Here’s Why Red Hook Field 8 is The Sleeper Pitch of the Summer

This summer, make Red Hook your preferred neighborhood setting for soccer supremacy

If you were one of the lucky few to play at the brand new Red Hook Field 8 this spring, you’ll be happy to know we’re running it back right here for the 2024 summer season. We'll be playing here on Sundays in the following league:

2024 Summer | Sundays | Red Hook (Red Hook Soccer Fields) | 7v7 Coed | P3/P4

There's been a massive reconstruction effort across all of Red Hook Park's recreational areas, and Field 8 is the first of what could be NYC’s newest soccer stronghold.

But let me just say first off what everyone is thinking: Red Hook is one those neighborhoods that isn't easy to get to so why would I want to play here? Yes, I'm old enough to remember watching The Real World Brooklyn where the roommate that drew the shortest straw would drive to and from the subway station whenever someone needed to go somewhere. Red Hook in 2009 clearly had great deals if you were looking to rent a warehouse for filming but not much else. 

While I wouldn't say the Red Hook of 2024 is incredibly convenient to get to because there is still no dedicated subway stop centrally located in the neighborhood, what I will say is this: it isn't that difficult either. You may even find like I do that it's even more enjoyable when you plan to make a day out of it. If you're open to that idea, here's a game plan you can head out with.

Transportation to Red Hook Park Field 8

By Water
The absolute move to make if you're coming from Manhattan is to take advantage of the free Ikea ferry that runs on the weekends to get to Red Hook (reminder: avoid falling into the trap that is Ikea's floor plan unless you need to pick up a chair named Gunde or Nisse to sit on at halftime). You'll have to find a different way back since your game could end after the last ferry leaves. The NYC ferry is another option but you'll be faced with the same issue of it potentially working one way for you.

By Ground
The B57 and B61 include Red Hook on their routes and will likely be the most convenient mode of public transportation for you, especially since Ikea discontinued their free shuttle bus service.

By Underground
The Smith-9th Street Subway stop is the closest subway stop to Red Hook so you may want to transfer to either the B57 or B61 for the last leg of the trip, or you can use the 17 minute walk to the park from the station as a warm up.

Pre-Game Meals and Points of Interest 

If you like exploring a neighborhood through food and drink, you're in luck. Since games here don't kick off until 6 pm, this means you'll be able to have brunch, snacks, maybe a beverage of choice, and possibly an entire key lime pie all before game time. These are the best places in Red Hook you should make it a point to visit with your teammates.

Brunch: If you want a relaxing, Red Hook authentic spot without reservation hassles, head straight to The Good Fork Pub. Dine on chilaquiles or The Good 
Fork smashburger in the outdoor patio and split an order of chips & dip made with fried wontons and honey cream cheese with the team. There's also Red Hook Tavern which you should make a reservation for well in advance and Hometown BBQ which always has a line but damn that lamb bahn mi hits every single time.

Beer: Strong Rope Brewery has the waterfront views of Lady Liberty and will likely be your first choice, but Keg & Lantern and Other Half are ideal spots if you're all about the beer.

Victory Dessert: Sharing is caring in victory and defeat, but doing so with Steve's Key Lime Pie makes either one guaranteed to be tasty as well as provide a much needed sugar injection.

Team Bonding: Walking around Red Hook feels like you've stumbled back in time to when cobblestone streets and surly longshoremen staggering about were the norm. The neighborhood now is a mix of artistic endeavors and industrial relics made new again. You'll find hand painted signs, people taking photos inside an abandoned street car, a museum on a barge, and most importantly, that Old New York, untainted by corporate chain vibe that has now destroyed Williamsburg and is creeping in on Chinatown. But if walking around with your teammates isn't enough to get inspired, there's something equally as wonderful you can do with your team.

Red Hook is a neighborhood full of makers like Raaka Chocolate, which offers bean to bar chocolate making classes on Sundays. There's also a retail shop if you just want to get right to the eating part. Whichever you choose, that chocolate is going to give you plenty of caffeine to get you through the match. Food for thought if you're a Captain in search of a new activity that doesn't involve post-game drinks (though if that's what your people want, then those should be at either Sunny's or Seaborne)

Final Minutes + Stoppage Time Thoughts

Dedicating a weekend day to footy play doesn't have to be a hard choice when you've got a brand new field in a fun and admittedly odd neighborhood designed for exploration. When we think about the pitches we prefer to play on, it's easy to get caught up in the same routine and lose sight of the fact there's so much of the city we forget to see. It's easy to be on the same team, on the same pitch, and at the same level every year. But once things stop being new for us, can we even consider ourselves New Yorkers anymore?