Old world charm combines with new world amenities to create a great Brooklyn neighborhood.
Carroll Gardens has an average violent crime rate and a below average property crime rate for New York City.
Once a hub for Italian-Americans and old-world charm, this Brooklyn enclave has evolved into a trendy neighborhood for families and professionals. Nowadays you're more likely to see young parents pushing around strollers on the weekend than older residents sitting on the front stoops of their homes.
It's hard not to be attracted to such a charming neighborhood, though. Carroll Gardens is full of beautiful brownstones and brick rowhouses, some of which have 30 foot deep front yards which is unheard of in this part of Brooklyn. High-rise condos have started popping up around the neighborhood as well to the consternation of some residents.
Smith Street and Court Street, running parallel to each other and separated by only a block, are twin arteries for dining and shopping. Both streets feature clothing boutiques, old school delis, nail salons, insurance agents, pharmacies, groceries, a pet store, bars, and plenty of restaurants. Invoking the neighborhood's past, some of the nightlife hotspots here are located in old Italian social clubs.
Carroll Gardens is bordered on the north by Cobble Hill and Boerum Hill, on the east by Gowanus, on the south by Red Hook, and on the west by Columbia Street Waterfront (sometimes also referred to a "Carroll Gardens West" by real estate agents).
Commute:
Wall Street: 3.7 miles / 10-20 minutes by car / 30-35 minutes by transit / 20 minutes by bike
Rockefeller Center: 7.4 miles / 30-55 minutes by car / 40 minutes by transit
Jersey City: 9.9 miles / 30-55 minutes by car / 45-55 minutes by transit
Downtown Brooklyn: 1.6 miles / 10-20 minutes by car / 20 minutes by transit / 30 minutes by foot / 15 minutes by bike
Carroll Gardens LOCAL schools
Carroll Gardens Local Flavor 
Old school setting and gruff service, but the pizza is amazing.
Occupying an old apothecary store built in the 1920s, this ice cream shop makes sundaes, milkshakes, floats. And plain old ice cream, too.
Half coffee shop and half used vinyl record store. All good.
Brunch is serious business in New York and this local favorite delivers great food in a laid back atmosphere.
Named after the Prohibition-era concoctions that could set your walk awry, this bar serves up cocktails, liquor, and beer. And fondue.
Locals rave about the fresh-baked bread from this neighborhood institution that's been around for decades.
Photo Credits: Thanks to @Julian Dunn , @Steven Pisano , @Adam Detrick , @Kate Hooker , @Sarah Sampsel , @Marco , @Ed , @green_janine, @madisonsquareglutton, @tumbleweedbrooklyn for your great photos of this neighborhood!
