One Night in Ridgewood, Queens
Publié 10/13/2026
Ridgewood is known for its quiet residential streets and rows of distinctive brick homes, many preserved within the neighborhood’s landmarked historic districts. It even has the oldest Dutch colonial stone structure in New York City, the Vander Ende-Onderdonk House. But the Queens enclave has drawn increasing attention in recent years, with more New Yorkers discovering its relaxed appeal, proximity to Bushwick and growing collection of restaurants, bars and music venues. We sat down with our Creative Director of Photo and Video, Jen Davis, who walked us through her perfect night out in Ridgewood: dinner, drinks and a whole lot of dancing. —Emma Diab
"One Night In" is a three-stop itinerary series about our favorite neighborhoods. NYC Tourism's Creative Director Jen Davis takes us out for a night of dancing in Ridgewood. For more neighborhood nightlife itineraries, check out Jen’s Greenpoint edition, as well as Harlem, Astoria, Koreatown and Sunnyside from other members of our NYC Tourism staff.
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10pm: Rolo's
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If I’m going out on a weekend night in Ridgewood, the first thing I'm doing is having late dinner at Rolo’s. It’s dark and romantic, and the food is incredible.
There’s an open kitchen with a wood-burning oven used for flatbreads and various other dishes. My move every time is the two-sheet lasagna: two thin pieces of homemade spinach pasta with Bolognese and béchamel, cooked until the top gets crispy and the edges are burnt. It’s creamy inside, crispy outside and light as far as pasta goes. You don’t feel like you’re eating this massive brick of dough. I also love the polenta bread and simple green salad. Much of the food has that wood-fired aroma from the oven.
For a drink, I’ll have the Martini Spanish, made with gin, blanc vermouth, sherry, olive brine and pepper. It has this herbaceous taste from the brine and pepper. Since this is going to be a whole night out, I’d probably have just that one drink with my meal.
For this particular night, I’d go on a Friday or Saturday and get one of the later reservations, probably around 10pm. Reservations can be hard to get if you don’t plan ahead, but they also take walk-ins at the bar, though the bar list also tends to fill up so put your name down around 9pm to guarantee a spot. And if you’re planning on dancing later, carb up!
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Midnight: Cassette
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From Rolo’s, it’s a couple of blocks to Cassette, a beautiful, approachable bar with a small space upstairs and a music venue in the basement.
I usually go for the draft Negroni. It’s simple, balanced and affordable. I’d hang out there, have a drink with friends and linger for a little while, just letting the night transition into what’s next.
They also have shows downstairs, so check the calendar and see what works with your plans. If something is happening late enough, you could get a drink and see a show—or you can just hang out at the bar.
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2am: Nowadays
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Depending on the lineup, I’d head out to Nowadays, about a 20-minute walk away.
I go for the music, the culture and the community. They have a range of DJs covering a range of eclectic club music, so check out Resident Advisor to find the right fit for you.
What I love is the way they monitor the crowd. Upon entry, they go over the rules of the space while you’re held in a small group. It’s nondiscriminatory; don’t touch anyone without permission, look out for one another and no photography on the dance floor.
That really transforms the experience. I never feel like people are disrespectful of my space. Even if somebody bumps into you while dancing, they apologize. It has this community-driven feel; people are there for the music and the nightlife, and for that collective experience that happens on the dance floor. The sound system, lights and lineups are amazing. It all comes together.
If you need a break from the intensity for a bit, you can go outside and explore the grounds where you'll find little pockets with hammocks and places to chill with your friends. And if you’re going to one of their “Nonstop” parties, you can stay long enough for breakfast the next morning. I got a bacon, egg and cheese at 8am, which fueled me up to keep on dancing through a Sunday afternoon!