When the Barclays Center opened in the autumn of 2012, it promised to be a boon to local business. To deliver on that vow, it launched Brooklyn Taste — a collection of no fewer than 55 Brooklyn-based food vendors scattered across multiple levels of the 18,000-seat arena. Most of these purveyors cook up event-friendly fare specific to the venue. Together they represent a wide spectrum of dining options indicative of their home borough's ethnic diversity. Dining at Barclays is unlike the predictable junk-food-fueled experience of a typical stadium. But as at any other sportsplex, it doesn't come cheap. To accommodate the constraints of your wallet — and stomach — we've assembled a list of the ten best dishes to seek out during your next Nets game, rock concert, or (next season) NHL match.
Hot Pastrami on Rye ($16.75), David's K Deli, Section 06
It can't be a proper Brooklyn experience without a decent Jewish deli. And the hot Abeles & Heymann pastrami served from David's K is beyond decent — it's delicious. More than half a pound of thinly sliced smoked meat is piled high betwixt two pieces of traditional rye bread. It's served without frills — just a small cup of slaw and an oversized sour pickle on the side.
