Explore a Block: Old meets new on Montague Street

• This deli has been around since 1949, catering to Brooklyns hungry and discerning customers. Step inside the small storefront and youll find to-go containers of baked ziti, grilled chicken with BBQ sauce, salads, wraps, and fresh-pressed juices, along with hot sandwiches. Turn around and a stunning array of sweets greets you. But if you can only have a piece, they sell that too! Navigate through the narrow aisles (there are really only two) for an authentic Brooklyn experience.

  Where: 114 Montague Street

  Contact: 718-875-6272; lassenandhennigs.com

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• Brooklyn Heights is many things, and expensive is certainly one of them. Shoppers will find the latest styles and on-trend items inside this local boutique, along with a small selection of jewelry and shoes. Shop brands like Theory, Ella Moss, J Brand, Vince, Three Dot, and Diane von Furstenberg. The racks are meticulously neat with tables between them. And shoppers are presented with an array of perfectly curated pieces from rompers to the little black dresses.

  Where: 145 Montague St.

  Contact: 718-625-7518; shoptangonyc.com

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• This second-generation, family-owned pharmacy has way more to offer than your prescription. Browse the high-end make-up section and you’ll feel like you’re in a department store: Smashbox, Bumble and Bumble, Tocca, clarins, Fresh and LOccitane are among the brands offered. There’s also a fish tank to occupy the little ones while you shop or provide a bit of tranquility. And a few bulk candy bins, because who doesn’t love candy?

  Where: 129 Montague St.

  Contact: 718-237-2489; city-chemist.com

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• This throwback diner has been around for years and has all the classics but with a twist: the burgers are named after New York-born Henry Winkler’s character Arthur Fonzarelli.

  The 7 oz. Fonzie burger comes with all kinds of toppings, even offering turkey and veggie patties. But if the iconic show was not your thing, don’t fear. They offer dishes named after all sorts of icons from a bygone era: Chubby Checker clubs, Little Archie sides, Twiggy’s diet specials and Sinatra’s Italian specialties. In the summer you can eat outside and people-watch on the busy block.

  Where: 148 Montague St.

  Contact: 718-875-8361; happydaysdinerbrooklyn.com

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• This pizzeria and salad bar has been a neighborhood staple for years. But recently it got one more endorsement: presidential candidate Hillary Clinton recently had lunch there while settling into her campaign headquarters a couple blocks away.

  She ordered the Fire and Spice salad without the tortilla strips, according to reports, which is romaine lettuce, grilled chicken, black beans, corn, grape tomatoes, red onions, and a spicy creamy poblano dressing.

  The pizzeria has everything from classic pies to a kale salad pie or gluten free options.

  Where: 158 Montague St.

  Contact: 718-246-2000; montyqs.com

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One of the best parts of New York is its juxtaposition of old and new: brand new restaurants and cafes live next to century-old shops or buildings. And Brooklyn Heights is one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods.

The area was first settled in 1636 by a group of Dutch farmers who were unhappy with the rocky soil of lower Manhattan and purchased it from the Canarsie Indians for goods, including eight fathoms of duffle cloth (or about 48 feet), 12 kettles and about two dozen tools, according to the Brooklyn Heights Association.

Now, the neighborhood looks slightly different and the bustling stretch of Montague Street holds the best of both the old and new. You will find great local restaurants and boutique shops. But you’re never far from the convenience of a Starbucks or Le Pain Quotidian, or the constant rotation of sales at Ann Taylor Loft.

For our first edition of “Explore A Block,” we encourage you to visit Montague Street for a seriously old-world Brooklyn experience.