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Long before hipsters outpriced from Williamsburg flocked to Greenpoint, longshoremen looking to tipple found refuge at the neighborhood’s many bars. The Pencil Factory—the namesake factory is actually located across the street—was once the Miltonian Social Club, a bar catering to said dockworkers. The old moniker is now etched in glass at the back of the bar, serving as a reminder to those days of yore along with the original wide-plank floors, apothecary cabinetry, and weathered, exposed brick walls. Since much of Greenpoint’s nightlife now consists of Polish social clubs, young newcomers to the area usually settle at “the Factory” for single malt scotches priced by the year, as well as 22 beers on tap like perfectly poured Guinness. — Carla Spartos