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We follow Chantal Martineau across the bridge to indulge in the tastes, sights and sounds...and shops of NYC's hippest borough: Brooklyn.

Manhattanites have a special relationship with their neighbours from the borough next door. They playfully rib Brooklynites for living outside the hub of New York, while secretly envying them their bigger apartments and smaller rents.

The old joke has always been that those who live in Manhattan have a hard time getting themselves to Brooklyn. But, these days, even the staunchest islander cannot avoid taking a bridge or tunnel to the beautiful brownstone-filled borough, whether it’s to eat in the latest hot restaurant or to attend the latest hot-ticket live show. The locals are not the only ones tempted by the lure of Brooklyn. Visitors to the city have heard the call of this grassier, more laid-back New York. From ultra-hip Williamsburg to the foodie scene on Smith Street, Brooklyn is stealing the spotlight from Manhattan.

Smith Street

It used to be that the only Brooklyn stops on the tourist map were the Botanic Gardens and Coney Island, but these days, a visit to New York isn’t complete without a stroll down Smith Street. Being on the cutting edge of culinary trends, the restaurant-lined strip is home to several newish bars that specialize in classic cocktails. Clover Club, a handsome space done up in dark wood and pressed tin ceilings, serves up some of the city’s best pre-Prohibition era cocktails. You’ll feel as though you’ve stepped into a simpler time as you sip meticulously mixed drinks at a mahogany bar that dates back to the 1890s and is manned by suspender-sporting mustachioed mixologists. In the cosy back parlour room, the drinks are served in antique glassware. A few doors down is another key destination for those who prefer to quaff in style. Char No. 4 is an all-American barbecue joint boasting the biggest homegrown whiskey collection in the borough. Its more than 150 bottles are mounted along the wall behind the bar, and include such rare offerings as Four Roses Yellow Label and Redbreast 12-Year-Old Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey. The menu is as southern comfort as it gets, with fried pork nuggets and house-smoked thick-cut bacon, both of which make for a lovely pair with a glass of bourbon.

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