea level, which does not sound impressive until you are standing there and the entire harbor opens up below you. The Verrazzano is to your left, massive and close. The ferry terminal is directly below. On the horizon, Manhattan rises out of the morning haze.
The view from the top of Owl's Head Park is the best free experience in southern Brooklyn. Add a La Colombe cortado and it might be the best free experience in the borough.
The Coffee
Pier 69 Market is the natural starting point. It sits at the base of Bay Ridge Ave, which runs directly to the park's eastern entrance. The walk takes about five minutes. The cortado takes about two minutes to make. By the time you reach the park gates, you are mid-sip and the coffee is at perfect drinking temperature.
The La Colombe beans are roasted to emphasize sweetness and body. In a cortado -- equal parts espresso and steamed milk -- the result is clean and strong without bitterness. It is the kind of coffee that gets better as it cools, which matters when you are walking uphill.
The Route
From Pier 69 Market, head west on Bay Ridge Avenue toward the water. You will pass a few residential blocks before the neighborhood opens up into the park landscape. Enter at the 68th Street entrance and follow the main path uphill. The grade is gentle enough for anyone but steep enough to feel like a real walk.
At the top, find a bench. Sit. Drink your coffee. Watch the harbor. On weekday mornings, you might be the only person up there. On weekends, you will share the space with dog walkers, joggers, and other Bay Ridge residents who have discovered the same routine.
After the Park
The morning does not have to end at the hilltop. From the park, you can walk south along the Shore Road promenade -- a paved path that runs along the waterfront for several miles. The NYC Ferry stops at the 69th Street pier, connecting Bay Ridge to Manhattan, Dumbo, and Williamsburg.
Or you can walk back to Pier 69 Market and order breakfast. The egg sandwiches are solid. The baked goods are fresh. And if it is past eleven, the Pier 69 Burger is ready.
Either way, you started your day right. Coffee, a walk, a view, and the honest pleasure of living in a neighborhood that does not try to be anything other than what it is.
Ready for a Real Bay Ridge Coffee?
La Colombe espresso, Rishi tea, and the Pier 69 Burger. All at 10 Bay Ridge Ave, Brooklyn.
