Van Siclen Avenue (J, Z)

Kind of similar to Cleveland J, this stop has a lot of locals milling on the street beneath the train tracks, probably because there aren’t a lot of other places to hang. You’ll hear Spanish more than English, and it’s mostly a residential Black American and Latinx Immigrant area.

There is one place with a starkly different vibe, though, and that’s Sweets & Things, a cute cafe & tres leches joint that looks like it’s been lifted straight from SoHo or the West Village. Sweets & Things is interesting: it gives bougie vibes, but by and for the local community, instead of gentrifiers. They’re also gearing up for events, like poetry readings and music jams. It seems to be the first establishment of its kind in Cypress Hills.

Kennedy Fried Chicken next to the station entrance.

Houses below the station, running parallel to the tracks on Fulton.

Street vibe - granted, I doubt there’s regularly a DJ set on the street off this stop; this photo was taken on July 4.

But this does seem to be the regular vibe.

More of the general vibe.

… But then you see this.

And inside it’s like this! Welcome to Sweets & Things. Definitely worth a visit.