Hetty Lui McKinnon is an Aussie food-media success story. The former PR professional got her start in the food world making salads from her Surry Hills home and delivering them to office workers around Sydney via bicycle. The salads became a word-of-mouth hit and prompted Liu McKinnon to self-publish her first cookbook Community in 2014 (which is now a staple in many Australian homes).

Since moving to Brooklyn in 2015 she has made a name for herself in the hard-to-crack world of American food media. The now five-time cookbook author is a contributor to New York Times Cooking and publishes the indie food and culture magazine Peddler Journal. She has been a guest on The Drew Barrymore Show; appeared alongside Martha Stewart, Marcus Samuelsson, Christina Tosi and more on The Today Show; and her most recent book, Tenderheart, was on the New York Times’ list of the best cookbooks of 2023.

The recipe developer lives in cosy South Brooklyn, a favourite area for people working in the food and media industries that includes (among other neighbourhoods) Park Slope, Cobble Hill, Red Hook and Carroll Gardens. She shares eight of her favourite spots to eat, drink and read for those who want to feel more like a local and less like a Times Square tourist when they visit New York.

“From the majestic brownstones, to the proximity to the rollicking green space of Prospect Park, the stunning foliage during the spring, the independent stores, and excellent food options, it’s easy to love South Brooklyn,” McKinnon tells Broadsheet. “I’m comforted by walking only half a block to a grocery store or a coffee shop, around the corner to grab tacos from the food truck. It’s also very walkable which always helps create a sense of community and connectivity.”

Insa, Gowanas

This is a local stalwart and a place where I have enjoyed many great meals over the years. They describe themselves as a neighbourhood Korean barbeque restaurant and that is a pretty apt description. The atmosphere is lively and fun, the drinks are excellent, and the service is friendly and warm. The owner and chef, Sohui Kim, has created a place that is effortlessly cool, feels welcoming and offers consistently excellent food. I think that is actually quite hard to do in New York, where restaurants come and go in a heartbeat.

Dragon Noodles & Dumpling, Park Slope

While much has been written about Chinese tomato and egg over the past few years, it is still a dish that’s hard to find in restaurants. So when Dragon Noodles & Dumpling opened last year, I was excited to see a scrambled egg and tomato noodle dish on their menu. This is a peak comfort dish for me. They also have a shredded potato salad I’m obsessed with. I think every neighbourhood needs a low-key local Chinese restaurant and Dragon satisfies that for me.

Sixteen Mill, Gowanus

This is a newbie to South Brooklyn and I couldn’t be happier. I first met the owner and baker Talia Tutak at the Park Slope Farmers’ Markets where she’s had a stall for many years. Her bakes are all vegan and gluten-free and they are incredible. I would often buy her pistachio and matcha pound cakes and freeze them so I could have them at a moment's notice. Tutak recently opened her own shopfront bakery in Gowanus, offering a full range of vegan and gluten-free treats, along with coffees and teas. Her sourdough scallion [spring onion] scones are the most incredible scones I’ve ever eaten (and this includes ones with dairy and gluten). They’re light and airy and undeniably cheesy. I don’t know what alchemy Talia is employing to create such deliciousness and I don’t need to know either. As long as she keeps on baking.

Books Are Magic, Cobble Hill

The name says it all. For me, there is no happier place than to be surrounded by books, and I love getting lost in here. The owners, the super lovely novelist Emma Straub and her husband Michael Fusco-Straub, have created a warm and cosy place where locals feel welcome to hang and browse, meet friends or read to their kids. It’s a special pocket of Brooklyn and they now have a second location in Downtown Brooklyn.

The Ripped Bodice, Park Slope

When The Ripped Bodice opened a romance bookstore on 5th Avenue in Park Slope last year, it caused quite a stir. Every time I walked past during its early days, there were crowds inside – and some outside, too – taking photos of the bright pink exterior. Who knew romance is not dead? When the crowds receded to normal shopping levels, I ventured inside to find the most delightful store. There is a romance book for every type of reader and I’ve discovered that I quite like fantasy romance.

Slope Home, Park Slope

I sighed in relief when Slope Home opened in Park Slope a few years ago. Finally, here was a local place where I could pick up beautiful homewares, not only for myself but as gifts, too. There was a time when I needed to photograph an iced coffee recipe for an editorial story and I didn’t have the right tall glasses and a trip to Slope Home solved that seamlessly. The owners are a local couple and they have expertly curated a really special selection of ceramics, kitchen tools, candles, linens, stationery, books and a few vintage items as well.

Un Posto Italiano, Park Slope

This is a great, little, slightly-off-the-beaten-track Italian coffee-shop-slash-deli on Garfield Place in Park Slope. I love to grab an Americano coffee there with friends and then shop for fresh pasta and Italian groceries afterwards. I also love going there at Christmas time, when they offer lots of panettone and pandora from Italy, and sometimes even winter white truffles.

Midoriya Japanese Grocery, Park Slope

This is my local saviour for Asian groceries and veggies. It has an extensive range of Asian snacks, teas, noodles, rice, frozen dumplings, tofu, seaweed and miso, but also offers freshly made onigiri and homewares. It also has everything I need for making hotpot at home – I recently discovered their hotpot soup bases which I’ve been loving.

This story is part of The Travel Issue: Wish You Were Here.