This Gowanus-based clam hut doesn’t shuck around when it comes to community

by Christine Siracusa • photos by jon Gordon

Opening a new restaurant in Gowanus circa 2011 was not an obvious choice. A vibrant community
of artists and blue-collar workers called it home, but on any given day you weren’t likely to see them strolling about. In stark contrast to today, the neighborhood back then was essentially a place to live, or work, or drive through. There were very few inviting places to play.

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So, what drew then-aspiring, now-seasoned restaurateurs Aaron Lefkove and Andy Curtin to this spot? The answer, which is fairly common in the realm of out City’s real estate, was space. But not in the “Look at all these closets!” sense, to be sure. Often described as a shack, Littleneck’s Third Avenue location sports a tiny footprint, so space, in this context is meant more in the “We walked in and saw exactly how our restaurant would look” way. The price also happened to be right.

A lease was signed and the two young musicians launched themselves, headfirst, into the urban restaurant scene—not a path either saw coming, but one they pursued with gusto.

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While cutting culinary teeth, the pair was quick to surround themselves with good people. Grappling with a steep learning curve, they relied on and drew from the expertise of more experienced team members—which, in the beginning, meant pretty much everyone. Take, for example, the cooks they brought in to launch Littleneck— pros who not only carried in years of valuable kitchen experience, but also coveted connections to trusted suppliers, saving the duo critical trial and error time.

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Lefkove and Curtin didn’t have to work too hard to develop an audience, though; their neighbors were hungry for new places to eat, and adopted this cozy spot—with its whitewashed wainscoting and chalkboard menus—at first sight. In fact, their fiercely loyal clientele could almost be considered silent third partners in the way they’ve helped shape the dynamic of the eatery, and this little seafood joint is now woven of the fabric of the Gowanus community. In fact, Lefkove can’t imagine Littleneck, as it is, in any other neighborhood.

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When asked how his menu has evolved, Lefkove laughed. “I was just looking at our original menu the other day! It only had eight, staple-like items on it. They were good dishes…Maine Lobster Roll, New England Clam Chowder…they’re still on the menu today, but they’re rounded out now by composed dishes and crudos.”

Lefkove and Curtin also include the value of being among the firsts in the neighborhood as key. Not only were they one of the pioneering restaurants to hit Gowanus, but were but one of a very small handful of New England-style seafood joints within city limits…and still are.

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“You can get sushi all over,” Lefkove said, “but for a quality Lobster Roll you have to travel. Fortunately, not as far as Maine.”

288 3rd Avenue / 718.522.1921 / littleneckbrooklyn.com